The Sentinel=record., 1909-11-23

Cherry, H., Nov. 22-Efforts to reach men possibly still alive in the Sf. Paul mine were made in two direc. tions today--west and east.
 In the latter section the attempt was made at third or bottom gallery, at the earnest request of Duncan Me Donald, president of the United Mine Workers of Illinois, and nine other officers of that organization.
 The melancholy situation was ac. centuated today by the weather. rain falling all last night and finally turn ing to snow. But efforts to explore underground continued with unabated yigor
 Dozens of volunteers worked against the most exasperating odds to extend the limits of their explorations.
 Earth and coal were removed only to be followed by other avalanches from the crumbling passages, but each check was met with Ia desperate re. turn to the attack
 The situation to date:
 Number trapped in mine, 31O
 Rescued alive, 20.
 Bodies recovered today. 42
 Bodies recovered previously, 60.
 Still unaccounted for, 1S9
 They are still alive down there" was the watchword of every worker today, althhScessigh evidence in support of it was pathetically meager.
 The first tangible ray of hope came when men at work in the east work ings broke through a wall of earth where it had been expected by ex- perts that large number of bodies would be found
 Not one was discovered. Instead. in a tool closet a great many mining implements were found. as laid down, apparently. when the men came out to eat. A fact regarded as significan was that not dinner pail remained.
 From this it was argued that the men, unable to escape when the fire was discovered, retreated to some ex- tremity of the mine, carrying their food with them.
 The next gleam of hope came with the discovery that the bottomest gal. lery west was not sufficient flooded to impede progress.
 It was this section of the mine that fcgmed the subject of conference between the union men and Manager Taylor. The delegation, headed by President McDonuald, insisted that an attempt be made to explore the third giillery, generally believed to be of little importance At the time of the catastrophe little if any work was he- ing done in this section, the men be- ing engaged in the richer coal beds in the second gallery.
 Mir Taylor. however. was impressed with the theory that the men cut off in the second gallery might have found their way into the gallery below where there is no fire
 The terseness of the nerves of the rescuers .is shown by a remarkable incident this afternoon. X man who proved to have been dead many days, was believed to be alive when bought to the surface and was rushed to the hospital car.
 The body was yet warm, and this fact led to the belief that he was tive One of the rescuers excitedly fcld of hearing him oan after he ,ad been placed on the stretcher. but this was pronounced a mistake by the phy- sicians.
 While uncertain as to the time of death they believe it had occurred at least twelve hours before being psac- ed on the stretcher. The temptera- ture of the mine which is higher than 60 degrees, caused by the fire as yet unextinguishej. undoubtedly was the cause of the warmth of Hhe body.
 Wild scenes followed the carving of the man to the car
 They are alive came the cry from all sides, and a rush that almost car ried the bearers off their feet. began. The soldiers were hurried to the spot and forced back the crowd. while phy. sicians and nurses worked over Inc body of the men in the car.
 The work of hoisting the other vic. tims to the surface did not cease. As the first load of three stretchers. their burdens and their carriers reached the top. the crowd surged to hack of the car, few yards away. Scores bent over the bodies, but even tbe unpracticed glance of those not of the medical profession saw at once that there was no mistake as to the death Of those on fhe stretchers.