The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-11-22
DRS. DOZIER X DOZIER. l17A N. Zlst Street Birmingham. Ala

letter was addressed to his wife and free ly translated from the Italian, reads:
 This is the fourth day that We have been down here. That's what I think, but our watches stopped. I am writing in the dark because we have been eat ing the wax from our safety lamps also have eaten a plug of tobacco. some bark and some of my shoe I could only chew 1t. I hope you can read this.
 T am not afraid to die. Oh, Holy Vir- gin, have mercy on me. I think my time has come.
 You know what my property is We worked for it together and 1t is all yours This is my will, and you must keep it. You have been good wife. May the Holy Virgin guard you.
 T hope this reaches you some time and you can read it It has been very quiet down here and I wonder what has be- come of our comrades. Goodby, until Heaven shall bring us together. "JOD PIGATI." Another man who was brought to the
 surface very solemnly requested that his wife be kept from the car. I've been away seven days. I think can apologize better to her at home," he said.
 Water From Coal.
 How the imprisoned men sucked water out of coal and climbed over dead burros was told by Francisco Zannarini 29 years old, an Italian miner. He said: "As I remember, the first 1 knew about the fire was about p. m. My partner called to me and asked me if I smelled smoke I told him I did and we started down the road toward the cage to see what was the matter. We were working in vein No on the northwest side. When we got down toward the cage the smoke became thick that we rushed back We went back to the end of the mine and then closed ourselves in one of the chambers which had four galleries. We had our lamps and kept them lit. The air was not bad then, as it kept cir cuating. On Monday our lights would not burn and from then until today we were in darkness.
 q would have given a months pay for a loaf of bread. We managed to get enough water from the sides of the gal lery for the first few days, but soon this gave out and we thought we would have to die of thirst. Several of the men tried sucking handfuls of coal off the floor and in this way moistened their lips and tongues.
 Tn all we made about 20 attempts to get out, but it was no use This morning seven of us started out of the room and when we went a short distance the smell was awful. We passed several dead burros on the way. They were scattered them. I think the burros became frantic from lack of water and stampeded, then got tangled in a heap and died. Our courage diminished last Sunday night when one poor fellow died. Since then we have passed our time alternate ly in gloom and merrimept When some would get Respondent the others would try to joke and cheer them up. Most of them talked of their families and won dered what they were doing I have a mother and father living in Italy and | thought of them. When got out of the | mine today I felt all right except for being horribly hungry and thirsty" Dramatic Moment | A dramatic moment of yesterday came | when William Cleland was brought up. At | the news of the disaster a week ago Rob- l ert, a brother, and also a miner, rushed here from South Wilmington, Ill. He was | informed on arriving that all the en- | tumbed men were dead. He offered his help as rescuer and declared he would remain here until everybody was brought l up.
 Today he was in the rescuing party As survivors were brought through the gall
 lery to the hoisting shaft wrapped in 1 blankets, Robert assisted in the cage. In the first load that went up was some- one whom Robert did not recognize be- | cause of the blankets. Robert went down | the shaft for another load He was com | ing out of the cage again when a friend
 stepped up and tapped him on the shoul-
 der. Bob, don't you know that Will
 is up?'
 Robert turned pale and staggered. | You don't mean-
 "Yes, alive. He's up alive. Why, Bob,
 you brought me up yourself wrapped in ] blankets"
 Robert was so overwrought he had to | be relieved from rescue work and was | himself taken into the sleeping car.
 In little four-room cottage, three 1 doors from the livery stable across the 1 street." Mrs George Subacus became
 the envied of all at nightfall. for her hus-