Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-11-16
TWO HUNDRED WIDOWS;
ONE THOUSAND ORPHANS
Attempts to Drive Fresh Air 20 Pris-
oners in Cherry, Ills, Mine Starts
Flames Anew and Forces Would be
Rescuers to Abandon Their Futile
Efforts.



CHERRY, ILLS. NOV. l5.-The
three hundred or more miners who
were eniombed il the st. Paul coal
mine by last Saturdays fire are dead.
Some OF the bodies lie buried beneath
tons CT earth which caved in upon
them and il is doubtful whether many
Of the hcdes can ever be recovered.
This was the opinion expressed to-
night when rescue work was tenn
porarly abandoned. Fires in the
mines. which broke out with renew
ca fierceness early today made furth-
CT rescue impossible
Fans employed in an effort TO carry
fresh air and life down to the I'M
prisoned men served only TO enilyen
some members which sprang into the
flames. Soon the heat and smoke be-
came so dense that it was necessary
again TO seal the mouth of the hoist
ing shaft and tonight the men down
there whatever their condition are
licked in as in dungeon.
Whether attempts to take out the
ponds on the condition of the internal
fire. It is possible that carbonic acid
gas will be forced to the bottom OF
the mine tomorrow to choke the
flames.
Three Hundred Coffis Ordered.
1t was said tonight that three hun
dred coffins have been ordered. Hall
Of them will arrive tomorrow and
half Thursday. Meantime, a score
of nurses who were rushed here look
forward to no prospect of heroic work
in reviving injured ment. 1t is said
that no one will be brought out OF
the mine alive.
Hope swung frequently in the bal
ance today
Before the fire broke out again, res
cuers descended four times into the
shaft Tonight the rumor circulated
quickly through the crowds that the
men below ground had been reached
and that the reason they were not
brought up Immediately was that they
were exhausted by lack of food.
Truth fer Different.
But the truth was far different. The
rescueTs did. on one occasion, go
down three hundred feet to the bot
tom of the hosting shaft. Then
cropping their way with electric lamps
and kept alive by oxygen carried with
them they penetrated $50 feet INTO
the bottom galley. But none of the
miners. either dead or alive were
found
Hey. are you thers?' cried the
rescuers but nothing was heard in
response. II was conjecturoj the
miners had crawled for safety into
the rccesses. remotest from the IRE,
but 10 the parts the rescuers were
unable 70 90 without reascending. Be
fore they could redescend the fire
had broken out. Gradually the crowd
atout the mouth OF the shaft began
to thin as hope seemed 20 wane.
Pathetic Spectacle.
The spectacle about the mouth OF
the wrecked mine at dusk was path
etc. \ tall skeleton frame work OF
iron reaching skyward. surrounded by
a group Of low wooden buildings
which few DAYS ago had been the
scene e industry. suggested by their
desoIation that hope had been 0aban-
dOncd.
Only a hais dozen guards pairoied
the premises. IN the distance. scat
tered ever he Geld a few women
wrapped in shawls looked on in sill
cncc.
Asa result c. the disaster there are
ia this town OF only a few hundred
inhabitants. u least Loco orphans
and 200 widows. These are the
figures 81 Drncsn Mcdonald. presi'
dent Il district No. !. United Mine
Workers who instituted q roll call
Of The families Of he eBicmbed min
ers.
President Still Hopeful
President Eariirx. q the Chic
Milwaukee g. 81. PaHi Railroad. de.
ciincd TO say mere than-tkat the men
are just IS safe now as they were
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