Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-15
Farmers Over Half Mile from Main
Shaft Hear Conclusions.
AY OF HOPE SOME MAY BE ALIVE
Third Effort to Explore Workings
Shows Fire Probably Out,
MEN IN OXYGEN CAPS GO DOWN
Much Doubt that Life CouId Exist
Under the Conditions-Ensine
Causes Death of Rescu-
ing Party.

man beings, men and boys, it is now be-
lieved, are dead or perishing in the st.
Paul mine here though experts. who sue
ceeded in penetrating the smoke-filled air
shaft to a depth Of 800 feet late today, re-
turned with ray Of hope for the grief
stricken relatives Of the entombed men.
That the fire has been extinguished was
the conclusion OF mining experts and in
spectors sent here by Governor Deneen to
investigate the calamity and its couse
For more than thirty hours the pris.
oners have been cut off from fresh air
and undoubtedly have been subjected to
smoke-filed veins. That life could exist
under such conditions is doubted by many,
but because no trace Of high temperature
was found in the depths OF the mine to-
night friends Of the minors and even of
those of the company here, hope that the
victims may have found safety in remote
recesses of the mine
A. j. Earlng, president of the Chicago
Milwaukee & ST. Poul railroad, who has
not slept since arriving on the scene OF
the catastrophe, received an encouraging
report after heroic efforts had been made
today TO open the mine for the release Of
the entombed men, or the discovery OF the
much feared mass Of dead.
Conclusions Mile Away.
From the son Of one OF the missing
miners a young man named John Reid.
the railroad president heard that con-
cussion of the earth had been felt by farm
ers half a mile south Of the main shaft.
The report was sent to Henry Burke, an
official OF the mining company. Burke
rushed to President Earllng in the office
OF the company.
i've heard signals from the men," he
said excitedy.
What do you, mean?" asked the railroad
president. What signal?"
John Reds boy said that he and farm
4 ers whose land is over the southern end
OF the mine felt several bpneussions OF the
earth this afternoon. There were several
shocks, and the men who felt them are
convinced they were shots fired by the
| imprisoned miners and that they were
meant for an assurance that at least some
Of them live"
"Oh. hope co." said Earring, that is
at least encouraging"
The gIimmer Of light to the darkened
homes in Cherry tonight followed other
encouraging though doubtful theories of
some of the experts that the entombed
hundreds may not have been suffocated
because Of failure Of the flames yesterday
ignitlng the hay in the stables, and that
oxygon enough remains in their veins to
keep them alive until the shafts may be
reopened, the draft fans put in operation
and rescuing parties sent into the dark
though foreboding recesses Of the earth.
Third Attempt to Explore Mine.
After the third attempt to explore the
conditions today r. Y. Williams of Ur-
bana, ILL.,, Of the United States geological
survey who superintended the work OF
volunteer explorers protected with oxygen
caps and apparatus, telegraphed to Urbana
for more of the apparatus.
This is expected to arrive on an early
train tomorrow and a score Of men have
voIur teered to accompany the experts and
mining insp, ctors into the air shaft which
was opened late today Three times Mr..
Williams and Henry Smith, one OF the
volunteers were lowered into the mine
in a buck t. Each time they succeeded in
penetrating deeper into the shaft. Each
time they were assured that the tempera-
ture was bearable
Though to open the sealed main shaft
and exit OF the mine was impossible to-
day and further progress to investigate
might have famed into a flame a few
smoldel ing embers yet remaining the state
inspectors here, among them James Tay-
lor Of Peoria, David Ross Of Springfield,
Henry Hudson Of Galva and others an
nouncc to Mine Superintendent Steele
that they felt assured definite results could
be secured tomorrow. When explorations
were abandoned tonight It was announced
that the men fitted with the oxygen armor
would resume operations as early as possl-
BILE.
List of Missing Grows.
The list Of the missing was compiled to-
day In the offices Of the mining company
and 1t reached the astounding total OF
I;S5. including the dead whose charred
bodies were taken from the burning cages
Saturday afternoon. 1t was declared TO be
pl obabl3 that this list might be increased.
Ono hundred and seventy men who en-
tered the mine Saturday morning have
been accounted for. The company had
scores Of tracsrs at work rounding up the
employees, and at nightfai the company
Off ials admitted that the number OF men
in the mine was greater than they had at
first believed possible
Among the missing are many Americans
who have lived for years and reared their
families In the mining section OF Illinois
50 often the scene Of terrific tragedy
lhoush lhe WaoIltg OF those VINO never
may be found alive are foreign born. yet
all had their homes here or in the sur
rounding towns and villages and the grief
over their probable fate has cast a pai
over the community.
Cherry today held thousands OF persons
I They came with sad faces Many, espe,
cally The women whose husbands are be,
lievrd 10 have been buried alive and IN,
children who Will be fatheIless were weep,
T ing and moaning in the agony Of thel
suspense. Before noon the St Paul min,
I was surrounded BY an almost uncon
trollable mob.
Officials early In the day swore in
force OF deputies 10 handle the crowds
Scores OF trains from streator Mendoza
Ladd, Spring Valley, La Sale, Ottawa anC