The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-11-19
400 DEAD I'm COLLIERY
Worst Horror In History Of American
Mine Occurs in Illinois, Food Is
Being Rushed In

Cherry, ILL.,, Nov. 15--At least 400
men were killed Saturday by an ex-
plosion in the st. Paul company's
mine here. This estimate was made
Saturday night by the officials after
careful calculation Of the disaster.
Only twelve bodies had been recoy-
cred up to late hour. Mine Super
intendent James Steele declared five
hours after the explosion 1t was al
most impossible that any of the min
ers could escape. The mine has q
day shift of 484 men. OF these few
left the mine at noon. Twenty-Five
are known to have escaped after the
fire broke out. The others, doubtless,
are dead. The entrance to the mine
was sealed up In the hope of choking
the flames.
Despite the efforts of officials and
scores of volunteer assistants, 1t
seemed assured that only bodies OF
the dead would be taken from the
mine. Until tomorrow, when the COW
ering will be removed and rescuers
endeavor to penetrate the smoke and
gas-choked shaft and veins, no GER
tainty as to the fate of the inmates
can be learned.
The FIRE causing the explosion,
which may prove one of the greatest
tragedies In the list OF mine horrors,
had an origin almost trivial.
A pile Of hay allowed to shoulder
too long finally ignited the timbers
of the mine and before the workers
realized their danger the mine was
filed with smoke, gases and flames,
and all exit was impossible. Great
heroism was shown by officers and
residents of Cherry. The men who
were outside the mine when the fire
started contributed five to the un-
known dead by rushing into the mine
trying to save the doomed men.
Alexander Norberg, pit man, gave
his life unhesitatingly in a futile eff
fort to save those of his comrades
who risked their lives with him.
Standing at the bottom of the shaft,
he carried the bodies of four men into
the cage, the only way of escape. AS
the last was carried in he fell uncon-
scious across the body. He was dead,
as were all his companions, when the
cage had been lifted to the top. Those
who went into the pit with him were
John Bundy, mine superintendent;
John Flood and Isaac Lewis, mer-
chants Of Cherry, and Dominic Fon-
emit.
One Thousand Orphans
There are one thousand orphans In
Cherry today and unless food in large
quantities Is rushed into town many
will be hungry. Vi
Most OF our citizens are miners,
said Mayor Connolly last night, and
the majority Of them were down In
the mine, and in all probability are
dead. While we do not like to-ask
for outside assistance, this town is
too small to handle the situation
alone
Officers Of the local Miners union.
today notified President Lewis of the
United Mine Workers of America
that 80 lives have been lost in the
st. Paul Coal company's mine disas-
ter. President Lewis advised the To-
cal union that fifty thousand dollars
would be Immediately placed at the
disposal of the widows and orphans
of the victims.
Shortly before noon, hope was all
but abandoned by relatives Of the
three hundred or more men number
ed as victims in the greatest mine dis
aster in the history of Illinois. That
not one man of the hundreds en-
tombed In the st. Paul Coal com
panys mine will be taken from 1t
alive, was the opinion of those on the
scene.
Another outbreak Of fire in the
mine this afternoon prevented any
efforts to take out bodies OF the vic
tins. The mine was quickly sealed
again, thus practically ending all hope
that any of the men might be rescued
alive.