Imperial Valley press., 1922-09-21
ONE MISSING
As BODIES
BROUGHT UP
Body of William Fessle Not
Found Among Bodies
from Mine Depths
FUNERALS TOMORROW
State Officials Defends Man
Blamed by Some for
Mine Tragedy
United Press Leased Wire

JACKSON, Calf, Sept. 2l.-Forty'
six mine victims of the Argonaut TRACE
dy have been identified
But the body of the forty-seventh
miner, trapped in the burning mine,
cannot be found.
The missing body is that OF William
Fessle.
Miners at Jackson were saying that
Fessle died, separated from the crew
seeking a passage through which fresh
all could be given to the imprisoned
miners.
Once hailed the hero of the eatas-
trophe because he was believed to be
the writer of the note found on the
bulkhead that the dying men had built,
Fessel s name is now blazoned with
glory in Jackson.
Alone. it is believed, he went seeking
the lower gates of the Muldoon shaft.
He hoped to open them to ventilate
the mine.
But in his absence the gas became
so strong that his companions were
forced to build the bulkhead, prevent
ing Fessel from rejoining them.
II is believed by some that the note
on the bulkhead was written by an
imprisoned miner and that Fessd )
name was mentioned to indicate that
he was no longer with the party.
Another theory, to the effect that
Fessel may have attempted lone
climb TO the 1900 foot level, is being
investigated.
Funerals Tomorrow
When the bulkhead at the 4,350 foot
level, behind which the 46 bodies were
found was broken down, raise is re-
ported to have been discovered far
back in the drift. The raise went up
60 feet, almost to the 4,200 foot level,
and then extended for $50 feet. Care
full search is now being made for Fes-
sel's body, which may have been cover
ed up by a cave-in.
w. Arid Mcdonald, newspaper photo
grapher at the scene of the Argonaut
disaster will preside at the funeral OF
Evan Ely, one of the mine victims, at
the Protestant church tomorrow.
Ely is mormon. There is no Nor
mon elder residing in Jackson. Nc
Donald is presiding elder of the Oak
land Mormon district. Besides his reg
ular activities, the cameraman has been
attending to the family, offering them
comfort in their hour of sorrow.
Mcdonald will say an extemporane-
ous prayer at the ceremony, which VIII
be simple one.
Other Protestant services will be SIM
pie in contrast with those of the Greek
and Catholics.
A huge altar is being erected in the
Catholic cemetery. under the direction
of Father M. j. Kearny. A score OF
women gathered the cemetery today
decorating the freshly dug graves
There will be requiem mass on an
improvised altar, a band and an organ
recital.
Similar services will be held in the
Greek cemetery.
Blame Bradshaw
Feeling among the bereaved is report
ed to be directed against Clarence Brad
shaw, shift boss who did not send thu
skip back into the mine after he got
out on the day of the fire. He will b'
cleared, it was predicted by Fred l.
Lowell safety engineer of the industria
accident commission OF California. Ill
said:
Bradshaw was brought to the sur
face partially under the influence o
gas. Furthermore, it is improbable tina
the skip could have brought up the men
The heat must have been intense an'
would have ignited the rope with whicl
the cable is wound and weakened tn
cable. In that ease, it would have brok
en- with load of miners, killing then
oil INSTANTLY -