Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-10-10
Re.euers Fail in Fir.t Efforts.

Starkville. Colo. Oct 10.-Hundrcds
OF rcscuers themselves In imminent
peril OF instant death from black damp.
worked strenuously last night to FREQ
the ffty-tw>o or more miners who huvo
been Imprisoned deep in tho Stnrkvtlle
coal mine since last night.
Eleven of the rescue party. who were
overcome by poisonous gases 800 feet
from the mouth of the pit. arc under
care OF physicians, who state that al
are still in danger OF death They were
dragged out unconscious after an un-
successful attcmp, to Install venti.
Hating fan to clear the elope OF black
damp.
The fate Of the cntombcd miners II
Iproblematical Experts who arc d.
recting the work OF rescue diner a. TO
the probability OF taking them out
lalivc. some holding that they have been
able To reach a point OF safety miles
from the entrance to the pit and others
declaring that every man who was
caught behind the barrier sumbled
down bv the explosion must have per.
ished within a few hours
/, was not until scores OF rescuers
had been overcome as they attempted
to dig away the debris which choked
the slope that the experts In charge
ordered all work atoppcd until the
vontilatinE fan had been set up and
started.
Air Shaft is Vital Feature.
A., o'clock Sunday afternoon tho
fan was mounted upon an electric
motor car and advanced gradually into
mo region OF the poisonous EascA
Thousands OF feet inside The mine there
is an air shaft. Upon the condition
OF this shaft hinges the success or fail-
tlrc of the work Of rescue Tho ran ~
being used 10 drive the black damp
ahead OF the workers toward this air
! shaft.
( II the shaft has not been cloKged UP
hv the cxploaion II Will carry off the
| noxfous gas and enable the workers TO
/ cain Tho barrlctde and clear Il away.
/ on the other hand, n tho shaft Is not
4 alsposinE OF the fan driven gas nos
only Is the death or tho imprisoned
miners almost certain but the rescners
may at any moment hc wiped out by .
second explosion OF the com pressed
black damp
The greatest precautions are being
taken to guard against such KICK
back" which Will be even moro disas-
trous than the first explosion. The
workers. who are sent into the shafs
In relays and called out and relieved
at brief Intervals, wear oxygen helmets
and carry safety lamps.
Another Way Of Rescue Possible.
/ Fresh hope that tho imprisoned
: miners were alive was given by tho 70.
1 port of workers who wero sent into
| tho Englevillo mine TO dig thru .
( masonry wall separating tho two work
/ ings This wall was built several
! months ago, when tho two workings
/ suddenly ran together.
The rcscucrs In the Englevillc shaft
! succeeded in drilling n two inch hole
thru tho wall. and reported that tho air
| which rushed thru from the StarlSville
shaft was surprisingly fresh. Orders
were given Immediately to enlarge the
hole, and IL the air continues fresh a
rescue party will enter tho walled in
shaft from this end and begin a search
for the trapped miners
| A touching feature OF tho rescue
work was the solf- f-sacrifice and devo-
lion to duty OF James Wilson. superin-
tendent OF the Starkville mine. who
left n sick bed 10 lead tho men who
braveiy volunteered to face tho deadly
black damp In the attempt to rescue
| their entrapped comrades.