The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-11-18


bodies of 800 or more miners as a re-
suit of last Saturdays disaster today
refused to yield up its dead.
Utter failure to devise any satisfactory
method of recovering the bodies attend
ed the work of the rescuers.
Tonight the interior of the mine was
burning almost a fiercely as ever. the
lifting of the lid over the mouth of the
hoisting shaft indicating by frequent
puffs of smoke the fury of the smothered
flames.
The two companies of state troops sent
here to prevent possible disorder re-
manned all day idle in their cars ex-
cept for guard duty about the mine and
sleeping cars at night.
An important conference lasting five
hours at which there were present fed
eral, state and local mining experts was
held today The meeting was called in
response to a feeling that efforts should
be made to penetrate into the mine and
bring up the bodies at all hazards. But
at its conclusion it was found that no
Immediate descent could be made into
the gas ana neat Illlcu CdNSlh
risk of killing the rescuers.
Distressing Situation.
I'VE met nothing but obstacles in our
efforts" declared State Mining Inspector
Thomas Hudson. THE situation is most
distressing" The conference was attend
ed by President A j. Earring of the
C. M. & ST. P. railroad; George s. Rice
of Pittsburg, of the United States geo.
logical survey; ]. w. Paul, In charge OF
the government mine rescue work; IL
linois State Mine Inspectors W. w. Lit
tie and Thomas Little, Indiana Mine In
spector James Apperson, Ohio Mine In
spector George Harrison, Missouri In
spector Nicholas, g. W. Traer of the
state mine investigating commission. and
others.
Various schemes were proposed. Among
them was one to open up an air shaft
hitherto has been worked, and by means
Of a gigantic fan produce a false air
current which would carry the gas and
heat away from the shaft down which it
was intended to send the rescuers.
Some of those who opposed this de-
clared the entire project for rescue
would have to be indefinitely postponed.
They asserted that the internal fires
were intense, that 1t would be useless
to risk more lives, and that in fact the
mine would have to be sealed up for
weeks and perhaps for months before
the mine could be cooled off.
It was day of hope and abandon
ment of hopes.
Scores of women continued to linger
about the ground.
Great Mental Strain.
So great has been the anguish and
mental strain during tn elast four days
that it is feared many women are on
the verge of insanity. One woman who
declared she had had dreams and Wis
ions of her husband and brother still
living in the mine, shrieked piteously
imploring the auth critics to open the
shaft and then fell senseless in the
stand.
Determined to show the people that
everything possible was being done,
the authorities threw open the mine
grounds and allowed crowds
to gather near the shaft. Details of
what was being done were publicly an
AS Mining Engineer Rice
lowered a thermometer through bore
in the lid of the shaft to test the de-
gree of heat another man stepped for
ward and announced through mega
phone: "One hundred and fourteen de-
grees near the top"
At the bottom of the S00-foot shaft
107 degrees were registered.
why" cried a chorus of voices,
that's good; they can go down in that.
We can stand ia degrees in the sun;
surely they'll go down in that
1t was explained that owing to the
gas in the mine oxygen helmets would
have to be worn by the rescuers and
that a much lower degree of tempera-
ture than that in ordinary conditions
was necessary for those who wore
helmets. Moreover, it was said that If
the seal was opened the fresh air rush
ing in would fan the fire and before
the rescuers could get down names
might be leaping high
More Soldiers Coming.
A third company of militia was made
ready today for the guarding of the mine
and cars of the railroad officials to-
night The demonstration of feeling on
the part of survivors Of the entombed
miners rerved to create considerable UNI
easiness. This led Sheriff Skoglund to
take OnmeQ1ale dCllOU anu dt ddSh ITO
asked the railroad officials to take the
troop cars. which had been stationed sew
eral hundred feet from the mine, up be-
ride the special cars which are serving
as a temporary hotel. ct want to assure
everyone who has any fear for his safe
ty that he will be protected said the
sheriff after a conference with Attorney
Eckhart.
Regarding rumors of threats of secret
society meetings and such things of an
nature have nothing to say"
When the troop train arrived at tho
mine Capt. C. w. Hall, in command. or
dered one company TO guard the cars and
another the mine.
The troopers at night took possession
of the solemn ground beneath which the
bodies Of 800 men lie buried and over
,eh, for the first Time since the dis
aster, the grief-s '-icken survivors have
been permitted to tread without moles'a-
ton.
The presence Of the troops excited no
comment from the sorrowful men AMI
women who took possession of the prema-
ture burial ground Of their loved ones.
Grief is Unchecked.
Pent UP grief an danger were unchecke1
by the Officers of the law, though they
increased all day long and not even
when an orator mounted the sand sealed
shaft of the doomed men did the deputies
interfere or the soldiers appear.
The sheriff, single-handed Gained the
situation.
The climax came when James Witherill,
a veteran miner, leaped to the shafts and
harangued the crowd of weeping women
and sullen men.
Witherill condemned the action OF the
authorities since the disaster and de-
clared the men entombed In the mine