The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-11-17
SixteenMenF FaceDeah
InBurniiIlg Coal Mine
Victims Three Miles From
Entrance, and Sufocation
Believed Inevitable-Con-
Aagration Growing In Ex-
tent

darlington, Ky, Nov. 16.-Firs near
the opening Of tho Arnold n,ins one
half mile east Of here, has ontrapped
sixteen men, and with the con1lagra-
tiou growing In extent, little hope IL
held for rescuing them
The fre, discovered later this after
noon, started from defective electric
wiring In . room near tho opening,
and quickly spread. The m1ne is
drift mine with no shafts, making
rescue possible only through the
opening. Tho hrs can be heard blax-
ing under tho ground and smoke II
pouring forth In large volumes.
The man entrAppod, consisting OF
three white men and thirteen negroes,
Are three miles back from tho en-
trance, and It IL feared they viii SUI
focSts from the thick Enoke. Any At
tarnpt 1t rescue, thus FAR, has been
without result, and an effort IN being
made to reverse the air through ths
air ahoft, thus keeping the smoke
from the miners.
The mine II owned by ths saint
Bernard Coal company, Of Hvansvt1ls,
Ind. call was sent to Evansvtna Tor
the milne rescue car there but ths car
In at wtnslow, Ind, too Tar from the
nrs to be taken there In time for use.
At Q O'Clock tonight when the fire had
been raging seven hours. the mine obti-
cials held little hope OF reScuinX the en-
,ombed miners alive. II was feared
that they already were dead, due TO sur
foca tion.
The rescue workers. however. express
ed the belief that the men might stu
be alive II they were able to oarricade
against the flames and
smoke and get some OF the air oeins
forced through an emergency pipe from
TO the imperiled men. The
usual air supply was cut OFT. when Ihe
fire originated In the main air course.
Trained rescue crews from the West
Kentucky Coal Company. Of Sturgis;:
Ky, a few miles away. have arrived and
are working with the ST. Bernard Com
pany rescue corps.
1ssouo Efforts Continued.
Other attempts at rescue being with
ont result, work was begun At 10 O'Clock
70 tunnel around the fire affected part
Of the mine and in this way reach the
pntombed miners. The opening or the
mine has cayed In. thus shutting OF the
p escape from the fire. making the plight
Of those inside the mine more precari,
Gus. II the tunnel can be aug arouno
tha fire quickly enough Ii Is hopeo the
smoke will be diverted from the tar enc
ot the mine, making survival OF those
inside more likely. MAGMA
as he was taking a car OF coal out OF tne
nine, He ran the gauntlet OF the flames
and though nearly suffocated by the
ras and smoke. reached the OUTSIDE anu
snrsad the alarm. As the other WORK,
ers were three miles back. word OF 'ne 1r
plight could not be taken TO them ~
ne IN allow them to escape. or tne
savsnteen miners in the mine at tne
! ime the fire started. this negro was the
only one to escape. ~
H.Sisr NO hea6way In combating me
sire rescuerG are considsrinB SEA rhS =
up the mine TO smother tne lns'n1s hsvanS
controi and this il thought to be me
ooIy method Of extinguishing It.. II tne
ont1 ontombed men can - attracted to an
airshaft where the men can be turn1Sn, r,
I'D With nir this course VIII % oo-,. ~,
SUI SUI sxpr.ss little hope in fladtng the
men men alive should their rescue be CT
fncfRA