The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-10
Search for Miners Entrapped by
Explosion at Starkville.
Fate Of so Missing Men Is to Be
Determined.
FANS ARE WORKING
Belief Is Expressed That Black
Damp Will Be Removed.
One Man Escaped by Being Away
ON a Spree.

SCarkN1lle, COL, OCT. 1U--f11Sn nope
spread over this stricken mining camp
this morning when news was brought
that the Starkville mine, where two
score or more miners are entombed
from an explosion last Saturday, that
fans providing pure air to the mine had
been put in operation systematically,
and that the imprisoned men undoubt-
ed would be located within the day un-
less efforts of rescuers were further
blocked by the wreckage.
This information was given out Off
ciaIly by State Mine Inspector John E.
Jones, never over enthusiastic at the
prospect. Mr.. Jones based his opinion
on the fact that a double force for
driving out the bad air in the mine
had been successfully effected through
the stationing of the portable fan well
within the short cut of the StarkVille
trance to the Engleville mine had been
reversed, and both were working to-
gether on the same objective.
The fan in the Starkville mine is
forcing pure air along the devious cuts
and paSSagewayS of that mine, driving
before it the impure air to the open
ing in the wall, separating that mine
from the EngleVille mine. AT the same
time the Engleville fan is drawing the
air out of the main working of that
mine, forming a suction that is pulling
the gaseous air through the wall into
the Engleville mine and out into the
open through the remaining portal of
the mine.
Bad Air Held Captive.
In addition to clearing the Starkville
mine of the bad air, Inspector Jones
said it is being funnelled away from
the extreme southern working of the
Starkville mine and held captive so as
to prevent its spreading to those sec
tions where the entombed men are
supposed to be.
1t is known that at least eleven men
in the mine when the explosion oc-
CURED are at least a mile from the
first cross-cut through which the bad
air in the StarkVille mine is supposed
to be flowing into her sister mine on
the other side of the hill. Without
any stretch of the imagination, said
Inspector Jones today, these men could
be alive and perfectly safe unless a
cave-in crushed out their lives, or the
black damp had reached them While
fans were being set up.
Afterdamp is subject to the change
in temperature as indicated yesterday
when rescuers were driven suffocating
from the east slope of the mine after
advancing less than 800 feet. Pre-
vious to this the men had penetrated
to the cross-cut, more than 5,OOO feet,
and had traverSed the 1000 feet OF
this cross-cut to it's junction point
with the west slope, only to be forced
to return by encountering a blockade
of wreckage. When returning to the
asst portal it was first noticed that the
air was bad and the reScuerS haStened
ont In the few minutes elapsing be-
fore a re-entry was made, this slope
had filled with oxygenless air and fur
ther attempts had to be abandoned
until fans could be stationed.
Even the helmet men, with their
modern protective apparatus, including
reservoirs of oxygen to supply the
lungs with pure air for breathing,
could do but little, and once were
oxygen became exhausted and were
rescued wit hthe greatest difficulty by
At the mouth of the mine. guarded
by a silent but unyielding company or
men. a crowd gathered waiting for
news from the rescuers. At intervals
courier from inside would emerge from
the black depths, signalling his ap-
proach by the spark of light shed by
his lantern. A quiet conversation with
an official at the portal followed and
then back into the earth's NAV would
go the messenger, and the watchers
outside would gather to hear the news
contained in the verbal report OF the
man from inside.
AS the morning wore on the crowd
which settled down for day of wait
ing, was aroused to a greater degree OF
hope when from out the darkness,
word came that the portable fan had
reached a position at the first cross
cut, 5000 feet from the entrance, ana
was working perfectly. This was sup
plenented by the statement that the
sh9t of rescue men behind the portable
fan would be gradually advanced to
the first stationary fan which was
wrecked by the explosion
This fan is 10000 feet from the
east portal and if it could be repaired
would be of great assistance in Clarity
ing the air.
AS an indication of the speed with
which rescue work was progressing.
and the thoroughness with which it
was being carried out, the stringing of
telephone wire was promptly begun
as soon as equipment arrived. In an
almost incenceivab1e short time the
builders had caught up with the rescue
party, and District Superintendent
James Thompson of the Colorado
Fuel and Iron company, in charge of
| rescue work for the company. tele-
| phoned out the glad tidings that all
was well with the rescue party and
that ground was being covered rap
| idly.
Fire Started at Midnight.
Word came out to the month of the
mine at midnight that the portable fan
| near the entrance to the east slope or
short cut of the mine, was working
with precision and that the deadly af-
| ter damp which threatened the lives of
rescuers and drove them from the slope
| yesterday had been scattered immedi-
ately away from the fan and the be-
| lief was expressed that the interior
would be gradually relieved of the men
ace.
| Today renewed efforts to reach the
entombed men were inaugurated, part
of the plan being, it was announced to
| find path to the place in which they
are believed to be huddled together in
| death, or perhaps, if still alive, enclos-