The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-23
DUNCAN MCDONALD"
Hope Lies I'm Lower Level.

DUNCAN MCDONALD"
Hope Lies I'm Lower Level.
Cherry, Ill. Nov 23.-Cherry and
its residents rested for a brief period.
early today, before the beginning of
the crucial struggle to rescue the
living or carry the dead from the 500
foot level of the St Paul coal mine
At midnight two boy miners had
forced their way into the third vein.
preparing the way for a rush of their
comrades to the same vein today.
They declared the air in the gallery
stagnant, but capable of sustaining
life, the water but a few inches deep
and all indications favorable to the
prolonglng of life to those imprisoned
in the depths.
The youths, Robert McFadden and
Barney Dougherty, had scarcely
emerged from the shaft when tidings
were spread that the fire in the sec
ond vein had broken out anew.
All preparations for the further
exploring of the vein were halted
while Chicago firemen attacked the
blaze, which now threatened the main
shaft The contest with the fire con-
the rescuers threw themselves on
cots, blankets. or the floor of the
boiler house to be awakened when
all was ready for them to descend.
That scores of men are alive in the
lower level was the almost unanimou
assertion of miners who listened to
Doe rf The two HGsaeasn penefratee dao 1ao
feet into the vein and shouted. but
no response came. Then they
hurried back to the cage.
There is no reason why they
shouldn't be alive" said Dougherty.
After learning that the lower shaft
contained air not too impure to sus-
increased in mighty measure. Many
reasons were advanced to show that
the men still may be alive.
There is plenty of water there"
said William A. Smith. one of the
few miners in the vein to escape after
the fire.
THE air is endurable and there is
plenty of corn in the mule stable.
They arc some of the shrewdest and
nerviest miners in the country down
there. Well find them barricaded
and ready for another weeks wait
when we reach them
Company Officials Doubtful.
The opinion of the miners was not
shared by company officials
1--WE failed to find living men where
it was almost certain of finding
them" said Mine Superintendent Tay-
lor.
s'They may be alive still. but I am
afraid they are not
The place meant by superintendent
Taylor was the Overcast" an open
ing high above the IoOr leNel, III
which it was said that neither water
nor black damp was found. The
"Overcast' was empty.
This in turn readily was explained
to the satisfaction of the more hopeful
relatives of the missing men.
.sThey couldn't wall the Overcast
in but they could go back to the es-
cane shaft and block in the escape
run" it was explained.
The run is a chamber about 80 feet
long and about II feet wide
From it. a door enters into the es-
cane shaft, the other entrance being
from the third vein-
hou both vf?innoer I'D II II IL
( .'They could block the door up with
loose earth in ten minutes" said Will
i'm Smith, while there is plenty of
material about the other entrance to
| fiji it in a few minutes
| The first act of McFadden and Dough-
, erty. who descended in a small cage
! lowered 167 feet from the second level,
! was to shut a door swinging open be-
tween the two shafts.
The air which was passing from one
| opening to the other, and not penetrat-
! ing back to the limits of the shaft in
! this way was placed in circulation
| through the third vein.
1t is hoped that when they feel the
! air circulating in the shaft, ard fore
| ing its way through the crevices OF
| their barricades the prisoners will en-
/ erge and make a rush for safety to the
| shaft opening. The rescuerS worked
/ with desperate energy throughout the
l morning to be ready to meet them and