Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-11-23
Union Officers Ask That Some
One Be Appointed to Take
Charge of Work.

Cherry, H., Nov. 23.-The state ex-
ecutive board Of the United Mine Work
ers has asked Governor Deneen to des-
ignate some one man to take charge Of
the rescue work, declaring the methods
are unsatisfactory.
Fire I'm Third Vein.
Cherry, Ill, Nov. 23.-Explorations
made since midnight shows the fire has
broken out anew in the third vein and
firemen spent the remainder of the
night in an attack upon the blaze. The
miners feel confident there are living
men in the lower level, but the COM
pany officials do not share their opin-
ion.
Rescued, But Dies.
After experiencing all the terrors of
long Imprisonment and the joy OF be-
ing brought to the surface alive, Dave
Hollofchek, one Of the 20 survivors res
cued Saturday, died today OF general
exhaustion.
Blocks Rescue Work.
Fire in the second gallery resulted
today in heavy cave-ins, the earth
blocking rescue work 10 the east,
where 1t is thought were survivors. II
will be impossible for many days to
make an entrance.
Try East and West.
Cherry, Ill, Nov. 23.-Eforts to reach
the men possibly still alive In the st.
Paul mine were made in easterly and
westerly directions yesterday. Later
an attempt was made at the bottom at
the request of President Mcdonald of
the United Mine Workers of Illinois
and his associates.
Rain turned to snow. Scarcely a
kinsman but what was at the scene.
But efforts to explore under ground
continued unabated. Dozens OF volun-
teers worked against exasperating odds
to extend the limits of their explora-
tions. Earth and coal were removed.
from crumbling passages. But each
check met another desperate attack.
Find Tools, But No Men.
The first tangible hope came when
the men in the east workings broke
through a fall of earth where It had
been expected by experts large num-
ber of bodies would be found. None
were discovered. Instead, in the tool.
closet hewed out in the earth, a great
many mining implements were found,
as laid down, apparently, when the
men came in there to eat. The fact Is
regarded as significant, as not a dinner
pail remaiRed. From this it was ar
gued that the men. unable to escape
when the fire was discovered, retreated
to some extremity of the mine, carry
ing food with them.
In BottommOst Gallery.
The next flame of hope came with
the discovery that the bottommost gal
Iery in the west is not sufficiently flood
ed to impede progress. McDonald's
delegation insisted upon the explora-
tion of this gallery, generally believed
TO be of little Importance. At the time
of the catastrophe little. If any, work
was being done in this section, the men
being engaged in the richer coal beds
of the second gallery
Taylor, however, was impressed with
the theory that men cut of I'm the sec
ond gallery might have found their
way into the gallery below where there
was no fire.
The tenseness of the nerves of the
rescuers was shown by a demonstra-
tion yesterday afternoon when a man
who was proved 10 have been dead sew
eral days, but who was believed alive
when brought to the surface, was rush
ed to the hospital car.
Nearly All Asphyxiated.
The Identification of the az bodies
recovered yesterday was comparative.
ly easy. Physicians declared all but a
few died of asphyxiation. Some had
torn all their clothing Off In agony. ;.
Gruesome tokens of the futile fight
for life made by the men were found
beside the bodies. On the wall Of the
snaft we're fastened rude wooden pin
wheels. shaped in the fashion of ven
tilating fans and intended TO bring I'm
a current of afr. Boards torn from
the timbering IN the mine were crude
econunued on Page Ten)