The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-10
SAN FRANCISCO. c.

bly, discouraged, but continued to work
A low, rumbling sound and slight
earth tremor, resembling a seismic dis
turbance noticed in Starkville. several
surrounding camps and Trinidad, five
miles away, were the first evidences Of
the disaster. Within a few minutes
thereafter, Mine Superintendent James
Wilson had organized the first rescue
party, equipped with oxygen helmets
through the darkness the mon plunged
for an unknown distance until Wilson,
weakened by previous illness. fell, over.
come by the poisonous black. damp.
Carrying their former leader. the party
retraced their steps, reaching the outer
air Just in time TO prevent others from
collapsing.
BY this time a rescue car, Of the Colo.
RADIO Fuel g. Iron company. had arrived
from Janson, Reinforced by mine
superintendents and experts from neigh
boring camps, additional rescue parties
were formed and took mp the work of
Wilson and his followers, and foot by
foot fought their way through the pois-
onous gases, led by General Superinten-
dent James Thompson and other expert
mining men.
Long Night of Conflict.
All night long the unequal battle con-
tinued. Shortly after S O'Clock this
morning, General Manager Il. IL. Welt
eel of Pueblo arrived and took active
supervision of the work
Little by little the underground work.
ings were reclaimed and shortly be.
foro noon word that the rescue party
had reached the junction Of the old
slope and the first crosscut, q mile and
a half underground, was received,
Further progress was blocked by the
cavein of the old slope and by the
fter damp along the new slope beyond
the crosscut until the portable fan had
been installed late this afternoon.
Since Saturday at midnight. the
Starkville camp has been practically de-
serted. men, women and children flock
ing to tho portals of the mine To seek
missing fathers, husbands and sons.
Conviction that mono of the entomhed
men would be found alive grows strong
er steadily.
The pail of the night s blackness was
penetrated bv the flicker Of miners
lamps, while the sky was lighted by the
glow of Starkville s coke ovens in the
distance.
Upon arrival of General Manager
Weitzel this morning orders were IS
sued to provide survivors families with
al nttbth ploFl3I
Throughout the day railroads md in
terurban lines continued to unload their
thousands Of passengers from Trinidad
and surrounding camns at the little
/ Starkville station, To this mass Of
humanity were added hundreds who
came in automobiles, on foot and in all
manner of vehicles.
Risking Life to Save.
II was learned tonight that the he'll
met men had a narrow escape from death
this morning and were rescued by miners
who had no helmets
The helmet men had entered the mine
and falling to emerge. another party was
sent IN and found tho helmet men lying
prone upon tho floor of the short cut, oi
west entry overcome by gas. The oXyger
I'm the helmets had become exhausted.
The most authoritative explanation ol
the causo Of the tragedy yet secured was
obtained tonight from State Mine In
spector John n. Jones. when he came into
the camp TO forward some kilograms. He
said the Starkville mine had been in
spectcd officially by Inspector Frank
Oberling three months ago and found tr
excellent condition and that IL had beer
worked ever since Its opening In lSo.