The San Francisco call., 1910-10-10
. HEROIC Miners
FAIL TO RESCUE
From Fifty=One TO Eighty Men
Remain Imprisoned in Black
Depths of Shaft

sTARKvILLE. Colo. Oct S.-En-
tombed by the explosion yesterday in
{; the Starkvilie mine Of the Colorado
fuel and iron company, at least 81 men
are the objects of heroic efforts of res
cuers who worked throughout the day
trying to penetrate the black depths of
the mine in the hope that some, or
probably all the Imprisoned miners
might be rescued.
The presence of black damp. which
almost Invariably follows in the wake
Of coal mine explosions, made the work
Of the rescuers extremely hazardous,
and time and again members Of parties
were overcome.
PORTABLE FAN USED
Late to day those experimenting the
work Of rescue decided that none
should enter the mine until portable
fan was installed and rescue work was
called of for the time being. The fan
reached the portal Of the mine at 4
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 IL went. driving the gas ahead, and,
as was hoped, to an air shaft thousands
of feet inside the mine, where it es-
capped into the open air.
The greatest caution was exercised
that the motor carrying the fan should
mot be advanced TOO rapidly and 8
sudden rush OF gas or kickback over
whelm the men operating the machine
and snuff out their lives.
According TO statement given out
ofhcially by. the coroner there are
known to be in the mine SO Poles, three
Russians, 10 Americans four Mexica1s
ard one Servian.
EIGHTY MAY BE LOST
Several who are familiar with the
working conditions at the StarkviIle
mine express the belief that the total
number estimated is too conservative,
and they say that when the list Is COM
'pleted it Will number nearer so than 81.
Hardened by previous experiences and
sights surreunGing explosions in mines
the residents of Starkville, IN most in
lstances, silently watched rescuofs as
they entered the mine and as they were
later dragged TO the open air Cor resus-
citation.
In addition to efforts made - enter
the mine by the east or new stope, ex-
gperienced miners were sent into the
fEnglevilie mine, which adjoins the
pStarkville property, TO dig through the
lmasonry wall built 10 separate the
.1nines when the workings ran together
several months ago. 1t was necessary
10 use the greatest care to make only
small opening at first so that foul aii
from the Starkville mine could bt
checked and the lives in the Engleyille
mine be not endangered.
The men who were installing The
portable fan were overcome and barely
escaped 10 the entrance of the wesl
portal with their lives. They had pene-
trated 500 feet when they were suddei.-
ly enveloped In black damp.
The'helmet men, better able to cope
with the killing afterdamp, assisted
their unprotected companions out oi
the mine and resuscitated them.
The explosion practically destroyed
the east or old stope, Of the Starkvillf
mine. Its origin is a mystery. The
mine has been classed as nongaseout
and for this reason safety lamps were
thought unnecessary. It is also a picl
mine. no shot firing for the purpose o,
oislodging the coal being allowed.
The positions of the entombed meT
the men, Inspector Jones said tonight
were about two and a half miles fron
the mouth and the remainder a mile o.
so farther, but on the other side o
the mine. These latter are in clos,
proximity to the dividing wall and ma,
be the first reached by rescuers. Thes'
men possibly are alive. the inspectoi
said, basing his opinion on the fac
that pure air was found near the wal
when the hole was broken through.