Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-11-24
BRAVE MEN ENTER
DEPTHS OF MINE
DESCEND $40 FEET-FIRE MOVING
eAcK-SHAFT COMPARE
lively COOL.
CARPENTERS MAKING BIG CAGE
IN WHICH TO GO DOWN
AGAIN.
MEN AND WOMEN ANXIOUS BUT
oRDERLY-TRooPs ON
GUARD.


scended the ventiiating shaft of the
st. Paul mine last night and discov-
cred that the fire is moving back
from the main shaft.
Williams descended to the second
gallery where the fire started. The
shaft was comparatively cool. There
was considerable steam, but much less
smoke than Sunday.
The buckets Ia which they descend
ed were large enough only to stand on
and the effort of carrying oxygen ap-
paratus on their backs at the same
time wore the men out.
A safety lamp was lowered and ex-
tinguished at one hundred feet. It
was argued against risking more
lives. but the opportunities of sur
viving miners that desperate chance
be taken toward reaching the i'm
prisoned bodies prevailed and Morris
and Williams descended. Signals
were made by an auto horn. After
the trip Morris declared, I'VE must
have a bucket big enough to hit on
luS iiln, DSAOIS VIC Sdu uO any NAAn6
effectively"
Williams said:
There is very little smoke, much
less than Sunday. For ninety feet
down the tinbers were scorched, but
lower than this was less noticeable.
The steam was too dense to see into
the galleries. Down 80 feet seemed
to have los the sense Of feeling, but
when l rose the air revived me-"
Carpenters at midnight began to
construct cage with which it is pro
posed to descend the airshaft again.
Earlier Report.
Cherry, H., Nov. I6-The st. PAU
mine yesterday continued to refuse to
yield up the bodies of 300 entombed
miners. Utter failure to devise any
satisfactory method of recovering the
bodies attended the work o' +he res
cuers.
Last night the interior was burning
almost as fiercely as ever, lifting OF
the seal indicated, by the frequent
puffs of smoke, the fury of the smotn'
cred flames.
The two companies of state troops
remained idle in the cars except for
guard duty about the mine and sleep.
ing in the cars at night. An impor'
tant conference lasting five hours
was held by the federal, state and To-
cal mining experts whereat means
were sought to be devised for pene-
trating the mine at all hazards. But
it was found that no immediate de,
scent is possible into the hot gaseous
cave without the risk of killing the
rescuers.
The conference was attended by
President Earring Of the st. Paul rail.
road, George s. Rice, Of the govern
ment geological survey, J. ". Paul,
in charge of the government nine
rescue work, the Illinois state mine
inspectors, w. w. Little and Thomas
Little, Indiana Mine Inspector Apper'
son, Ohio Inspector Harrison, Mis-
souri, Inspector Nicholas, G. W. Trae1
of the state investigating commission
and others One of the schemes pro
tant from the hoisting shaft, and by
a gigantic fan produce a false air
current which would carry the gas
and heat away from the shaft down
which the rescuers might go.
Some of those who opposed this de
clared that the rescue project would
have to be indefinitely postponed, as
the fires are intense and it would be
useless to risk more lives, and, il
was added, the mine viii have to be
sealed for weeks, perhaps months
before the mine is cooled.
Scores of women continued to lin
ger about the grounds. So great
has been the anguish and mental
strain it is feared many women are or
the verge of insanity.
Determined to show the people
that everything possible is being
done, the authorities allowed the
crowds to gather near the shaft
What is being done was publicly an
nounced As the engineer lowered
thermometer through bore in the
lid another man stepped forward anc
announced through a megaphone:
lone hundred and fourteen degrees
near the top"
The thermometer was lowered 30l
feet and the megaphone announced:
"One hundred and seven degrees
at the bottom
why, cried chorus of voices
that is good. they can go down il
that. We can stand ia degrees II
the sun. surely they will go down il
that"
Men ard women gazed intently witt
family hopeful looks It was ex
planned that owing to the gas mucl
lower degree of temperature thai
that Of ordinary conditions would b.
necessary for those who wore oxygeI
helmets. It was added that If tn,
seal was opened, the air rushing il
would fan the fire and before the res
cuers could get down the flames mign
be leaDing high.
Disappointment was evident on eE
cry faee II the fires continue vii
the bodies ever be recovered? wa
sked on an sides
we have gone over every detail i
tbs situation, said COMMISSIONS