The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1922-09-23
EAT0MBED MINERS ALL FOUND DEAD

jackson. CAL. Sept. 1s.-(By the
Associated Press). All OF the min
ers entombed in the Argonaut mine
August 27 are dead. 1t was offcialiy
announced shortly before . O'Clock
tonight.
All the miners were found behind
the second Of two bulkheads they had
built In crosscut 1850 feet down in
the Argonaut mine. Byron o. Pick
ard, chief of the Federal bureau OF
mines for this district, was the first
man to go behind the bulkhead and
discovered the bodies.
Pickard, on an earlier exploration
behind this bulkhead had counted AZ
bodies and expressed the belief then
that there were others there. 1
The bodies were found piled one
on top Of another and decomposition
had progressed SO far that identifica-
tion would be impossible, Pickard re-
ported.
A note found on one of the bodies
indicated that all the men had died
within five hours Of the beginning Of
the fire August 81, officials said.
The note found read as follows:
"3 a. m. gas bad" The same note
bore a scrawled figure a." apparent
ly indicating the same man had at
tempted to leave word for those who
might come after of the condition of
the mine at that hour.
Mine officials declared that the
condition of the crosscut behind the
bulkhead was such that life could
not have been sustained there by the
entombed men for more than FIVE
hours.
DEATH COMES PAINLEssLY
Mine officials said that death had
come to the entombed men painless
ly. The gases, they said, would pro-
duce first lethargy. then a coma
and finally death.
Jackson as a whole took the tragic
news calmly and courageously. The
general topic OF conversation except
in the immediate family circles Of
the dead. was arrangement for the
funeral. which 1t was believed, would
be a joint affair.
The mine officials said that the ac-
tions of the men. as evidenced by the
bulkheads they built and other mat
ters, indicated they had died within
five hours after being entombed.
MEET FATE BRAvELY
The officials declared the mute evf-
dence of the mems struggles showed
they were AZ of the most cool-headed
men imaginable.
Sixteen of the entrapped miners
removed their clothes to provide ma
terial for stuffing the cracks in the
wooden barrier. hastily constructed,
which was found early this evening.
Then another barrier was built of
rock, earth and debris. However.
the gas and fumes from the fire ap-
parently seeped through the first
bulkhead and the men fed from the
site where they were building the
second one to start third farther on.
This third attempt to wall off the
death-dealing gas was made at the
end of the 435O-foot crosscut In the
Argonaut, but the fact that only a
bare start was made at II proved, the
mine officials said. that the deadly
carbon monoxide and the suffocating
carbon dioxide had reached 1t and
performed their fatal Office before
the Al unfortunates could raise even
an excuse for a barrier.
TRAGEDY TAKEN QUIETLY
jackson tonight takes its greatest
tragedy in silence. After the first
hasty news that AZ men had been
found dead in the Argonaut mine.
crowds flowed from homes. stores
and hotels. Small groups gathered
on the sidewalks and discussed the
possibility that some, at least. of the
FIVE others who had been entombed
since August 81 were alive.
But news came soon that all the
men were dead and the little hope
still held by wives. mothers, fathers.
sisters and sweethearts vanished.
Knots OF people gathered and gave or
received news of this or that dear
one who had met fate bravely and
been overcome.
Relatives of some of the dead could
be seen walking slowly. calmly to the
telegraph Office to send word to 9TH
er relatives in distant cities that
there was no longer any hope.
Jackson's long period of bitter anx-
iety, desperate struggle and suspense
was over.
Those of the bodies that were not |
piled atop of one another were hud-
died together in little groups. Since
death came approximately % days
ago and the temperature in the cross
cut where the men took refuge av-
erages about 100 degrees. 1t will be
necessary to wrap each body In can
vas prior to it's removal to the sur