Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-11-24
DYING MINERS DIARY.
Details His Fight for Life-Thinks of
Fiancee to Last.

Cherry, ILL.,, Nov. 24.-The love story
ol one Oh the miners who lost his life
IN the east south gallery of the second
ieVei and whose body was recovered
last night was revealed with the dis
covery of a diary he kept up to the
moment OF unconsciousness preceding
his death.
The miner Samuel Howard. was to
nave been married next Christmas day.
Penned in 300 underneath the ground.
Howard thought of his mother and
sweetheart to the last. A diamond ring
which he purchased in La Sale. with
her initials engraved within the circlet.
would have been given to his fiancee
ron Sunday week ago, had not How
ard lost his life.
In the diary he mentioned the ring
and asks that his sweetheart. Miss
Mamie Robinson, be given the token.
The diary follows:
"14-1909. Alive at 10:3O O'Clock vet.
.. "1O:45. II sharp Big Sam d. How
lard.
Alfred, my brother, is with me vet.
good many dead mules and men.
L tried to save some, but came all
most losing myself.
III L am dead give my diamond ring
to Mamie Robinson. The ring is at the
postoffice. had it sent there.
Henry Caumicent can have the ring
1 have home in my good clothes.
"The only thing l regret is my broth
er that could help mother out after l
am dead and gone tried my best to
get out, but could not. saw Jim
q
along the road and could not stand it
any longer.
$50 what is a fellow going to do
when he has done the best he can?
ut is five minutes past II o'clock and
the air is fine, but sometimes it is so
bad 1t almost puts a fellows life out.
ut Is something fierce to see men
and mules lying down al lover like
that.
ITO keep me from thinking thought
1 would write these few lines.
"There is rock falling all over. We
have our buckets full Of water (slump
water) and we drink it and bathe our
heads with it.
"Half past II.
40 to 12 o'clock.
az after i o'clock.
| "2 O'clock.
"s o'clock and poor air and black
damp.
"a 15 O'clock. Change of place.
mo black damp, but poor air. We
lost a couple of our group Two men
tried to get out and could not get
back.
1850 o'clock-tired. hungry, and
sleepy. but could stand quite a bit of
this if 1 could get out of this hole. Sc
what is the use of knocking when a
man is down.
1850 o'clock in the mornign. This
is Sunday.
"12 after o'clock on Sunday morn
ing.
There is no air. We famed our
selves with lids of our buckets.
"25 after and black damp coming
both ways.
"25 after 10. We were past the part
ing and could not get any farther. We
gave UP all hope. We have done all
we could. The fan better start above
soon.
"25 after 10 a. m. Sunday
"Still alive. That is, you will find
iIiC Will LIE puIICIl. II is IL a. m.
ia THAT is five of us, Alfred Howard
Miller, Leyshon, Sam D. Howard
| Steele.
I'VE are still alive.
"The only hope is the fan.
/ Gus Francisco. IHere 1t was evil
dent that francisco asked to have his
name written in Howards daryl
Il think / won't have strength tc
write pretty soon.
"l5 after IL p. m. Sunday.
I'VE are having swell time making
fans
IT they can't give us air we will
make some ourselves.
That is the best. we can do.
I'VE take our turn at the fan. We
] have three. OF them going.
Joe Rapsel was the man who in
vented the fan.
az to p. IN. and the black damp IL