The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-18

TO TRY AGAIN.
Preparations Are Under Way
at st. Paul Mine
For Another Descent in Search
for Imprisoned Men.
LESS SMOKE AND GAS
Than There Has Been at Any
Time Since Saturday.
There Has Also Been a Decline
LESS SMOKE AND GAS
There Has Also Been a Decline
in the Temperature.

Cherry. Ill.,, Nov. 18.-At dawn today
preparations had been all but COM
pleted to enter the st. Paul coal mine
where 300 men were entombed by Sat-
urday's disaster
under the direction of state mining
inspectors, the hazardous effort will be
made to satisfy the demand of the be-
reaVed to recover the bodies.
After preliminary exploration into
the air shaft last night the inspectors
and mining experts reported an en-
couraging condition and it was de-
term1ned not to lose a minute to take
advantage of the low temperature at
the bottom of the emergency shaft.
It was decided to reinforce the air
SHAFT to erect a scaffold to which will
be attached hosting apparatus and to
explore into the veins of the mine as
far as human endurance will permit.
Early today 1t was reported that R.
Y. Williams, who went into the shaft
last night, had seen bodies in the Sec
ond gallery not far from the shaft.
This the mining experts would not
verify. After a midnight conference of
inspectors and officials, however, car
penters, masons and laborers were sent
for and before morning work of prepar-
ing for the task of today had begun.
1t is proposed to lower two men
equipped with oxygen helmets into the
shaft They will enter the galleries and
penetrate as far toward the main shaft
as they can If bodies are found they
viii be fastened to the tackle and
raised.
Temperature Found Lower.
The exploration last night revealed,
at the bottom of the air shaft. that
there was less smoke and gas than
there had been at any time since the
fire started last Saturday. The tenn
perature had also fallen.
In this shaft the thermometer regis
Tn, he ~,
shaft at the same time the tempera-
ture registered ITO. This difference in
the temperature mystified the mine in
spectors. 1t may be that the walls OF
the galleries have collapsed somewhere
between the air vent and the main
shaft. If this proves to be the case.
there is little hope that many of the
dead can be recovered at this time. II
the explorers are able to reach the
main shaft, its seal also will be broken
and searchers will work from BOTH
ends. ...
In the opinion of mining inspectors
who came here from many states, the
mine is still burning and human life
cannot endure within it. It is their
conviction that the st. Paul mine must
be sealed for an; indefinite period be-
fore any successful exploration can be
conducted.
This was the recommendation to the
officials of the company yesterday, but
the Illinois inspectors, realizing the
fury that such action would arouse
among the afflicted citizens of this
community, insisted that a last effort
be made to reach the dead.
I'VE are going down in that mine to-
day. We will conquer it or it will con-
quer. Unless we succeed we will never
come cut alive James Taylor, Hi
nois mining inspector said today.
Has Rislzed His Life Before.
Mr.. Taylor, who repeatedly has
I,i- ~, g.
made his declaration as he with the
others who are to tempt fate today,
prepared for the final ordeal of this
great disaster.
Carpenters were putting the finish
ing touches on the construction which
will lower a float with two men into
the air shaft. George F. Rice and
other experts were testing the tenn
perature of the main shaft. They
found that it had dropped a few de-
drees. The temperature stood at 100
and 1O6.
There is no use of hating now"
said Inspector Taylor. 81 will go into
this mine today. Tom Moses, another
of the inspectors. r. Y. Williams and
James Webb, the geological experts
from Urbana and several others are
ready to go.
1--WE are going to fight that mine
If we are successful we will be able
to recover the bodies if not"
Here the old man who has served a
life term beneath the earth waved his
hand in emphasis of the fate that
might await him and his companions.
1--WE will go into the air shaft and
then we will open the main shaft We
are encouraged to find the tempera-
ture there a little lower
The explorers will be equipped
with oxygen helmets. They will
carry axes and other implements
with which to break through obstruc-
tons.