The Colorado statesman., 1910-12-17
TEN MINERS
ARE ENTOMBED
TRAINED GOVERNMENT RESCUE
MEN ARE WORKING SEP
ARATELY..
THERE IS STILL HOPE
VICTIMS OF LEYDEN MINE DIS
AsTER THOUGHT TO BE
ALIVE.

Denver.-Hope is entertained for
the rescue of ten miners who were
cntrapped in the Leyden coal mine,
fourteen miles northwest of Denver.
when No. shaft was destroyed by
fire Wednesday night. The first res
cue party which entered the mine
hopes to reach the entrapped men
and it is believed that the men will
be found alive.
Working under the direction of the
government rescue crew which
reached Leyden at 7:1O o'clock
Thursday night, the first rescue party
penetrated to the bottom of No.
shaft.
Conditions found in the mine indi-
cate that the miners will be found
alive. The air is comparatively clear at
the bottom of the shaft and as the
rescuers are equipped with oxygen
helmets they have thus far expert
enced no great danger and are send
ing very encouraging reports to the
surface by means of telephone
tablished with the shaft bottom, 700
feet below the surface.
At midnight, when rescue crew
returned to the surface after two
hours underground, they reported that
the fire was still burning near the
bottom of the burned shaft. The men
succeeded in penetrating 300 feet
from the No. 1 shaft.
"The chances are bright for bring
ing up the men alive" This was the
statement made at ten o'clock by the
mine foreman, w. NJ. Lowry. follow
ing reports from the first exploring
PARTY of four men who, wearing oxy-
gen helmets, went to the bottom of
the No. 1 shaft, 700 feet deep, at nine
o'clock and reported that the air for
100 feet was very good. They saw
considerable smoke. The indications
are that the rescuers will not be able
to reach the entrapped men.
At 10 D. m. the first rescue gang
went down, equipped to stay two
hours. They carried with them
telephone instrument, which is to be
fixed at the shaft bottom to establish
communication with the surface. AS
the rescuers penetrate into the mine,
telephone lines will be extended.
Three telephones will be estab-
lished, with helmet man at each IN
strument. At IL o'clock the first tele-
phone message was received from the
bottom of the shaft, saying that the
prospect was encouraging.
AS soon as the helmet men have
been able to penetrate several nun
dred feet, the miners will be sent
down to arrange new system OF
ventilation by building brattices. In
this way air will be forced into the
workings and will be kept even with
the progress of the rescuers.
The Uniled States mine rescue car
lett Trinidad at $3.50 Thursday morn
ing and arrived at 7:10. The car was
in charge of ]. c. Roberts and his crew
of assistants. With the car came three
helmet men of the c. F. & |. and four
from the Victor American mine near
Trinidad
After two gangs of rescuers hau
been fitted with helmets and given
fifteen minutes instruction In thelr
use the first recue crew OF -FOUR men
in charge of P Stangier, boss timber
man. was sent to the bottom OF the
shaft. Before their descent code OF
signals was arranged and the men CIV
en- instructions that they must not
stay below more than fifteen minutes
The car descended at 9;O5 D. m. ana
the men returned to the surface az
9:4O. Until midnight crowd OF 2oo
miners remained near the mouth Of
the shaft.
T. C. Roberts, in charge of the gov
ernment rescue crew, is in full charge
of the rescue work. The work Is pe-
ing proceeded with as rapidly as pos
sible, every step in the rescue WORK
however, being carefully prepared De-
fore it is taken.