The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-11-15

came to l was Safely on top.
my buddy had followed closely
all the way out, and, encouraged by
the light held by the cage man, man.
aged to reach the shaft and was car
ried with me to safety"
A tobacco pouch was the means
of saving the lives of John Phillips
and Edward Surrock. miners in the
second vein. Phillips, on his way to
the saft, found Surroclz lying in the
track in the main, entity way. He
dragged, his ccmrade until he himself
was almost overcome by the smoke.
With miners intuition he searched
for something to cover his nose and
mouth. The only thing available was
the small sack in which he carried
tobacco Placing one end in his
mouth, he pull ed the rest over his
nose and fastened it about his head
with the string. BY crawling with
his head close to the rail, he strug-
gled toward the shaft, dragging his
almost lifeless comrade with him.
Heroic Rescue Work.
One OF the heroic incidents of the
rescue work was the saving of John
McGiI and his young son. They left
the place where they were working
when TIE alarm was given. Before
half tie journey was completed they
began TO grow dizzy. Clasping his
fathers hand. he sank to his knees,
exclaiming: PA, / am dying. Leave
me and save yourself if you can"
Although greatly weakened himself.
the father raised the now unconscious
son, and.A taking off his belt, strapped
the boy Non his back and struggled
on. Within sight of the shaft he
consciousness he yelled for help, and
his cries were heard. Rescuers bore
them to the cage.
E even of the II boarders at the
house of Mrs George White persisted.
The only survivor was an invalid
who. on Monday, returned from the
hospital and was unable to report for
work on Saturday.
One pitiful case is that Of the Love
family. Mrs. John Love is not only
left a widow, but four sons are be-
lieved to have persisted.
canvass of what Is known as
Long Row, q street which has on one
side row of 33 houses identical in
appearance, has revealed that only
two men in all the houses are num-
bered among the living. Each of the
33 has from one to four dead.
The story of the Ii heroes who
went down to their death in the blaz-
ing shaft of the Cherry mine and of
tile one man WHO Cdillc DdCh, SCdIISu
by fire and blackened by smoke, to
tell the CHASTITY story, is being related
today in all it's details.
Story of "The Man Who Came Back"
Standing out above ali the others
is the story Of Dr. l.. Il. Howe, the
man WHO came back the only one
of the heroic IA who survived to tell
what happened Seven times before
the other rescUers began to go down
in the burning shaft he went down
alone in lift Each time he brought
to the surface his quota of saved.
Twenty five miners owe their lives
to him.
Today his hands are badly burned,
but he shows no other scar. When
asked to describe his experience, he
merely shrugged his shoulders and
said:
81 couldn't have done anything else
than l did. 1t is not worth talking
about. Besides, am too busy to talk
today"
The disaster brought to light many
unnamed heroes. Among these was
a miner who when fighting his way
through the binding smoke. Stun
bled across the body of a little trap
per- boy, who had been overcome at
his post at one Of the trap doors that
control the air supply.
Finding that life still existed, he
picked up the boy and placing him
upon his shoulders, staggered on un-
til he met one of the rescuers. Both
the miner ami the boy reached the
surface.
All the state mine inspectors from
the ten districts comprising the coal
fields arrived today. Thomas Hudson
Of Ga'ya, in whose district the ill
fated mine is situated. was the first
to arrive He was closely followed
by Hector McAllister of Streator
who had many friends who were
killed in the disaster. Hudson and
McAllister joined in declaring the
equipment Of the mine the most mod
ern and efficient in the state. They
also said the officials and supcrin-
terdents had instituted and operated
a thorough system of safety meas
ures. When questioned regarding the
blame of the fire. Hudson said:
CareIessness to Blame.
From what 1 have learned. | can
only ga. that carelessness-crimin
care essness-on the part of some of
the men working III the second vein
level is responsible.
1.-The mine was equipped with all
modern safety devices and was well
planned. / made recent inspection
and found everything in tho best of
shape I found that all state reguia-
| tons were being obeyed- Officials
and managers apparently are not :e-
| sponsible for the tragedy. Blame
rests directly upon the shoulders Of
! the men themselves"
| When it was discovered that there
remained chance to rescue alive
| perhaps score of miners in the
| safety row in the third vein, hurried
/ arrangements for getting air cur
rents into that section of the mine
/ were made. Howard Hazen person
| ally directed the shipment from his
| Rockwell mine. cast of LaSailA of .
largo fan to replace the one destroy
| ed ~ fire. The fan and equipIian,
| we're loaded into freight cars an
taken Is miles TO Cherry in -w.
| hours.
MILTON MAN MEETS WITH