Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-02-25
NUMBER 8

was turned the wrong way STUN
bling out again. he pulled the pole from
the wire and turued 1t aud then crawl
I'd back into the drivers seat. As Ills
hand reached for the grip OF tile con-
truller sudden dizziness seized MN
aud be fell forward unconscious Oh the
frame OF the machine. The white damp
was penetrating all parts OF the mine.
A minute later like hurried tunera'
procession another group OF men came
stumbling down the entry. dragging
two OF their comrades who had been
overcome by the gas. and to them
Sweuson owed his life.
The mine bottom was now filled with
smoke. and the deadly gas In diluted
quantities hung invisible In the air.
Attempts to stem the course OF tie nre
were realized to be useless. and the
business now became that OF getting
the men from the mine and sealing the
shafts at the top. Like the officers OF
n sinking ship. the mine manager ana
the pit boss held their ground at the
foot Of the man hoist. and after the
last hoist had carried up the remain
der of the men who were at bottom
they still waited. blinded In the smoke.
for q party uf three men who had gone
nm hour before into some Of the more
distant workings to carry the warning
and who had not yet appeared. AS
the smoke grew thicker they realized
how slender was the chance that these
men would ever return: hut. nOtwith-
standing. they made one attempt to
follow them and succeeded In cropping
their way into c entry The ire was
already In the entry mouth. aud
through the smoke they saw the yel-
low iiaineS creeping over the ''over-
cast" Of the air course. Az they turn
ed back to the hoist faroff voices came
through the smoke. and two OF the
missing men. dragging the third. came
pitching down the entry. A minute
later the little party was on the hoist.
and the signal from bottom to "holst
away" was given The last men were
'eaving the mine.
Tho hrillluncy Of the clear autumn
night was dimming In the FIRST faint
light ur the dawn when the work OF
sealing the shafts began Up into the
rlondless sky. through the tangled steel
work OF the tpple. tall tower OF
black smoke 800 feet high poured
into the still air and faded into the
dawn. In two hours the black pits
were covered. first with a layer or
rails. and then on this was laid solid
bed vi colicrete. and two hours later
only few thin wisps Of smoke that
poured up through cracks along the
edges OF the great seal like steam be-
meath the lid OF u teakettle told OF the
inferno that was seething In the mine
400 feet below.
With the mir cut OF and the SHAFT
sealed the Ere could live only so long
as sufficient oxygen remained to teed
the flames. and a consultation OF black
rned men with dra wn. tired faces who
gathered IN the warehouse ONCE de-
rrmin,d that the bottom OF the mine
nud hecn saved and that the advance
If Ia. rnnlrS was already checked ana
mad reached its rarthest limit oy the
uttlng otf OF the supply Of air. How
ever. the possibilities were so numer-
aus that ali seemed but conjecture. IL
WAS imposSibl. to tell how long the
| ire could livc OH the air when hl'ed
| ,iv eighty six miles OF tunnels. ana 80
| hurried had been the final exit from
| the workings OIL account of the u'eu
| who had Lepn overcom" thni the exact
limits OF the Dire were unknown