The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-11-16
FIRE Still Burning Today But Will be ExHnguished
ny Tonight and Then he Dead Will be
Brought to The Surface.
TO EXTINGUISH FIRE WITH FUMES
CarD0nic Acid Gas Will Quench the Blaze in Fif-
teen Minutes But Likewise Blot Out ANY
Lie in Same Time If Lie is There

CHERRY, ILL.,, Nov. 16.-Witn but
little hope left of saving the lives
of several hundred miners in the st.
Paul mine, the officials in charge, to.
day devoted all of their energies to
fighting the fire. No effort will be
made today to penetrate the depths.
Mining men declare no man can go
into the subterannean depths and
live.
Seven expert firemen from the Chi
cago department reached here today
on special train, bearing 5000 feet
of hose, chemicals and many fire ex-
tinquishers, to take charge of the
fight. A hole was cut in tae cover OF
the main shaft and line of hose
dropped down the shaft, in hope Of
checking the fire in that way.
1t is also stated carbonic acid will
be dropped down into tle mine. Ex-
perienced miners say If this is done
it will extinquish not only the fire,
but will also kill every man still liy-
ing, within 15 minutes.
The flames will be checked by late
tonight or tomorrow morning. Be
fore that time it would be suicide for
anyone to enter the shaft. 1t is hoped
to remove some of tae bodies We'd
nesday morning, but it may be Sat
urday before anyone can enter the
mine.
An outbreak is feared when the
bodies are drawn up. When the mine
Is penetrated, it is expected the bod
les viii be found heaped up In the
blind ends of the tunnels where the
miners retreated from tae approach
ing flames.
Walls Caved In.
The 800 or more miners who were
entombed in the ST. Paul coal mine
by last Saturdays disaster are dead
Some of the bodies lie buried beneath
thousands of tons of earth, which has
cayed in upon them and 1t is doubt
full if many of the bodies can evel
be recovered.
This was the opinion expressed las'
night when attempts at rescue work
carried on night and day for forty
4 eight hours. were temporarily aban
doned Fires in the mine, Whlcf
started with renewed fierceness earl!
in the day, made further descents b!
rescuers impossible.
The fans employed to carry fresl
air to tae imprisoned men served oni,
to relight some sparks which spranl
into a flame Soon the heat and smok
became so dense that it was neces
sary again to seal up the mouth OF tn
hosting shaft and last night the me-
down there, whatever their condition
were locked in as effectively as If !
dungeon.
May Fight Fire with Chemicals.
Whether the bodies will be take
out today or not or for several day
will depend upon the condition of tn
internal fire. 1t is possible thi
steam and chemicals producing ca
bonic acid gas will be forced throug
pipes to the bottom of the min
These will have tendency to choli
out the flames.
II was learned that 800 collins hay
heen ordered-half of them to arris
today and half the following da
Meantime, the several score Of nur
es who have been rushed here, loc
forward to no prospect of heroic VOL
in reviving injured and half-suffoca
ed men. 1t is confidently believe
there will be no one brought out I
the mine who will be within the pow'
OF the nurses resusitation.
Hone swung frequently in the be
ance Before the fire started aga
rescuers descended four times. The
the rumor circulated quickly throue
the crowds that the men below grour
had been reached, and that the re
son they we're not brought up II
mediately was that they were exhaus
cd Nv lack of food and smoke.
No Miners at Pit Bottom.
aThey're alive; they're alive" crit
hopeful mothers and wives. They
be brought up pretty soon.
But the truth was far differer
The rescuers did on one occasion
down 300 feet to the bottom OF Il
hosting shaft. Then groping the
way with electric lamps, and ke
alive by oxygen stored in their h
NETS, they penetrated $50 feet IN