The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1909-11-25

squad of soldiers stepped forwart
with each to hold back the spectators
while 1t was being borne to the tenn
porary hospital in Pullman cal
near by.
They're alive! My God, they're
alive!"
Crowd snrces Forward. a4a4
A tumult Of shouting followed and
, the crowd surged toward the rescued
men in wave that it seemed WOULD
overwhelm them The militia sprane
forward. AS the cots passed the fig
ures beneath could be seen to move
The crowd went forward, straining
every energy to see who it was that
lay beneath the cloth. Then almost
simultaneously, from so threats, went
up the cry: They're alive"
The militia were swept out of the
way life fence of straws.
Suddenly Capt. Hall threw up his
hand.
Men," he shouted, you'll kill these
men if you try TO touch them now.
Stand back, for they're saved. We
know we can't stop you; stand back"
The words had an instant effect.
Then man on one of the cots lifted
his mask of canvas and looked out at
the crowd with a weak grin. That
gave a touch OF humor to the situa
ton and the crisis was over.
Wives Meet Husbands.
After the men had been taken to
the hospital there came a pause, and
then the relatives of the saved men
were called in. -...
The scenes that followed almost
compensated for the tears and wall
ing of the rest of the week. Wives
met husbands they had given up for
dead; children felt the tug of arms
they thought cold and pulseless in the
mine below. g.,
When the general alarm of fire was
given these two men dashed toward
the main shaft. They found the way
barred by fire and turned back. Com
ing up behind them they found 10
men. They stopped them and told
them that hope of escape by way of
the shaft was out of the question.
They said that If they would follow
their orders they might. save their
lives. To Waite and Eddy the leader
ship of the group was the natural
thing and the 10 agreed to obey their
orders.
g.. Form a Government.
The whole party then ran to dis
tant gallery of the mine in which the
air was found to be comparatively
pure. The two commanders ordered
the men to knead mine dust with wa
ter found in the floor of the drift, and
make rough bricks. With these wall
was built up that shut off the gallery
from the rest of the mine, and ef-
ectiyely kept of the black damp. Then
vein of coal was pierced by Eddy
and Waite who knew that in every
coal vein water can be found. A regu-
lar system of policing was established,
a little state was formed in a closed
mine gallery 300 feet under the crest
OF the earth. Members of this So
ciety were advised and disciplined.
The fact was impressed on all that
the safety of the whole party depend
ed upon the good behavior of the indi-
vidual.
The food was divided so as to pre-
vent any one person from starving
while his companions had anything of
their meager store to spare. A similar
provision was made with the water.
When the food was all gone, the two
leaders, by prayer and words of good
cheer, strove to keep their courage
up. At last, at the end of seven days
of untold privation, the crisis came.
The men had almost lost hope. One
of their number, who for hours had
been showing signs of insanity, ran.
to the life-saying wall and beat part
of it down. His companions were too
weak to restrain him. He ran out
into the darkness perhaps 100 feet
and then the black damp seized him.
He staggered and fell dead.
Build Up Wall Again.
With infinite effort the men who
were left built up the wall again.
When il was finished they again sat
down and waited, with every sense
acute, in the darkness for some sign
that might give them hope. Hour
after hour passed by and no sign of
rescue came. At last conference
was held and it was decided to make
a dash for liberty.
A small hole was cut in the wall
and eight men, headed by David
Waite, passed through. They advanced
through the dreaded black damp zone
with beating hearts. Nothing could
be seen. No sound could be heard.
Suddenly at the farther end of the
corridor came the rattle of footsteps
and the flash Of light 1t was the
rescuers from above. They had at
last cut through the heavy fall of coal
that choked the passage from the
main shaft. The miners were saved