The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1909-11-25
MANY ARE alive
IN CHERRY MINE
MOTION OF SUPPOSED CoRPSE'S
HAND TELLS THAT NOT ALL
ARE DEAD.
THIRTY ARE DISCOVERED DEAD.
Crowds Gather About Mouth of Shaft
When Rescue Work Is
Started.
GRAVES DUG BY LANTERN LIGHT.
ARE DISCOVERED DEAD.
GRAVES DUG BY LANTERN LIGHT.
BULLETIN.


this afternoon, one of the reScuers ap-
nearing on the surface said that 40
miners may be alive in the mine. The
rescue work will not stop until every
foot Of the galleries has been explored
1t was with greatest anxiety that the
crowd awaited confirmation of rumor
that 100 men were alive in the east gal
lery. Difficulty was experienced in reach
ing this portion Of the mine. 1t was
half an hour before a second report was
received from this section that the num-
Der Of men alive thus far numbered sew
enty-one.
At o'clock the rescuers reported that
seventy-eight miners had been found
alive, eleven in one passage and the rest
ia another.
CHERRY. H., Nov. 2O.-[SpeciaLl-
Forty men have been found alive in the
St. Paul mine.
At . o'clock this afternoon word was
passed from below to the mine entrance
that rescuers, after breaking through a
wall Of debris. found two score miners
lying about in n passage.
were dead, but suddenly one Of the sup
posed corpses was observed to move a
hand
Then the scarchers were electrified to
discover that every one of the forty
miners was still breathing and with ut
most haste restOratives were applied.
DeIirOus JOY rcigned nj the mouth Of
the mine Wncn the news became known,
and it spread like wildhre.
Hopes are now entertained that more
men may yet be found alive and the
work of investigation is being pushed
forward with redOubled energy and addi-
tional men.
Little time was lost in conveying the
revived miners to the hosting apparatus
and they were quickly lifted from the
bowels of the earth into the sunshine
which they had not seen for seven awful
days,
On reaching the surface, one of he
miners was able only to mutter inco-
herently. His face was blackened and
scorched by the flames. and his compan-
ions showed bodies and clothing which
gave mute evidence of the terrible or
deal through which they had passed.
Miners Build Wall
With wonderful presence Of mind, the
miners built themselves the wall of de-
bris behind which they were found.
When they discovered their horrible pre-
ulCament, they hrst made Il mad rush for
the entrance, but found themselves
hedged IN at every point by terrific heat
or lnsurmOuntable piles Of cayed III ear,h
and coal.
Realizing that hope of escape in this
direction was hopeless, the little band of
apparently doomed men rallied their
EDlFltS and with horn n dos
Beration, they set to work 10 throw up
a barrier between themselves and the
onc0ming flames. 1t was fearful fight
against fate. Every stroke of the pick
meant better chance for life, and the
men laborcd like demons at their task.
Finally they had succeeded in practical
~ seal ing tho passage they occupied
from the rest Of the mine.
Then in the inky, horrible darkness of
their self-made tomb, the forty battlcd
against the pangs of thirst and hunger,
to say nothing Of the awful agony of
despair a9 first one. two aud then seven
DAYS and nights passed aud still not the
sIlgItcs; ray OF hope penetrated the iui-
penetrable darkness.
Faint from Exhaustion.
There in the bowels Of the earth, one
man litter another tainted from exhaus-
ton. and merclful insensibility finally
transported the last of the little band
from the raCklug realization of the seem
ingIy Inevitable end to condition dan
gcfOusly near death itself.
On reaching the surface some of the
men were smiling. but others were still
in comatose condition and did not fully
appreciate their unbelievable rescue for
hours afterwards, when under the care
or physicians and with returning
strength gained from artifcially admins
tered nourshment, they were nj BILE to tell
one OF the most unique stories in the
annals Of the world.
Forty Bodies Identified.
just before the wondrous news startled
the people into frantic, almost madden
ing joy, forty curfacs had been brough,
TO the surface and identified.
Near the Catholic church two great
trenches awaited the bodies of the vie
tins without kinsmen, while individual
graves were prepared for those who left
families.
Bodies in a few cases were taken 10
their former homes. Father Wenzel
hend Of tho parish, advised his flock that
for the general good burial should be
direct from the coroner's tent. The fam
HES we're satisfied with his promise that
as each body was inferred il would be
blessed and that later, with fitting ccre-
mony, the cemetery would he consecrated
by Bishop Dunno of Peoria.
Women who have stood for days and
nights with only the hope of recovering
the mutilated forms of husbands and
sons fought with the national guardsmen
10 reach the mouth of the pit. The lat
ter, with the greatest gentleness re-
strained them, explaining that to over
run the pit would only delay the rescue
AS one by one the survivors became
visible to the multitude outside the rope
barriers. the women crowded round
them. When one would recognize kins-
man the joyful meeting moved many to
tears, But snddcst OF all was the change