The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-11-21
ABOUT FIFTY MORE
ARE BELIEVED TO Be
STILL ALIVE IN MINE
Buried In Darkness For Week the
Men Almost Despalred But
Never Entirely Gave Up
Hope Of Being
Rescued.

Cherry, ILL.,, November 20.--(Special. y
Twenty-one men alive and comparatively
well have arisen from their graves.
Before IL more hours have elapsed at
least hundred probably will have fol-
lowed them in arising from the nery
sepulchre in which they have been en-
tonbed for six days.
In the six days the rescued men have
passed through a horror. the like Of
which has never been described even in
fiction.
without food, heat or even air the men
gnawed at bark from logs used for sup
ports in the mines, erected an earthwail
to protect themselves from the deadly
white damp of the mine, successfully
fought off the deaths that appeared so
imr1inent until they were finally rescued
shortly after noon today.
Cherry tonight presents the most re-
markable contrast to the stricken vii
lage of six hours ago that the mind can
picture. From the very depths of despair
the women and children of the town.
until few hours ago, almost the en-
tire population of the village, suddenly
have become almost insanely happy.
Women who few hours ago were hys-
terical or dumb with grief tonight are
marching the streets singing, shouting
or quietly holding the hands of the men
who have been snatched frssn the grave.
No Use For coffins.
7f
black coffins that will be thrown out to
be burned. The men who were to have
been buried in them tomorrow or Nom
day are seated at their own firesides with
their families.
The miracle of the returning miners
could not have been greater, at least,
to the minds of the citizens of Cherry,
If they actually had been placed in cof-
fms. then had voluntarily returned to
life.
Mine experts from nearly every state
in the Union this morning ridiculed the
idea that life still existed in the depths
OF the mine. These same experts are
tonight leading accommodating expeditions
into the far away drifts of the mine
where they are convinced men are alive
BUT the men who have returned to life
can thank only themselves and the scien-
tific knowledge of one of their own heroic
band that they were saved from suffo-
cation in the mine.
Battle With Death.
From the moment they were trapped in
the blazing shaft last Saturday after
noon until they were carried from the
mine this afternoon the men have battled
with death. Finding their means of
reaching the cage cut off the men who
we're rescued today ran back of the heat
of the fire and contemplated dash
through the flames in the hope that the
cage might be sent down to them.
II was walter Waite, assistant mine su-
per,ntandent. who headed this group of
men. For several minutes they discussed
various plans in tine face OF what even
in their calm discussion they believed to
be almost certain death
Finally it was agreed that the only hope
of reaching the upper surface, which
meant life, lay in outside assistance. Step
by step the men backed away from tho
smoke and rapidly accommodating gas into
the dark passages which alone onereo
means of escape. Then, after nearly an
hour of fighting In which the men. time
and again, were on the verge OF giving
It was decided to turn and retreat far
II was decided to tur nand retreat far
enough back to outline some definite plan
of working out their own salvation
Plans For Safety.
Finally. when nearly three-quarters Of
a mile from the cage. Waite suggested
the plan 1t simply was to throw up a
temporary wall. block out the flames and
the gases that were generated by the fire.
and take advantage of any opportunity to
escape that Providence might offer. Here
are the men who backed up the mine boss
IN his outlined plan: Bernicio Pugasi,
John Lemache. George Lemache, Frank
Zinesiner, Frank Waite, George Stinso,
.Ioe Pigetto, Salvatore Pigetto. Inc An
toniez, ". H. Cleiland, Frederico Loren
On. John Lorimer, Frank Brohaski, Thos-
as waite, Hugo Eddy Ruderigo Bon
f1sgio. Walter Waite. Joseph Boronski.
.rohn Brown, George White. David Wolo-
wiczak.
After outlining his plan. Waite frankly
told the men the desperate position In
which they were placed and asked that
each obey orders if he ever desired to see
his wife and babies again.
"Men. we are in Gods hands down here.
lust as much as IL we were working the
steel cage up above, soiemniy salo tne
mine boss. "If it Is Gods will that we be
freed from this plight we will come out
alive.
"But remember, we must help our
selves"
~ don't know whether you all are
Christians, but If you are not It's time
to become SUCH" said William Cleland,
one of the three American-born men In
n the party.
.IIow many of you want to offer a
prayer before we begin to work Y
Prayer In Darkness.
Every man Of the little party drew OFF
mis- cap in the darkness and bowed his
head in answer. Then with their caps in
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