Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1917-06-15

S00feet distant, connecting with the
Granite Mountain on the different I
levels.
By night that shaft also was in
danger. as waters from the levels
was running into it and had caved
portion. There was no fire in this
shaft, however. Tons of water are
being poured into the Granite Mount
ain shaft and from points on connect
ing levels with adjoining mines as
near as it is possible to get to the
scene of the fire.
AS yet there has been no organ
lied attempt to combat the fire only |
to the extent of affording egress to
bodies and with the exception that it ,
Is widespread and appears to be ex-
tending little was known by night as
to just what physical damage had re- i,
suited, only that it was very large.
1t is believed that the mine damage
will exceed 100000, with the liabil-
| ity insurance which the North Butte
company carries itself of $4,000 for
the life of each miner lost, this being
statutory provision under the COM
pensation laws of Montana.
Seething Furnace.
That workings in the immediate vi
cinity of the shaft for 200 feet both
above and below the 240O-foot level
where the fire originated, were for
time seething furnace is indicated
by developments of the rescue work.
The faces of bodies found hundreds
of feet from the shaft itself on the
700 and 500 foot levels, distance of
1900 feet above the origin of the fire
were burned
| While the morgues were being
filled with bodies dozen or more
men overcome by gas and rescued
from the workings were revived at the
mine itself by first aid methods and
a dozen more were removed to the
hospitals for treatment. Many men,
bers of the rescue crews were over
come. The American Red Cross vol
unteered it's services.
The rescued in the North Butte
numbered 222 and in the Diamond
mine go.
GotCt nCpOTt, 90 0dNCus
Twenty-Five of 29 miners imprison-
ed on the 240O-foot level of the Spec
ulator mine of the North Butte Min
ing company since last Friday night,
: 26 of whom were brought to the sur
face alive Sunday, owe their lives
to Manus Duggan, nipper boy, 20
years old, one of their crew on that
. level.
OF Ais in the mine workings, 81
are missing, 5 unidentified bodies are
: at undertaking rooms and at the
mine, while 81 dead have been iden-
: titled.
The total of dead is estimated at
: 100.
Use Their Clothing as Bulkhead.
Directed by Duggan, who is not
among the list of those rescued and
for whom fears are expressed and
, prayers for his safety being said, the
rescued men constructed a bulkhead
in what is known as II "X'' crosscut
on the 2400 level, stripped NAKED and
stuffed the bulkhead with their cloth
: ing and bits of canvas, tagging and
: dirt, at l o'clock Saturday morning
: They made second bulkhead with
2 dirt a short distance from the orig
t inal one at the crosscut opening
b This kept the gas out and for a time
t they were in comparative safety.
o Until they were taken on. of the
e mine Sunday afternoon the men re
| ~, &C. hill drff
9 men, without clothing, food or drink
r stuck in the drift until the gas be
came so foul Duggan directed then
to get ready to break out and max,
o try for the shaft. Breaking dow
4 the bulkhead with the assistance o
d three others, Duggan went through
O first, the others following. At thu
q shaft the men rang for the cage, !
q is understood. and it was sent to thu
a 24OO level Immediately, although thu
t men on the surface understood tn
q call to have come from the 200
r. level.
d Duggan after his heroic work o
!. SO hours, went ahead to test the ga
l. and became lost. Officials of tn
IL
has been lost. although the men h
d saved from death think he made al
r attempt to reach the 1000 level an
& gain the Rainbow shaft of the CON
q pany from there.
Owe Their Lives to Duggan.
- I'VE owe our lives to Manus DUG
n gam Nyrja Johnson, the first ma
% to reach the surface, said. HE wa
the one who directed all the worl
None of us would be here today if
were not for him."
e. Johnson was given drink of brar
IL dy before he continued his story.
. "Duggan told us all to go into tn
~ drift and after we got in there h
= got piece of canvas. Then we too
:, off our clothes and chOked out tn
80 gas He directed the work and whe
% some of the men got weak he did tn