The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-11-16
RESCUERS MADE SEVERAL
FUTILE TRIPS YESTERDAY
Main Shaft Had Been Sealed, and When Left
Open a While New Fire Was Discovered
Opening Sealed Again-Unon Officials
and Others Begin Work Of Chari-
ty to Widows and Orphans

explain to them the necessity of per-
feet order
If any attempt is made to break
through, explain in gentleman,y
way. Do all you can to dissuade
resort to violence or lose your tenn
per-"
The deputies were stationed
around the enclosure walled with hui
manity.
Rescuers Descend.
81 am ready" said Inspector Tay-
lor as he buckled on helmet. Will
liams and James Webb stood pre-
pared in shaft cage.
'Are the signals understood"
asked Newsam. His assistants nod
rted srssent
Let her go" shouted Newsam. The
cage was lowered to the bottom. After
a time the explorers with auto horns
signalled for the ascent. The report
j thereupon spread that bodies had
been found. This was soon denied by
the Investigators.
A few minutes Tater the cage was
lowered again, The horns footed
frequently. the cage was raised and
lowered alternately Until the bottom
was reached and the anxiety became
intense. Fifteen minutes passed,
then the horn signalled for the ascent.
The explorers reported that they
had been walking in the lowest vein
hundred and fifty feet from the
shaft. and found nothing, though the
atmosphere was better than they ex-
pected.
Found Much Smoke.
In other veins much more smoke
was encountered and nothing was
seen. 1t was determined to start the
ventilating fan at the opposite side
of the mine so as to slear the gal
leries of smoke. The fan whirred half
an hour, then was ordered stopped.
| Smoke began to pour from the main
shaft when it should have been drawn
down and out through the exhaust.
Down again went the searchers but
were soon jerked to the surface to
procure fire hose, which was taken
| into the depths. The water was
turned on to extnguish the blaze
of which there had been no evidence
| previously. Twice it was tried to
drown the fire, but at o'clock dense
smoke poured out and the tempera-
ture around the shaft was so heated
that re-entry was impossible The
shaft was again sealed with steel
sheets and layer of sand. The rela-
tives of the victims turned away in
despair and for an hour the streets
were filled with fearful people whose
faces expressed utter hopelessnss.
Fire Engine Comes.
The order for pumps and trains of
water tank cars was hurriedly given.
| A fire engines arrived from La Sale
tonight on q special train. Mean
while some experts fear the fire will
! spread through the coal veins and
burn all the timber supports. causing
further caving.
Inspector Taylor said: "If we had
had a barrel of water we could have
eXtinguished the renewed fire when
we discoverd it. Whether the fan was
, responsible for the second outbreak
or not, it is certain the original fire
was never extinguished.
Chief ]. w. Paulk, of the govern
ment's mine rescue work, said the
| chemical proposed to be used will
have a tendency 70 smother the fire.
| President Mcdonald of the Miners
union believed that what would ex-
tinguish the fire would certainly ex-
tinguish human life, if any existed.
Aiding Widows and Orphans.
Cherry, ILL.,, Nov 15.-This evening
f, the officials of the Miners Union be-
gan taking roll call OF the widows
and ornhans fo whom will ha p;vou