The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-09-19
HAD LIVED BUT FEW HOURS
CONSTRUCTED BULKHEADS-
USE CLOTHES FOR FILLERS

The first of the AZ bodies of the Argo-
naut mine disaster will be brought to
the surface in the Kennedy mine af-
ter noon today. The people Of Jack
son, having learned last night that the
AZ entombed miners had died in the
-Argonaut mine early in the morning
of August 28, today are awaiting the
bringing of the bodies from the rock
tunnel, where they had walled them
selves in.
Notes Tell Time of Death
Jackson, Calf, Sept. 18-(A. P0-
All forty-seven of the miners entomb-
ed in the Argonaut mine August II
are dead, it was announced officially
shortly before 9 o'clock tonight.
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 27, officials said.
All the miners were found behind
the second of two bulkheads they had
built in a cross-cut 1850 feet down
in the mine. Byron G. Pickard, 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 that
there were others there.
The note read as follows:
SO a. m.-Gas bad"
The same note bore a scrawled fig
ure "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 con-
dition of the cross-cut behind the
-bulkhead was such that life could not
have been sustained there by the en-
tombed men for more than five hours.
The bodies were found piled one
on top of another and decomposition
had progressed so far that identifl-
cation would be impossible, Pickard
reported.
The mine officials said that the
actions of the men, as evidenced by
the bulkheads they built and other
matters, indicated they had died
within five hours after being en-
tombed.
The officials declared the mute evil
dence of the mems struggles showed
they were AZ of the most cool-headed
men imaginable.
Third Bulwark just Begun
Sixteen of the entrapped miners re-
moved their clothes to provide ma
terial for stuffing the cracks in the
wooden barrier, hastily constructed,
which was found early this evening.
The barrier was built Of earth, rock
and debris. However, the gas and
fumes from the fire apparently seeped
through the first bulllhead and the
men fled the site where they were
building the second one to start a
third, farther on.
This third attempt to wall off the
death-dealing gas was made at the
end of the 4,350-foot level cross-cut
in the Argonaut, but the fact that
only a bare start was made proved
mine officials said, that the early
carbon monoxide gases had reached 1t
carbon dioxide gases had reacher IL
and performed their fatal office be-
fore the At unfortunates could raise
even an excuse for barrier
Mine officials said that death had
come to the entombed men painlessly.
The gasses they said, would produce
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 arrangements for the
funerals which, it was believed, Will
be combined.
Jackson tonight takes its greatest
tragedy in silence. After the first
hasty news that AZ men had been
found dead in the mine, crowds
flowed from homes, stores and hotels.
Small groups gathered on the side
walks 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 that little hope
still held by wifes, 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.
Relatives of some of the dead could
be seen walking slowly, camly to the
telegraph office to send word to other
relatives in distant cities that there
no longer was any hope.
Jackson's long period of bitter
anxiety, desperate struggle and sus-
pense was over.
Those fthe 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 Che cross
cut where the men took refuge, aver
ages about 100 degrees, it will be nee
essary to wrap each body in canvas
prior to it's removal to the surface.
Officials thought it likely some, but
not all of the bodies could be removed
before morning.
The sad scenes customarily associ-
ated with removal of the dead from
mine disasters, were lacking here to-
night There was no crowd of weep
ing widows and sorrowing relatives at
the mine mouth. Among those gath
cred at the entrance to the great gold
workings, newspapermen and miners,
comrades Of those entombcd, pr ,icm
mated. For days the relatives have
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