The Elk Mountain pilot., 1910-12-22
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.

Eenver-Hope is entertained for
cntrapped in the Leyden coal mine,
fourteen miles northwest OF Denver.
when No. 2 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 7:10 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 n,
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
communication which has been es-
tabiished with the shaft bottom. 700
feet below the surface.
At midnight. when "A 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. / 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 p. m. the first rescue gang
went down. equipped to stay two
hours. They carried with them a
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
lotion OF the shaft. saying that the
prospect was encouraging.
AS soon as the helmet men have
been able to penetrate several hun
dred feet, the miners will be sent
down to arrange new system OF
ventilation by building bvattices. In
this way air will be forced into the
workings and will be kept even with
the progress of the rescuers.
The United States mine rescue car
lett Trinidad at $3.50 Thursday morn
ing and arrived at 7:10. The car was
in charge Of ]. G. Roberts and his crew
of assistants. with the car came three
helmet men of the e. F. & !. and four
from the Victor American mine near
Trinidad.
After two gangs OF rescuers had
been fitted with helmets and given
fifteen minutes instruction in thei'
use the first recue crew OF TOUR meG
in charge OF p. Stangier. boss timber
man, was sent to the bottom of tbs
shaft Before their descent code o.
signals was arranged AID the men CIV
en- instructions that they must no
stay below more than fifteen minutes
The car descended at 9:05 p. m. An
the men returned to the surface q
$40. Until midnight crowd OF 2o'
miners remained near the mouth D
the shaft.
]. C. Roberts. in charge of the gov
ernment rescue crew, Is In full charg
of the rescue work. The work Is be
ing proceeded with as rapidly as pos
sible, every step in the rescue WORK
however. being carefully prepared be
fore 1t is taken.