Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-21

| visible to the multitude outside the rope
barriers the women crowded around them.
| When one would recognize a kinsman the
| joyful meeting moved many to tears.
| But saddest of all was the change again
| to blank despair of those who recognized
| no one whom they sought.
| News of the rescue Of these men trav-
e!ed with lightning-like rapidity. The
| change from despair to a hope which
| swept over the crowd was dramatic and
| affecting. Women who have stood for
days and nights with only the hope Of
| recovering the mutilated forms of hus-
bands and sons fought with the militia
men in their agerness to reach the mouth
of the pit.
The soldiers gently restrained them. ex-
| planning that to overrun the pit would
| only delay the rescue.
| From the top of the hosting shaft to
| the sleeping cars drawn up on the sid
| ings was a distance of about $50 feet.
Between, the crowd, held back by militia,
formed a gangway. 1t was along this
line that the women, looking for lost ones.
gazed into the faces Of the survivors as
they passed through.
AS night drew on the whole scene was
| revealed only by pale moonlight and
the Pickering lights Of torches worn on
| the caps of the rescuers. Above stood
| q hundred feet overhead the skeleton
| framework of the mining machinery.
Each time the signal sounded from the
| hoist for the cage to come up from the
mine the noise of the crowd subsided
| into murmuring expectancy.
Rescued Brought to Top.
Hoist her up came from the depths
Hoist her up repeated the engineer
overhead.
Then the men and women pressed for
ward against the line of soldiers and
ropes, determined to get as near as pos
sible to peer into the faces of the sur
vivors as they marched by.
Everybody be quiet: please don't
Cheer whispered the guards. The ma
chinery of the hosting apparatus rum
bled and screeched as the cage came up
ward. Hearts beat faster.
Would there be in this load alive one
who had been mourned for during seven
days as dead? This question flashed
through hundred minds. The gangway
narrowed as each anxious locker in
stinctively pressed forward.
Here they come now, look sharp.
A woman here and there who could not
see held up a child and cautioned it:
Look and try if you can see papa
when they pass"
The machinery stopped. The cage was
| up. A dozen torches shed dingy light
| on the contents of the cage.
There stood the rescuers, wearing shiny
rubber coats and white caps. Between
them, wrapped in militia blankets. they
| held the rescued men, some standing,
others carried in arms.
Slowly the procession moved through
| the gangway. A burst of applause started
| from the crowd. A raised hand from the
militiamen brought silence.
1t was critical moment for the hopes
| of many. Mothers and wives stretched
forth their arms, murmuring Billie or
| Frank or "Oh. Andy. are you there
| Speak to me; j am here"
Eddy Unable to Answer Wife.
The blankets drawn over the heads Of
| the men hid their faces and prevented
| Identification from the crowd. Not re-
ceiving a reply the women crowded to-
| ward the sleeping cars, imploring and
| begging any one to give them good news.
| Once, overcome by appeals, a rescuer
called out the name of the man he was
| escorting.
| George Eddy" he shouted. We've
got George Eddy here
| oh George" came piercing woman's
cry from the crowd. lis it you? Is it
you? Come here, George; here l am wait
| ing for you.
Eddy. mine inspector, was too weak
| 20 reply and could only submit to the
escort who carried him silently to TIE
car.
Brother Cleland's Unwilling Savior.
| dramatic moment came when Will
liam Clcland was brought up. At the
news of the disaster a week ago Rob-
| ert. brother. also miner. rushed
here from South Wilmington, Ill.
| He was informed on arrival that all
the entombed men were dead. He Of
| fered his help as rescuer and de-
| clared he would remain here until
| everybody was brought up.
| Today he was in the rescuing party.
| AS the survivors were brought through
| the gallery to the hosting shaft wrap
ped in blankets Roberts assisted in the
cage.
In the first load that went up was
| some one whom Robert did not recoS-
nize because of the blankets. The sur
vivors were put in the sleeping car
under the care of nurses and doctors.
Robert went down the shaft for an
| other load.
J He was coming out of the cage agaia
when friend stepped up and tapped
! him on the shoulder.
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 him up yourself. wrapped
| In blankets.
Robert was so ouerwrought he had to
be relieved from rescue work and was
himself taken into the sleeping car.
| William Cleland's wife and baby were
brought to the car and were greeted with
a grin expressive of the greatest relief
and gratitude. He was calm. and his first
| request was delivered to a fireman for a
cigarette.
Never mind the eats, but slip me the
makngs. kid said Cleland.
Pigati's Wife Prostrates Herself.
When Joe Pigati. one OF the rescued