The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-22

oooy IN the mine was dead Nobody
conceived OF any other possibility 1t
shaft: op 'iie
I Wee got Some men alive. Hoist
her up quick
Up we went like a shot and
rushed the men into Pullman car
standing near"
Joe Pigati's Letter.
Joe Pigati, while being revived,
brought out with a smile letter he
nao written on a piece of brown
paper on the fourth day of his inn
prisonment, when he thought there
was no hope of escape. The letter
was addressed to his wife and freely
Translated from the italian, read:
:, This is the fourth day that we
nave been down here. That's what I
thlnk, but our watches stopped. I
am writing in the dark because we
nave been eating the wax from our
safety lamps. I also have eaten a
pug OF tobacco, some bark and some
OF my shoe. 1 could only chew it.
| nope you can read this. I am not
AFRAID to die. Oh! Holy Virgin have
mercy on me. I think my time has
come; You know what my property
is We worked for it together. and it
is all yours. This is my will, and you
must keep it. You have been a good
wife May the Holy Virgin guard you.
1 hope this reaches you some time
and you can read it. 1t has been
very quiet down here and I wonder
what has become of our comrades.
Good-by, until heaven shall bring US
together
Another man who was brought to
the surface very solemnly requested
that his wife be kept from the car.
i've been away seven days. I
think can apologize better to her at
home" he said
Fight Over Water
The story of a desperate fight
waged in the depths of the mine by
one faction of Il entombed miners
against another over the scant water
supply was told by mo Antonieso, one
of the rescued men.
According to Antonieso's account.
complished only after one group
headed by brawny miner. whose
name all refused to divulge, had been
overpowered by the other. Bitter
personalities were exchanged. blows
We're struck and finally knives were
drawn. There were three sick men
in the party-Franco Zannarini,
Daniel Wslowcsak and Gearge Eddy.
group headed by Clelland and
Waite insisted that the sick men
should have the first call on the water
supply, which was very scant that
seeped into the shallow pits
At least one, other man, physically
stronger than the others, tried to take
the water from the sick.
Someone was pushing Walowcsak.
the weakest of the party. away from
the water and stealing it," said
Antonieso. HE was too weak to re-
sist. A secret guard was established
over him and we found the mar who
was stealing the water. We gave him
bad beating and he resisted, finally
drawing a knife. We felled him with
an axe helve and dragged him into
corner. After that he was no trouble.
During the last two days the FEELING
of rebellion died out and we all be-
came friends again"
Wrote Funeral Directions,
The two Pigati brothers. Joe and
salvatore, wrote several short notes, all
of the same tenor, save that in one a
desire was expressed that their fun
eral be embellished with brass band.
One of the most touching was written
by John Lorimer to his wife. Lorimer
Is young Scotchrnan. He IS an ex-
perienced miner, and, like his wife, q
constant attendaHt at church.
He just laughs and says he will go
back to the mine when he is well, al
though I'd be willing. after what has
happened, to support him myself If he
would only get safer work" said Mrs. |
Lorimer. Heavens knows, he's been a
good man these three years we've been
married.
AS was the case at the house of each |
of the score of men rescued alive, Lori |
mer received in his bedroom many call |
ers, relatives and others who wished TO
congratulate him on his escape. Lori |
mer's letter. written in the face Of |
death, as were the others, follows:
Lorimer's Letter.
Dear Wife:-I am still living, al |
though it is now 5 O'Clock Sunday |
and there is little hope, as
the black damp is getting the best of |
us. There are twenty-one of us alto
gether here. Dear wife, do not grieve,
we will meet again. God bless you; be-
lieve in Him. He will take care of you.
/ guess we will meet in better land
When you get over this let them know
at home (Scotland). That is all, dear
God bless you.
Your loving husband"
One of the Pigati letters. signed by the
two brothers. concludes with this wish:
We We, desire 81 band at our funeral and
Other portions of the letter refer to our
miserable tomb. where five of us still
we shall ever emerge alive" ms ''0'i
All the farewell letters written were on
2apHr torn from the time book carried by
rom hand to hand IN order that all might
write.
One instance of the self-sacrifice of the
more sturdy prisoners was related by
''Walczinski-I think that was his name
was sixty years old and the weakest
imong u.s." said Lorimer "Our greatest
came from thirst, for only thin
1iefuls of water could be got from the
'eepage. Walczinski grew so exhausted
hat he could not stoop over, but had to
lie on his face to drink. We made holes
n the ground with our fingers and then
waited for the slow seepage of the water
nto them. 1t kept US busy. but we al
ways were feverish with thirst tell you
hat when little water filled into a hole
here was not a man but craved it. But
he stronger men frequently passed their
urn to let the old men drink
WE'RE ALL REGULAR STUDENTS.