The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1909-11-19
miserable groups about the upper


miserable groups about the upper
works of the colhery. the women and
children of the town waited to look at
this body or that. thinking they would
recognize the features of some loved
one.
Sneds were cleared for the reception
of the dead Hearses and collins were
brought into the town for the handling
of the bodies. Two buildings were
cleared of eve rything else to make way
for temporary hospitals. Doctors were
rushed into Cherry from every town i'll
the vicinity. Miners from other conf
munities came in voluntarily to aid in
the work of rescue.
Mine superintendent James Steele
declared five hours after the explosion
that it was almost impossible that any
of the miners could escape.
Fifty Out of Mine at Noon.
The mine had day shift of 484 men.
Of these fifty left the mine at noon.
The fire that caused the explosion
which resulted in one of the greatest
tragedies in the list of mine horrors
of nay allowed TO smolder too long
finally ignited the timbers of the mine
and before the workers realized their
danger, the mine was filed with
smoke, gases and fame, and all es
cape was impossible.
Alexander Nerberg, a pit man, gave
his life unbesitatingly In futile effort
l. to = ~
risked their lives with him. Standing
at the bottom Of shaft he carried
the bodies of four men into a cage, the
only way of escape. As the last was
carried in he fell unconscious across
the body. He was dead, as were all
his companions when the cage was
lifted to the top.
These who had gone into the nit
with him were John Bundy, the mine
superintendent: John Flood and Isaac
Lewis, merchants of Cherry. and Domi-
mic Fonenei. DR.. w. Howe, who had
sought to go with the men when they
descended in the cage had been thrust
out by Bundy, who exclaimed: !
"They will need you at the top IL
we get any one out. No use risking
your life down here" \
Mouth at Pit Sealed.
u When the extent of the fire was rea-
ICED the officials saw ordinary measures
would be Intellectual The fire
had burned away the timbers of the.
shaft and the flames soon reached the
escape shaft A few minutes later the
fan which supplied air to the shaft col
lapsed and tumbled through the open
ing. The flames then swept ON to the
mouth of the pit. where they were car
rfed to the surface, forcing back all
those who ventured near.
The officials knew the fire must beat
it's way back into the shaft, and then
the heroic measure of sealing The
mouth of the pit was adopted Before
this, water had been poured down the
escape shaft, but without avail.
The only men to escape were those
near the main shaft when the FIRE
started. They declared that careless
miner had thrown torch on bundle
of hay used to feed the mules stationed
in the mine. No attention was given
the smouldering hay for few minutes.
Then two miners threw the burning
mass on a cart and started toward the
main shaft about $50 feet away. Be
fore it was reached, small explosion
occurred and in but a few moments
the entrance to the vein from the shaft
was filled with smoke and flames.
Those nearest the cages hurried to
them and were hoisted to the surface.
After about four trips the cages
ceased moving and no more miners
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