The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-11-14

Until tomorrow when the covering
will be removed ana rescuers endeavor
TO penetrate the smoke and gas-chOked
shaft and veins. no certainty as to the
fate of the inmates can be learned.
The fire causing the explosion, which
may prove one Of the greatest TRACE
dies In the list of mine horrors, had an
origin almost trivial A pile OF nay
allowed to shoulder too long finally
ignited the timbers of the mine and
before the workers realized their dan
ger the mine was filled with smoke,
gases and flames and all exit was I'M
Great heroism was shown by Off
cials and residents Of Cherry. These
men, who were outside the mine when
the fire started, contributed i've TO
the list of the twelve known dead by
rushing into the mine, trying to save
the doomed men.
Gave Their Lives for Others.
Alexander Norberg, a pit man, gave
his life unhesitatingly in futile Ell
fort TO save those of his comrades VINO
risi-ed their lives with him. standing
af the bottom of the Shaft he carried
the bodies of four men into the cage
the only way of escape As IN eiast
vas. carried in he fell unconscious
scross the body. He was dead, as were
teI1 his compa Mons, when the cage had
been lifted to the top.
Those who went into the pit win
MIN were John Bundy. mine superin-
IEnuRnI. u
merchants of. Cherry, and Dominic
Fonenti.
DR.. W. Howe, a physician Of the city,
who had tried to go with the men Wheh
they descended the cage, had Oeen
thrust out of the cage by Bundy' Who
decl8red -
sThey will need you at the top if
we get anyone out. No use risking
your life down here"
The physician vainly sought 70 re
vive the men when they were carried to
him a few minutes later
At the entrance of the shaft hundr eos
of screaming women, weeping children
and frantic but helpless men crowded
about. A few survivors Nere sur
rounded by groups of women and their
answers to the loudly shrleked IN
ouirfes only added to the horror.
Almost to man they declared that
there was no hope for those leIt pc
hind in the mine. Almost zUV OF the
men imprisoned, they declared, were
In the third vein, the only entrance to
which was from the second vein. 900
feet from the main shaft OF the pit
Superintendent steele reluctantly
echoed the opinion of the miners. when
the extent of the fire was realized the
officials saw ordinary measures We're
Intellectual The fire had burned away
the timbers and the flames soon
reached the escape shaft. A few min
utes later the fan which supplied air
to the shaft collapsed ana Iumbleo
through the opening. The flames then
swept on ~ tiAN ilibuttt VI tt+N ~
where they were carried to the surface,
forcing back all those who ventured
near.
Frantic Women and Children.
The officials knew the fire must be
eating its way hack into the shaft and
then il was decided to seal the mouth
of the pit. Before this water had been
poured down the escape shaft but with
no better effect than 10 impede any
efforts Of those inside to escape.
The survivors said many OF the min
ers had retreated TO the furthermOst
ends of the veins, where they might
huddle together gasping what little
oxygen remained In the sealed and
burning mine. IN the hope that the res
cuers might reach them before it was
exhausted.
The most hopeful of those seeking TO
AID the men doubt that many Will be
found alive.