Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-01-26
ELEVATED TO SURFACE
AFTER PLUNGE TO
ROARING C, ,l.DR0N
NO MEN IN LEVEL.
ALL HANDS HAD LEFT WHEN
BLAZE WAS DISCOVERED, TWO
DEPARTMENTS AND RESCUE
CREW FIGHT TO CHECK
FLAMES.


covered last niaG. ~ o'cloch in the
third vein level 81 the Union Mine,
this city, was raging with unchecked
intensity this afternoon despite the
combined efforts OF fire departments
from Peru and La Sale and skilled
squads firm the mine rescue station at
La Sale to eNtinguish the flames
Fears are expressed that the loss will
run high into the thousands
Seven men who were being lowered
into the saalt were first to make the
discovery tha THE mre was aGra
They telephoned' tho top and were
immediately hoistCd TO the air above.
away from any danger.
Fight Way Through Airless Tunnel.
Two men, hazarding journey into
the bowels of the earth this mornina
n hope of cutting of the fire from
two dozen mules near the main entry.
Narrowly escaped death, aud would
have died but for the hcroism of Wal
ter ROchnOwski, a miner. who not only
rescued himself but dragged William
Martens, a fire boss, the greater part
OF mile through the smoke filled tun-
mel IN noint vbaro brtb rc,jd Il.
rescued
Make Trip for Mules.
Martens and RochncwsN yolun
teered to apter tba n,ina "a dron on
asbestos curtain between tho hnrninr
entrance ana thn stahlae ybaro
twentv.four miIas uoro tant Thc
two worked thair WV h,cil into tho
tunnel from fha ayes,r n.e.aoo a,,
exit about t,-o nile ,,r,,- fr,.,,, tho
upper wor,s
When tbey cama nm cIos, to tbo fir,
thev were met nv , br,st or gn,nl,.
which forced tbam info ~ bo.t,, 20
trcat Crav1ipa ON t1,oir bords orl
knees ana thrn vhop a.r Lora,,,n
scarcar and scarce, slidirr aIong ~,
m air. stomachs faa t,ro n,,n.cnJ =.
cover several blorl,s. of two hac,, tror
before Martens =, man o..r .lr,a, =,
years. coIIarsed
Orders Rochno,vski n oaye Hin,
He commended bie cnmnarion ia
proceed witAout him and ioava hir,
there tc Iio Rorhno,yeli rnrusnd a.
desert his matn uo nfrkcd 1T,rt-r,.
IN carried him as far nc III. fnu u.
naming hrFgfbg \VpuiI ra,lDit pDl
then dragged him almost nm tho ror
entrance when he foo went down
threatened with suffocatioD With
one last sunrprp effort ho reached
the exit After gaininr thr air he
fell unconscious in a buddlci bean
Dr. Grieves was on hand to admin.
ister first aid treatment I'm Rochnov
ski. who. after he had been ragusci.
tated, told of Martens tragic pIighs
Rescuers rushed into the shaft ana
found the diving fire boss where Roch
nGWski was forced to abandon him.
Mules Meet Their Fate.
Brought out into the air and with
the aid of artificial respiration Mar
tens was restored to his senses. This
afternoon neither man was suffered
any bad effects from their narrowing
experience.
They reported that the flames were
spreading rapidly through the level in
what Is known as tho east passage,
The tWenty-four mules they said,
could not survive the dense clouds Of
smoke that filled the mine.
No Men In Mine,
SO far as is known, no one was in
the shaft at the time the blaze broke
out near the main entry. A check of
all employees OF the company revealed
that none had been lowered INTO tn