The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1909-11-23

A. HERRY, Ill, Nov. 22.-Efforts to
reach men possibly still alive in
the ST. Paul mine were made in
two directions today-east and west.
In the latter section the attempt was
made at the third or bottom galley at
the earnest request of Duncan Nc
Donald, president of the United Mine
Workers of Illinois, and nine other Of
ficials of the organization The gloomy
situation here was accumulated today
by the weather. Rain fell all night
and in the forenoon turned to snow
Almost no relatives of the miners were
at the scene.
Efforts to explore underground con-
tinued with unabated vigor. Dozens
Of volunteers worked against the most
exasperating odds to attend their ex-
plorationS. Earth and coal were re-
moved only to be followed by another
cave in.
They're still alive down there. was
the watchword of every worker al
though evidence of this was meager
The first ray of hope came when at
work in the east workings, men broke
through a fall of earth, where it had
been expected that large number of
bodies would be found Not one was
discovered. Instead, in tool closet
hewed out of the earth, great many
implements were found, laid down, ap-
parently when the men came there to
eat. A fact regarded as significant was
that not a dinner pail remainedIt was
figured out that the men. unable to
escape when the fire was discovered,
-. 4Io rnfk kI1n Svon
carrying their food with them.
The next ray of hope came with the
discovery that the bottom-most gallery
was not sufficiently flooded to impede
progress
The delegation, headed by Presi-
dent Mcdonald, insisted that an at
tempt be made to explore the third
gallery, generally believed to be OF lit
tie Importance, At the time OF the
catastrophe, little, if any work was
being done in this section
Mr.. Taylor was impressed with the
theory that the men, cut off in the
second gallery, might have found their
way into the gallery below where
there is no fire, and ordered its ex-
ploration.
In this gallery-the lowest of the
mlneS-Jnere is du ON6ICdSI, VI OIL
irregular shaft, distinct from the gal
lery.
'Tf the men who were in this part
of the mine thought of the overcast
and were able to reach it they are
probably alive now," said Mr.. Taylor.
"In the gallery proper there is much
water, but we hope that it is not so
high but that rescuers can make their
way through il"
Rescuers who carried UP AZ bodies
today said there was evidence that the
men had walled themselves in
for several days, but had emegred to
seek food and water and had met the
black damp.
At a point beyond where the search
ers had gone, several declared they
could see the shattered blocking OF
pocket where the men had taken ref
uge. The bodies are scattered along
the gallery for many yards.
Some bodies were burned and 1t is
probable that of the AZ not all had
been in the pocket. The existence OF
the refuge was denied by other MEM
bers of the party
The tenseness of the nerves OF the
rescuers is shown by remarkable In
cident this afternoon. A man who was
to have been dead many days,
was believed to be alive when brought
to the surface and was rushed to the
hospital car. The mistake, however,
soon became apparent.