New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-10-10
.F|FY-ONE ENTOMBED
IN STARKWL[E MINE
Colorado RescuerS Unable to
Make Progress in Face of
Poisonous Gases.
SICK MAN DIRECTS WORK
Superintendent Finally Succumbs
and Is Forced to Go TO His
Bed, but Promises
to Return.

Starkvilie, Col. Oct e.-Entombed by an
explosion in the Starkville mine of the
Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, at least
hfty-one men are the objects of heroic eff
forts of rescuers. who worked throughout
TO-DAY irving to penetrate the black depths
of the mine in the hope that some or prob
ably all of the imprisoned miners might be
rescued.
The presence Of black damp which al
most invariably follows in the wake Of coal
mine explosions, made the work of the res
cuers extremely hazardous, and repeatedly
to-day members of parties were overcome
making necessary a retreat 10 the open air
Late this afternoon those experimenting
the work Of rescue decided that none should
enter the mine until medium OF protection
in the shape of portable fan was installed
and rescue work was called of for the time
being The fan reached the portal of the
mine at o'clock. and under the super
vision Of the chief electrician of the Colo
rado Fuel and Iron Company was mount
ed upon an electric motor car and gradu-
aIlv pushed forward into the new Slope,
working as it went, driving the gas ahead
and. as was hoped. to an air shaft thous-
ands of feet inside the mine, where il might
escape into the open air.
Great Fan Advances Slowly.
The greatest caution possible was exer-
cised that the motor carrying the fan should
not be advanced too rapidly. and SUDDEN
rush Of gas. or kick-back, overwhelrn the
men operating the machine and snuff out
their lives.
a feature Of the rescue work was the oe-
votion 10 duty OF James Wilson. superin-
oF mine. who lett
sickbed TO lead the men who volunteered TO
face the deadly black damp that their en-
Trained comrades might be found. dead or
alive.
Superintendent Wilson finally succumbed
to the exertion and gases and was forced
to give up and take TO his bed again AS
he left the portal of the mine Wilson said
to those who followed him out that he
would be ready to resume charge OF the
rescue parties soon
The cempauy's list Of missing includes
twenty-six Poles, one Russian. two Servl-
ans. seven Americans, ten italians, four
Mexicans and one negro; total. 81
Hardened by previous experiences sur
rounding explosions in mines, the resi-
dents of Starkville in most instances 81
lentIv watched the rescuers as they entered
the mine and later as they were dragged
to the open air for resuscitation
Entrance Through Another Mine.
In addition to efforts to enter the mine
bv the east, or new. stope experienced
miners were sent into the Engleville mine,
which adjoins the Starkville property, to
dig through the many walls built to sepa-
rate the mines when the workings ran to-
gether several months ago. It was neces-
sary to use the greatest care to make
only a small opening at first. so that foul
air from the Starkville mine could be
checked and the lives Of the men in the
EngIeviIle mine not endangered
At s o'clock word reached the camp
nroner that n two-inch hole had been bored
through the wall. and test of the air
showed II to be surprisingly good. Orders
were inmediat ely given 10 enlarge the
opening, and if the air was found to be
pure the men were TO go on through and
proceed along the cuts Of the SLarkville
mine as far as safety permitted
This information was followed by news
that the men who were installing the
portable fan had been overcome and barely
escaped to the entrance of the west portal
with their lives They had penetrated
four hundred feet, when they We're sud
denly enveloped in black damp.
The helmet men, better able TO cope with
the after damp. assisted their unprotected
cornpanions out Of the mine and resuscitat-
ed them
The explosion practically destroyed the
east or old stope of the Starkville mine
Its origin is a mystery. The mine has been
.lassed as n n-gaseOus and safety lamps
were not believed necessary. It Is also
pick" mine, no shot firing being allowed
Theories advanced. such as the presence
Of gas pockets. blast and other ombuStlble
material. are not accepted by officials of
the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company IS
having caused the explosion.
Although seemingly everything in the
range of human effort was done all to-day
and tonight TO rescue the imprisoned men,
difficulty OF overcoming the spread of the
after damp told plainly on the temper Of
the rescuers, who were discouraged, but
continued at work.