The Ordway new era., 1909-12-31

nHE shaft OF the st. Paul
"A coal mine at Cherry. ILL.,,
was sealed on Thanksgiv-
ing day. When they laid
the last plank over the
mouth OF the shaft they
wrote "Finls" to the most
hldeous mine tragedy OF
years. a tragedy costing
the lives OF more than 300
Av men.
So the story Of that ex.
a Of November l3 and the events
u followed In heartrending variety
4 ihanksgivlng day is done. II
nssd into history. to be referred
aJ for comparison with the next
lire disaster. 1t Is "A good thing
Ryet the details OF these horrors
ncn % may be.
u though much has been written
" press about the Cherry mine
the terrible accident. one chapter
u story has not been completely
nys a writer in the New York
M- Il Is the story of the most
finc, thrilling scene which II Is
sse Tor the mind to conceive. A
AMONG a score OF maddened. des.
ne miners. 500 feet down in the
'a OF the earth, In the pitch dark
o. their prison. No doubt It was
ne only fight OF the sort which
took place. There have been
mine horrors. thousands and
aid' OF men have been caught
q the ground. and nobody knows
msh'ful things have gone on
'hey have waited for death. Mad
lanser, fear and thirst. men in
s,ea' OF Instances must have fig.
10 scenes the telling of which n
could be any telling. would
ne reader beyond expression.
'e'er before have men who came
. ilom the tomb as these ala
'sn' an account of such a scene.
Among the Fortunate.
nIsa the explosion came on that
\ saturday afternoon there were
men down in the mine. some
-s.' n.y. louhi themselves grouped to.
-. struggling to escape from the
:. A., " 'ne end of a long tunnel
. I've hundred feet from the bot.
hh,,. ne smart. They pushed on.
n. Ie o'er over the bodies of other
M,,, VINO mad fallen overcome by
s..a svA damp; the stronger helpine
=. as. who would have succumbed
A.. J.. assistance. There was scarce.
!. ~ .eet OF head room, and the
,shs. y ssmp ,, hung heavy in the dark
'a'si, :. !; They fell in pairs. with
~. r. VI despair, but still there were
MI .,a SUI 10 the end OF the
ma u . hung themselves on the
.u1 'sa'hst the impenetrable wall
Il lhs,, while when their eyes en-.
.thev wv, s. 10 see a little In the dark.
mi. .ouhd that there was n con.
a s ns.,i number of them together. a
Mn ,uea ~ George Eddy took It on
!, A.. W md out Just who WAS
- no~ the men were situated.
M, , said he, we're in n nrettv
md M y, We n mustn't give up. were at
The .h", ,me tunnel. and between us
, ny =, .s shaft there's probabiv aI1 III
ont instructions. . s, But Il we can
nd tS.v while they'll try to get to
d, vs'vd may do 1t. First Of all.
ne ,o, @eve We, got to have some
ns,n ,us the good Of plann,r. .,u
,e 70. interrupted . epte another man.
Il IN ma, ''.tle food. but the black
WIN be the % ena MI t. this lis ;! place. and
!, .''a . 10 Crowd to Govern.
! bit, BIT of it," said Eddv "ws...
hIs % ourselves up" And then.
picI, ae. leadership. these men
~ .,sI snd shovsls. proceeded ~
lost ma. nn". must have been one Of
'ttals io,. .a, tasks that ever fell
4 their ~; .a tnis was to seal the
lrss, el.s omo! Il had to be done.
,oll.s s',s ,.s the the black damp would
snS 1 y. IN with its death.sivirs v,,s
nd certain "'ale asvs essa