The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-22
Experiences of Those Shut in
the st. Paul Mine
During Seven Days Spent i'm
Fight for Existence.
SOME WROTE LETTERS
Stories of Survivors Filled With
Incidents Of HerOism.
EntOmbed Men Prayed andHOped
to the Last.

Cherry, Ill. Nov. 22.-The men who
have returned to life from the St. Paul
mine can thank only themselves and
the scientific knowledge of one of their
number for the fact that they are alive.
1t was through their own heroic efforts
that they were saved from suffocatior
In the mine. From the moment they
were trapped in the blazing shaft a
week ago last Saturday afternoon until
they We're carried from the mine the
men battled with death.
Finding their means of reaching the
cage cut off, the men who were rescued
saturday ran back of the heat of the
nre and contemplated a dash through
the flames in the hope that the cage
might be sent down to them
1t was Walter Waite, assistant mine
superintendent, who headed this group
of men. For several minutes they.dis-
cussed various plans in the 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 assist
ance. Step by step the men backed away
from the smoke and rapidly accumulat-
ing gases into the dark. passages which
alone offered means Of escape
Finally, when nearly three-uuarters
of mile from the cage, Waite suggest
ed the plan. It simply was to throw 11p
temporary wall. block out the flames
and the gases that generated by the
fres, and take advantage of any OPP
portunity to escape that Providence
might offer
After outlining his plan, Waite
frankly told the men the desperate
position In which they were placed ami
asked that each obey orders If he ever
desired to see his wife and babies again.
Men, we are in Gods hands down
mere just as much as IL we were work
ing the steel cage up above" solemnly
said the 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"
IT don't know whether you all are |
Christian men, but if you are not It's
time to become SUCH" said William |
Clelland one of the three American
born men in the party.
How many of you want to offer a |
prayer before we begin to work?"
Every man of the little party drew off |
his cap in the darkness and bowed his
mead In answer. Then with their cans
In hand. smoking lanterns casting gro |
tesque shadows about the dark drift. as |
took place.
Above the cracking of the flames
that gradually were eating their way |
toward the praying men could be heard |
the powerful voice Of Clelland, as he |
offered up prayer for delivery
"Oh, God, we are in your hands LET
Thy will be DONE" said the miner. "If
it is Thy will that we be delivered 70
now" 0
Story of a Survivor.
George Subacus. one Of the res
cued miners. tells the following story
OF his experience:
AT 1 o'clock a week ago last Satur-
day the pit boss came to measure nv
work in the northwest entry on the
went I waited for the team to come
for the coal. but in two hours IL had
not come, so I started to find out what
was the matter.
pretty soon I saw smoke and felt
that the ventilation fan had stopped
The fire had been burning for an
hour, but that was the first I knew
of it.
''I started to run then but met
George Eddy and some others-about
us way back where had been work
ing. Then we tried to throw up a
barrier. but it was pitch dark, and
we did not get along we'll All the
n 1%S we to eat of had gas t had
chewed bark and drank water. we
got the water by making little holes
in the bottom of the entry. We
MADE nVe or these holes and there
was always someone at them. 1t was
our principal food. That's how all
the coal dust got into our boards, be-
cause we always were trying to
drink"
what did you do all these days
you were penned ?" was asked
why, we all said good-by to each
other. 1 and my brother we cried
much. At first the English among us
sang songs and the Italians were all
the time praying, but after a while we
were all too weak to more than crawl
about.
Nobody reached us-we reached