Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-24
Place Where Men We're Believed to
Be is Full of Black Damp.
ONE MAN TAKEN OUT ALIVE DIES
Total Number Of Survivors is Now
Reduced to Nineteen.
RESCUE PARTY is g+V OUT
e
Twenty-Five Men who itured
-Four Hundred Feet fro ting
shaft Temporarily -
oned by Fire

CHERRY, ILL.,, Nov. 28,-Hol

CHERRY. Ill, Nov. 2s,-Ho q here
might stll be alive some Of men
known to be entombed in Il aul
mine was practically abandoned today.
An exploration into what is known as the
second vein where it was thought prob
able many miners had barricaded them
selves and had managed to exist on oats
and corn provided for the mules showed
that great portions Of the tunnels had col
lapsed It Is believed many men were
buried under the debris and If the obstruc-
ton is not soon cleared away at least
100 bodies may never be dug up Fire was
stil raging In this tunnel and the back
portions where the imprisoned miners could
have found retreat was said to be full Of
the fatal black damp.
What little hope we had was given up
when we penetrated to what is called
the overcast" said w w. Taylor, general
manager Of the mine. In that place pure
air would have been found if it could have
been found anywhere. and the miners,
aware of 1t, would have retreated there.
When we got into that place we found it
empty both of bodies and Of live men. We
listened in vain to detect a signal or any
other sign Of life"
One Survivor Dies.
Meantime Cherry continues to be viii
lage of mourning. The death today of one
Of the survivors brought to the surface
last Saturday reduced the total number
Of those saved out of the $40 lost In the
disaster, to nineteen. Nearly all of the
forty-two bodies taken out yesterday were
Identified.
Down in the mine the rescuers met with
great obstacles. In one instance fire broke
put in a tunnel, temporarily cutting off
the escape of twenty-five men who had
Yentured 400 feet from the hoisting shaft
rhe smell OF rmoke gave the warning
above and the rescuers were reached and
brought to safety by another rescuing
party.
Following a telegram sent to Governor.
Deneen by the executive board Of the
miners organization asking that some one
be designated by the state to take charge
of the mine, Mine Inspector Hector Nc
Alister was placed in charge 1t was said
that despite the fire and the discouragng
news Of tunnels having fallen in. the res
cue work will be pushed night and day.
Second Gallery Blocked.
Fire in the second gallery resulted today
in heavy cavings of earth, blocking the
rescue work to the east. In this section
will be the best chance of finding sur
vivors.
1t is found that the passage is so badly
blocked that 1t will be impossible for many
days to make an entrance. Meanwhile
men now alive may starve. The news
spread gloom throughout the village, re-
lleved only by the fairer prospects of eX-
ploring the 500 foot, or bottom shaft
1t is said the blockade In the entry 20
.the east IL near the main shaft. AS one
Navlng is followed by another, endangering
the lives OF the workers, attempts to re-
move the debris were halted and efforts
begun TO hew a new passage through solid
earth around the fire and piles Of earth.
According to Duncan Mcdonald, presi-
dent OF the United Mine Workers OF Hi
nois, this will take several days.
Does that not mean that practically all
hope Of reaching imprisoned men in east
Workings have been abandoned, or pracu-
cAny so?" Mr. Mcdonald was asked
The union official looked gloomy and did
not answer directly
I'VE have hopes of rescues in the 500
foot level" he said.
After experiencing all the terrors Of his
long Imprisonment and the joy OF being
brought to the surface alive. David Hol-
Iofchek, one Of the twenty survivors res
cued Saturday, died today. Death was due
to general exhaustion.
Pure Air in Lower Vein.
At midnight yesterday boy miners had
forced their way into the third vein, pre-
pairing the way for a rush Of their COM
rades to the same vein today. They de-
elRIed the air in the gallery stagnant but
capable Of sustaining life, the water but
o few inches deep and all indications
favorable TO the prolonging Of life TO
those imprisoned in the depth.
The youths, Robert McFadden and Bar
ney Dougherty. had scarcely emerged from
the shaft when udings were spread that
the fire in the second vein had broken out
anew.
All preparations for the further eNplor-
ing OF the vein were halted while Chicago
fiIemen attacked the blaze which threat
eIed the main shaft. The contest with the
fire continued several hours. during which
the rescuers threw themselves on cots
blankets, or the floor OF the boiler house
4 20 be awakened when all was ready Tor
\ hem to descend
- That scores Of men are alive in the lower
level was the almost unanimous assertion
OF miners who listened TO the story Of
McFadden and Dougherty. The two pene-
trated l2O feet into the vein and shouted,
bu. no response came. Then they hurried
back 10 the cage There is no reason
Why they shouldn't be alive said
DouEherty,
After learning that the lower shaft con-
tained air not too impure to sustain life,
the hope OF those above was increased
in mighty measure. Many reasons were
advanced TO show that the men stil may
be alive,
Shortage OF Men ON Dam.
CODY. wye. Nov. E.-(Special) 1.-The