The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-11-14

the men when they were carried TO him
IL few minutes later.
AT the entrance of the shaft, hundreds
of screaming women, weeping children
and frantic, but helpless men, crowd
ed about. y few survivors were sur
rounded ny groups of the women, and
their answers TO loudly shrieked inquir-
les only added TO the terror.
Almost to a man they declared that
there was no hope for those left be
hind in the mine. Almost 200 of the
men imprisoned, they declared, were in
the third vein the only entrance TO
which was from the second vein, 500
feet from the main shaft Of the pit
Desperate Situation
Superintendent Steele reluctantly &c
| hoed the opinion Of the miners. When
the extent Of the fire was realized the
| officials saw ordinary measures were in
cfCctual. The fire had burned away the
| timbers, and the flames soon reached the
| escape shaft. \ few minutes later the
fan which supplied air TO the shaft col
lapsed and tumbled through the open
mouth OF the PIT, where they were car
ricd to the surface, forcing back all
those who vcntured near.
The officials knew the FIRE must be
eating its way back into the shaft, and
ii WAS decided TO seal the mouth of the
plls btLDIC luls. WdIcr ndQ DcCn poured
down tho escape shaft, but with no
better effect than to impede any effort
of those inside TO escape.
Fierce Struggle for Life.
The survivors said many of the min
crs had rehcated TO the furtbermost
ends Of the veins, whore they might
huddle together, gasping what little
oxygen remained in the sealed and burn
ing mine IN The hope that the rcscucrs
might reach them before il was eX
haustcd.
The most hopeful of those seeking to
aid the men doubt that many Will be
found alive,
The ony men TO escape Were those
near the main shaft when tho fire
started They declared a careless min
or had thrown torch on bundle of
hay used TO feed the mine mules In
Il few minutes the smoldering mass
was placed on a cart and staricd to.
ward the main shaft about $50 feet
away.
Before il was reachcad a small cx.
plosion occurred and in but few
moments the entrance was filled with
smoke aud flames. Those nearest the
cages hurried to them and were hoist
ed to tho surface.
After four trips tho cages ceased
moving. and no more miners came up.
After waiting a few minutes, Buudy
leapcd into the cage, calling Norberg
and two miners.
The latter were afraid, and then came
volunteers eager TO assist Bundy in the !
work of rescue. Flood. Lewis. Touenti
aud Rubinski descended into the mine.
The next tri" of the cage. operated |
from below, carried the bodies OF six
miners,
Then, after few minutes, the cage
again asccndcd. this time bearing the
4 y,Nf fl..
cuing party. Again II WAS lowered and
the last nf tho six wcro brought mp.
All were doad.
Fire Beyond Control.
By this time the fau had collapsed !
and the fire WAS pouring up the shaft. |
It, was then that Superintendent Steele |
saw the escape of the miners through |
the shaft was blocked, and ordered the |
scaling up OF tho shaft entrance.
Heavy timbcrs were soaked in water, |
placed across the shaft entrance and
piled over with sand The buildine |
above the escape shaft was wrecked, !
and the shaft also sealed.
City Attorney uaIIorick of Spring
Valley. who was at the scene. expressed |
would hc taken out alive. lie is IA
miliar with the construction of the 81,
Paul mine. and declared 1t certain the
fire caused tho death OF all the men
before the opening had been sealed.
Heart breaking Scenes.
About the little town OF Cherry the
widest scenes followed. stores aud
residences were vacated and almost cy
cry person OF the 5000 population gath
cred about the mine. From all dlree-
tions people hurried into tho city, Tho
shricks of women could bc heard
throughout the town,
Every local physician and many from
nearby towns were caring for hYstcr-
zeal relatives OF those imprisoned IN the
mine. The town officials hastily lmpro
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