Eastern Utah advocate. [volume] (Price, Utah) 1895-1915, 1913-03-27

once again IN the car We kaVe on
signal. and far off-400 feet above us-
the eHpectant ears OF the watche
caught the note Of our two bells FIX
distant church chimes. Softly we Gel
ourselves lifted. and the ascent wa
begun. Four minutes later the thre
electric lights at the shaft brink glow
ed-now almost defantly-through IN
smoke. and we lowered the side OF on
ship and dragged In our gangplank
Then. one by one. we CROPPED through
/ the first dOor-all Of us-and then
through the second. Ny helmet hat
leaked and my head reeled IN a mist
sort Of way from the time I left bot
tom. and as the bright. gray worlC
outside streamed In through the sweat
streaked bullseye II seemed more like
a pleasantly swaying picture than q
reality. Some one pulled open my aii
valve. and In a second my helmet was
OF. and drew into my lungs air that
bad seemed never 10 sweet or fresh.
Already another crew was preparing
for a third descent TO carry our inves
legations still further
For one long week we continued OUT
work az the air shaft. and almost ev.
cry hour a crew OF helmeted men was
lowered down In the swinging Dor TO
the bottom. Working In the darkness
by the feeble light OF their torches.
knee deep In water and climbing over
the rotting bodies Of the mules. they
erected stoppings across the openings
OF the two air courses which led from
the bottom OF the mir shaft The small
door connecting the air shaft with the
escapemont or stairway was then open.
ed. and a few hours later the big fan
at the fan house began slowly 90 turn
over and force pure air down the air
shaft which-as our stoppings proved
90 be tight-found no escape into the
mine and returned up the stairway
making n single loop NJ the bottom. In
half an hour both compartments OF the
shaft were clear. and men. with safe
~ lamps and helmets ready In case Of
danger. descended and found the
smoke gone and the air clean ON the
bottom. That night the bodies OF the
nearest mules were holstcd out and
everything was put IN readiness for a
trip on the following morning into the
tunnels of the mine nearest the mfr
shaft With clean air NJ bottom Il was
now possible 10 put on our helmets
there and 10 directly into the mine,
avoiding the danger and discomfort Of
the long hclmctcd trip down the smoke
oiled shaft
Il was about o o'clock In the morning
when four of ~ prepared for this FIRST
OF conditions existing IN
the mine surrounding the air shaft
our helmets were adjusted on top.
leaving the air valve open. 10 be closed
when we passed through the small door
NJ the foot " the stairway Into the
mine. Delmer stayed In the box. and
the three Of Ne left him and. splash.
Ing nolaily IN the water. crnwled
through tho small door into the door uf
the escapcuaent aud then. uud.A.niy
opening the door into the mine. passed
through Il NJ quickly M we were able.
We realized that Gre might exist he
rond possibility which made Il nee.
,ssary for us TO crawl through a. quick.
y M possible In order that the pun OF
lir which would accompany us might
not be % sutiiclent volume TO mix with
sns ana form mn explosive mixture
which the Gre would ignite. was the
asst TO 80 through the door. turning /
my shoulders sideways In order 90 pass
ny knapsnck through the narrow aper.
ure
From the comparative GOODNESS OF the
hiatt we stepped out into II entry. and |
'ur nrst impression was one OF heat.
or the air was hot beyond our expec.
ntion We had supposed. from the
'olume Of smoke that had been IN the /
Ilr SHAFT before II was blown out. that
; entry ana probably most OF the rest
u the mine would be in like condi.
Ion. but the conditions were almost
worse than they had been In the alI
'haft. The smoke wis thick as a fog
bank. Cropping blindly through the
Dlackness. upon which our lights seem.
ID scarcely TO make an Impression. We
reached the other side Of the entry. a
distance of about twenty feet. Then
through the sweat streaked glnsS In my
helmet ! saw a dull red glow. trat al.
most imperceptible aud then brighter
n We adyanced-a tinge OF uwny col.
'r smeared into the thick black smoke.
The entry was still on DIRE. aud few
steps more brought us No close 20 the
lanes that the heat on our unprotected
hands and necks became almost IN.
Dearable. There was nothing now that
'ould be accomplished. and after few
brief words from MACPHERSON. below.
ID through his helmet. We turned and
ielt our way back to the small door.
way
IL was now d0ubly necessary that
'ur exit should be made as quickly as
possible. for We were standing In
;as tlled entry. An open DIRE. denot.
ne the presence OF oxygen, was burn.
ng actively behind us. aud every sec.
ma that the door remained omen as We
lassed out would allow the clean air
rom the air shaft. carrying more Jxy.
zen. TO pass into the entry.
Without word. stumbling awkwant.
y In our haste. we climbed through the
ioor and fastened Il behind MS. -Tbe
'ntry Is ON ire" We shouted TO Delmer
Is we climbed over the edge OF the box.