Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-11-22

My Cod said Powell 4 believe some
body is alive in there Some others
replied: No. that is impossible. No
body believes men are alive down
here after seven days.
We'll, now," I said, lets listen
again"
I'VE listened full minute. There
came the same muffled pounding we
heard before. We We're too much saf-
fected to speak, and could not believe
our senses, but grabbing picks and
axes we began to tear down the loos-
again the pounding was much louder.
Three Of us climbed over the dirt
and yelled: Are any Of you alive in
there. boys
The answer came, yes
"And You Bet We Are Hungry"
we yelled: How many of you are
alive, boys? We will save You in a
minute
"In faint, husky voices. the men
caller: Yes, we are alive and you bet
we are hungry Have you got some
lunch out there?
\
yelled: God bless you men, we will get
you out in a minute, and give you all
you can eat. Be as patient as you
can
81 could not see anything back
to make the number we were about
to rescue as many as possible.
"By that time the hole was wide
! n - 1;r,k.,
eyes shining from black faces ap-
peared. We kept yelling to the men,
promising that a way soon would be
clear and that we would be ready to
carry them to the surface.
"One of the men answered: Most
of us are all right, but one fellow, a
Frenchman, is almost gone When
the pile of dirt finally tumbled some
of the men were staggered by the in
rush of air and lights from the
over and met them, throwing our
was inexpressible. They pounded US
until the place reveberated. We wanted
to carry the men to the shaft They
insisted that they were strong and
well enough to walk.
'I found the Frenchman breathing
his last. Holding a torch over his sooty
face, l said: DO you give your soul to
God?'
HE answered, yes I administered
the sacrament In minute he was
dead.
Wanted to Help Save Others.
Walking toward the shaft there
occurred one of the greatest acts OF
] heroism l ever heard of.
Walter Waite, one of the men res
cued, on hearing that there were 9TH
ers alive in another pert of the mine
threw off the blanket that covered his
head and shouted: Well, then, by
God, I am not going out of the mine
until l get the Others
i 1--WE demonstrated, and said we
will take you up to get fresh air and
warm food, then maybe let you heil
u.s. but Waite protested.
j I'VE actually had to force him into
;, the cage he shouting: Let me helT
the others
"All the time those on the surface
i had not conceived of a possibility OF
called: We have got some men alive
|
and rushed the men into a Pullman
car, where they were cared for"
4 Eddy's Letter to His Wife.
1 George Eddy in the darkness and
: despair Of his position managed to
) write a few words of courage to his
: wife, saying:
Dear Wife and Children:-I write
these lines and think it will be the
last time. I came down the shaft
Y yesterday to help save mems lives.
hope the men I got out were saved
Lizzie, if am found dead, bury me al
: Streater and move back. Keep Esther,
> Clarence and Jimmie together as
much as you can. 1 hope they will
, not forget father. Goodbye, Goo
bless you all"
On the reverse side of this letter
was the following signed by Walter
y Waite and the eighteen other i'm.
prisoned comrades:
1--WE, the undersigned, do not blame
anyone for the accident that happened
!. and penned us in here. We believe
everybody did all in their power tt
Y relieve US. With best wishes to al
!, concerned"
e Taking Out the Dead.
The work of taking out the thirty -ont
. bodies first seen by the rescuers yes
terday, began this afternoon. Re
ports that many bodies are still warn
T and that death had occurred only
few hours before were denied by tilas
1 who found them. Many bodies badl.
, decomposed.
' DESPAIR ON SUNDAY.