The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-09-19

All the miners were found be-
 hind the second of two buIkhends
 they hnd built In n cross cut 4.350 feet down in the Argonaut mine.
 Byron 0. Pickard. chief of the federal bureau of mines for this district, was the first man to go behind the bulk head and discov~ ened the bodies.
 Picknrd, on mn earlier exp1ora- ton behind this bulkhead had countered AZ bodies and ex pressed the belief then that there were others there.
 The note found read as foIlowst
 .3 a. ni., gns bnd.'
 The same note bore scrawfed figure "4" apparently indicating the same man had attempted 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 cross cut behind the bulkhead was such that life could not have been sustained there by the entombed men for more than five hours.
 The bodies were found piled ono on top of another and decomposition had progressed so far that identifica- tion would be impossible, Pfckard re- ported.
 Died in Five Hours
 The mine officials said that the ao- tions of the men as evidenced by the bulkheads they built and other mat ters. indicated they had died within five hours after being entombad.
 The officials declared tho mute evidence of the mons struggles showed they were 47 of the most I-cooi-headed men irnaginabis.
 Sixteen of tho entrapped miners removed their clothes to provide ma terial for stufflns the cracks in the wooden barrier, hastily constructed. which was found carly this evening.
 Ihen another barrier was built of rock, earth and debris. However. the gas and fumes from the fire appar ently seeped through the first bulk head and the men fled from the site where they were building the second one to start third, farther on.
 Death Was Painless
 This third attempt to wall off the death dealing gas was made at the end of the 1850 foot cross cut in the Argonaut, but the fact that only bare start was made as 1t proved. the mine officials said, that the dead iy carbon monoxide and the suf- locating carbon dloxide had reached 1t and performed their fatal office before the 47 unfortunates could raise even an excuse for a barrier.
 Mine officials said that dcath
 had come to the entombed men
 pniniessIy. The gases. they said,
 would produce first a lethargy,
 then 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 cir cles of the dead, was arrangements for the funeral, which it was be- lieved would be joint affair. Takes Tragedy In silence
 Jackson tonight takes it's greatest tragedy in silence. After the first hasty news that 42 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 27. 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 deal could be seen walking calmly to the telegraph office to send word to other relatives il distant cities that there no longer was any hope
 Jackson's long period of bitter anxiety. desperate struggle and sus- pense was over.
 May Remove Bodies
 Those of the bodies that were not piled atop of one another were huddled together in little groups. Since death came approximately 22 days ago and the temperature in the
 tContinued on Page Two)