The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-11-17
CANVASS OF CHERRY FAMILIES
DisclosEs MANY LEFT WITH
OUT SUPPORT.
TROOPS TO GO ON GUARD
General Appeal Sent Out for Supplies
for Destitute Widows and Children
Sad Scenes and Incidents When St.
Paul Company Pays Wages Coming
to Employees for Past Two Weeks.

Cherry. Ill.,. Nov. 1S.-"Shoes. under
clothing and quantities of women S
and children's garments are urgently
needed for the families of the victims
of the mine disaster which occurred
here Saturday. Also money is neces-
sary to take care of these poor people
during the coming winter declared
l.. Z. Bicknell of Washington, d. c.,
director Of the National Red Cross
society, today, after II conference with
the charity workers gathered here.
The appeal was telegraphed to vari-
Gus cities in surrounding states and
responses came that supplies soon
would be on the way.
Headquarters We're established from
which charity will be distributed sys-
tematically A corps of helpers was
enlisted and these started on a house,
to-house canvass of the miners
homes. Each widow was requireI to
give data as To her circumstances.
One of the reports. typical of others,
read:
Name. Marie Bohm; victims of dis
aster. husband and one son; nativity,
Austria: number of children, four.
ages eight months, three, five and
seven years; economic condition.
without funds. needs clothing and
household supplies; plans for future.
would like To return to Austria docs
not speak EnglishD."
Hard to Get List Of Dead.
Difficulty was encountered in many
homes because of the hysterical con-
dition of the women. BY night the
workers had not completed their list
and no list giving the exact number
of men entombed In the mine was
obtained. Besides scenes at the mouth
of the mine today, the most pathetic
incident occurred at the place where
heirs of the dead miners We're paid
off
What is your name?" one little
orphan girl was asked.
Mary Maelmer.'' ..f
What relation are you to Joe Mael-
mer?"
Hes my father
And is Louis Maelmer your broth
err,
Yes"
Isn't either of them upe"
No: they're both down."
Mayor Charles Connolly acted as
cashier and paymaster for the
st. Paul mine. Along the walk out
side of the bank We're lined survivors
of the disaster: 1t was the regular
semi-monthly payday. and in the tn
velopss We're the wages of the 600
men employed there. amounting to
$4,000 AT the mine office. half IA
mile away. employees are given their
oh slC's hA R,-yt
of the month. Today the information
was given out that wives or daugh-
ters of those who were down" would
be given their checks. Among the line
of people drawn up before the pay
window were women bearing in their
arms their smallest babies. While
other wide-eyed children toddled with
them. Once in u while woman would
appear at the window whose face be-
trayed no sadness. because her hus-
band was up" She had been sent
to the bank because he was busy at
the mine.
Eighty-s Manlsss Homes.
Perhaps the sacaiest case was that
of young bride. Il native of Brit
tany. The girl, not more than ls.
carried an infant. Another native of
France was called from position in
the rear of the line to act as inter-
prefer. The woman's husband, to
marry whom she came to America n
year ago. was not up" she. reported
In making the rounds Of the miners
homes Duncan Mcdonald, president of
district No. IL. United Mine Workers.
discovered that Il baby had arrived
at a home which lost 4 father and n
son. The mother was kept ignorant
OF the disaster. Eishty-six homes
visited We're. with the exception of
the children. without male members.
Only the most frantic of the women
who lost husbands yentured to visit
the shaft. and these had to be taken
back almost forcibly
Speculation was rife as oathe loca-
tion af the bodies in the mine Upon
these viii be determined the immedi-
ate cause of the mems death, whether
il was fire. suffocation BY smoke. or
falling IN of parts of the mine 1t is
the opinion of veteran mine workers
that In time of danger a miner will
remain near the hoistins shaft until
driven to remoter parts in search of
air.
Troops have been called to prevent
any untoward demonstrations at the
mine when any of the bodies of the
800 men entombed are brought to the !
surface. Sheriff Skaglund of Bureau
county. with authority from States
Attorney Eckhart. telegraphed to
Springfield late today asking Cover
nor Deneen tn send several companies
of state militia. So far no violence |
had been DISPLAYED as a result nf the,