The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-10
MINERS BURIED
 IN LIVING TOMB Over Fifty Men Are Inpris- 0ned In Starkvile Mine RESCUE WORK IS DELAYED Fan Has Been Installed Which Is Driv- ing Back the Foul Air So That Rescuers May Render Aid to the Men

Starkville. Col, October 9.-Entombed by an explosion in the Starkville mine of the Colorado Fuel and Iron company, at least 52 men are the objects of he- roic efforts of rescuers, who worked throughout today trying to penetrate the black depths of the ming In the hope that some, or probably all of the imprisoned miners might be rescued alive.
 The presence of black damp which almost invariably follows in the wake of coal mine explosions, made the work of rescuers extremely hazardous and time and again today members of par ties were overcome, necessitating re- turning to the open air, in order that their lives could be saved.
 Late this afternoon those superln- tending the work of rescue decided that none should enter the mine until a me- dium of protection in the shape of portable fan was installed, and rescue work was called off for the time being The fan reached the portal of tlse mine at o'clock and under the supervision of the chief electrician of the fuel and iron company, was mounted upon an electric motor car and gradually pushed forward into the new stope, working as 1t went. driving the gas ahead and as was hoped. to an air shaft thousands of feet inside the mine, where it might escape into the open air. The greatest caution possible was exercised that the motor carrying the fan should not be advanced too rapidly and a sudden rush of gas, or kick back. overwheim the men operating the machine and snuff out their lives.
 A Touching Incident
 A touching feature of the rescue work was the self-sacrifice and devo- ton to duty of James Wilson. superin- tendent of the Starkville miae, who left a sick bed to lead the men who bravely volunteered to face the deadly black damp that their entrapped comrades should be rescued dead or alive. Superintendent Wilson finally suo- cnrnbeS U sne exertion which taxed hls weakened strength and, almost over come by the insidlous gases, was forced to give up and take to his bed again.
 According to statement given out officially by the coroner there are known to be in the mine 2S Poles, 8 Russians, 10 Americans. 4 Mexicans and 1 Seryians.
 These nationalities represented in the list of the entombed were classified after a careful house-to-house canvass of the camp f
 The coroner says the nationalities, of six other men believed to be among the missing are not known and no attempt was made to classify them.
 There are some who are more or less familiar with the working conditions at the Starkville mine, who express the be- lief that when the list is completed it will number nearer 80 than 50.
 Watchers Are Silent
 Hardened by previous similar experi ences the residents of Starkville, in most instances, watched silently the rescuers, At o'clock word reached the camp proper that two-inch hole had been bored through the wall connecting the Engleville and Starkville mines and a test of the air showed 1t to be surpris- ingly good. This information was fol- lowed by news that the men who were
 
 come and barely escaped to the entrance of the west portal with their lives. They had penetrated 400 feet when they were suddenly enveloped in black damp.
 The mine has been claimed as non gaseous and theories advanced as to the presence of gas and other combustibe material are not accepted by officials of the Colorado Fuel & Iron company as having caused the explosion.
 Mine Is m old One
 The Starkville mine is one of the oldes.. Colorado Fuel and Iron company prop critics in the southern Colorado fields. The old entry or main slope pierces the hill at a point about mile and a half northeast of the tipple and camp This stope penetrateS the coal deposit for a distance of nearly five miles, the entry for nearly half the distance being bor- dered by old or abandoned workings. Along the innermost reaches are num- Der of places where pillar work was being done. About 300 yards south of the old Port ola, the second entry, or new stope. en- ters the hill and runs back almost paral- Tel to the old stope, which Is now used as the main haulage way. About a mile from the portal of the new entry a cross- cut connects it with the old entry
 Five thousand feet beyond this cross-
 
 big fan, the chief reliance for mine ven- tilation, which was put out of commis- sion by the explosion.
 Back of this fan in the entries south between three and four miles from the portal of the new stope were located the principal workings, where 1t is supposed most of the force were employed.
 As nearly as can be determined at this time the explosion originated In one of the entries three or four miles from the portal and at point between the old and new etopes, or main haulage way, hurling timbers from the old portal for more than 200 yards. So severe was the shock that the old stope was completely filled with a cave-in for more than mile into the back depths, blocking the way of rescue parties at the first cross-cut from the new stope. This junoture Is about a mile and half from the new portal and is the farthest point reached by rescuers.
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 A Bird With Four Legs
 San Antonio, Tex, October 9.-(Spe- .to1 DroP r. w StanAeId of tba