The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-11-18
EFFORTS. MADE
TO ENTER THE
BURNING MINE
Demands of Relatives of Dead
Have spurred Officials to
Extra Efforts
SECRET INVESTIGATION HAS
BEEN MADE BY MINERS

ululiIl lHulJtlUhllUW llhJ
BEEN MADE BY MINERS
Statement That the Mine Was Snfe ia
! Emphatically Denicd--Flame Torch
Used Near Timber When Electric
Light Plant Was Out of Service.
Cherry, ILL.,, Nov. 1s.-"we are
going down in that mine today.
We will conquer it or it will con-
quer us. We propose to open
both shafts" was the announce
ment made by James Twilor, Illinois
mine inspector. Under the direction
of the mine Inspector, 1t was planned
today to make the most hazardous
effort to satisfy the demand of the
bereaved orphans and widows to re-
move the bodies entombed In the St.
Paul coal mine.
After the preliminary exploration
into the air-shaft last night, the in
spectors and mining experts reported
an encouraging condition and it was
determined not to lose a minute to
take advantage of the low temperu-
ture at the bottom of the emergency
shaft. 1t was decided to reinforce
the air shaft, to erect scaffoid to
which Wilt be attached a hoisting ap-
paratus and to explore into the veins
of the mine as far as human endur-
ance will permit. Early today it was
reported that r. Y. Williams, who
went into the shaft last night, had
seen bodies in the second gallery not
from the shaft. This the mining ex-
perts would not verify. After a mid
night conference of the inspectors
and officials, however. carpenters,
masons and laborers were sent for
and before morning the work of pre-
pairing for the uncertain task of to-
day had begun.
AS Mr.. Taylor made his declara-
tton the carpenters were putting the
finishing touches on the construction
designed to lower float with two
men into the air shaft. and G. F. Rice
and other experts were testing the
temperature of the mine shaft. They
found that it had dropped to 1O9 and
LOG.
There is no use of quibbling or
hating now," said Inspector Taylor.
Il will go into the mine today. Tom
Rose. another of the inspectors. R. Y.
Williams and James Webb, geological
experts from Urbana, and several
others are ready to 60 I'VE are go
ingto fight that NINE"
Secret Probe by Miners
Discovery that systematic secret
investigation of the awful mine dis
aster here and especially of the mine
itself, in which more than 300 men
are entombed, has been successfully
carried on under the noses of the Of
ficials of the st. Paul Coal company
and the Chicago, Milwaukee & st.
Paul railroad and without regard to
the activities Of the state mining com
mission or the attitude of the authori-
ties of Bureau county, caused a SEN
sation today.
The investigation has been carried
on by forty miners, among whom are
some of the employees of the coal COM
pany, who themselves worked in the
pit of death, which they say was re-
ported "as the safest mine in the state
of Illinois," Duncan Mcdonald, presi-
dent of the United Mine Workers of
Illinois. and H. c. Uthoff, president of
the Peru Trades and Labor council,
with number of expert engineers,
are In direct charge and supervised
the secret investigation under the in
structions of the organizations they
repre- sent and at the instance of MANY
of the survivors.
President McDenald's Statement
In statement to correspondent
today. giving some of the discoveries
about the mine made by the secret
| inquiry. President Mcdonald cpenly
challenges the assertion that the mine
was safe. The secret inquiry may be
the basis of legal action, both civil
and criminal.
When the excitement blows away
the proper blame and condo: lnation
for the horrible disaster will be de-
manded and secured by the miners
unions of this and other states," said
President Mcdonald.
I'VE find that the use OF a flaming
torch light in the mine where the
wooden tin'bers were plentiful during
period Of two weeks when the cleo
trio light was out of repair was a
serious menace and much to blame for
the blaze. We further find that the
accumulated coal dust in the entries
or tunnels made the place dangerous
and when touched by the blazing bale
OF hay the fire spread rapidly.
Our investigation shows that there
was a scarcity OF water under pres-
sure on the surface and in the mine
which would be Of aid in case of fire
and that there was no hose from
which streams of water couId ha turv
ed to stop blaze.
| Heroic Work.
At. l o'clock p. m. ]. w. Paul of
the United States biological survey
of Pittsburg entered the air shaft and
was lowered to the bottom. He was
armed with hatchet and axe and
carried ropes and boards which he
expected to use to, make landing
from the cage into the mine gallery.
Paul quickly completed his mission
and came to the surface where he was
mined hv George H. Rice and r. Y.