The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-11-25
MORE EXCITEMENT

MORE EXCITEMENT
They are still alive down there"
was the watchword, although evidence
of this is pathetically measre.
The first tangible hope came when
the men in the east workings broke
through a fall Of earth where 1t had
been expected by experts that large
numbers of bodies would be found.
Instead, in the tool closet, hewed out
in the earth, a great many mining i'm
plements were found, as laid down,
apparently when men came there to
eat. The fact regarded as significant
was that not a dinner pail remained.
From this it was argued the men, I'M
able to escape when the fire was dis
covered, retreated to some extremity
of the mine, carrying food with them.
AN AVENUE OF HOPE
The next flame of hope came wit
discovery that the lowest gallery in
the west was not sufficiently flooded to
impede progress. McDonald's delega-
ton insisted upon exploration of this
gallery, but it is generally believed to
be Of little Importance. At the time
Of the catastrophe little II any work
was being done in this section, the
men being engaged in the richer coal
beds of the second gallery.
Taylor, however, is impressed with
the theory that the men, cut off In
the second gallery. might have found
their way into the gallery below,
where there was no fire.
The tenseness of the nerves of the
nra,,or xr,C Chnu-n hu q HpmnnG t r1 -
ton this afternoon, when a man who
was proved to have been dead for sew
eral days, but who was believed alive
when brought to the surface, was
rushed to the hospital car.
FIRST BODY FOUND
Cherry, Nov. 22-Life was believed
to be existent in the body of a man
taken from the mine at 5:13 this after
noon. Physicians, however, said the
man was dead at least twelve hours
previously, and the warmth of the
body was due to the temperature in
the mine, which was above sixty.
Wild scenes followed carrying OF
the body to the hospital car
"They are alive" came a cry from
all sides, and a rush that almost car
ried the bearers off their feet began.
Soldiers forced back the crowd, while
physicians and nurses worked over
the BODY in the hosrital car. Hosting
of other victims to the surface did no
cease. AS the first load of three
stretchers, their burdens and carriers,
reached the top, the crowd surgei
back to the car a few yards away.
Scores bent over the bodies, bat
sow there was no mistake about their
deaths.
ALL ARE BURIED
Work continued until twenty-five
liz Gies had been carried to the 'noreuc.
and the body of the unknown man
VINO was first thought to be alive. was
renewed from the Hospital ca 10 q
place alongside his dead comrades.
The rescuers who carried up twenty
three bodies said evidence was The
men had walled themselves in sever
al days ago, but had emerged tc seek
food or water and met death in the
black damp.
At a point beyond where the sear>h-
ers have gone, several declared they
could see the shattered book NJ Of
a pocket. where the men had taken
refuge. The bodies were scattered
along the gallery for many yards.
The men who found them believed
they had collapsed from weakness or
asphyxiation, before they had gone
fifty yards toward The entrance Some
of the bodies were burned.
NEW EXPLORATIONS
General Superintendent Taylor OF
the st. Paul railroad mines, this after
noon ordered exploration of the third
gallery, in which men may be alive.
This order followed An interview win
Duncan Mcdonald, head Of the or
gauization of miners of Illinois, and
nine of his official advisers.
In this gallery, the lowest IN the
mine, there is an overcast or air
shaft, distinct from the gallery.
'If the men who were in this part
of the mine thought of the overcast,
and were able to reach it, they are
probably alive now" said Taylor. "In
the gallery proper there is much water
but we hope 1t is not so high but
that the rescuers can make their way
through 1t.
Explorations in the east workings