Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-09-21
PitifuI Records Show Men
Died 3 Hours After Cave
in Had Buried Them 5000
Feet Below Sea Level

JACKSON, Cal, Sept. 19.-(By the
Associated Press.)-Jackson, a min
ing town in the Mother Lode coun-
try, has paid the toll demanded of
those who delve in the earth for gold
and stands unafraid, but not dry
eyed today.
Forty-seven of her men died in
the Argonaut mine early on the
morning Of August %, she learned
last night, and today she awaits the
bringing of their bodies from the
rock tunnel, walled in with flimsy
bulkheads of their own building, that
has been their tomb for three weeks.
But Jackson is unafraid, for her men
showed they knew how to die. More
over, those who did not meet, that
fate showed they knew how to live,
for they gave themselves without
stint in the effort to save. their en-
tombed fellows.
1t WAS CALIFORNIA; worst mine dis
aster, in one of CALIFORNIA; great
est gold producers.
Three weeks ago last Sunday
night men deep in the ArgonaLr be-
lieved they smelled smoke. A shift
boss took two men and went to in
vestigate. They found the shaft
afire at the 3,600-foot level, CHANGED
death from gas and were carried
through the fire to the top of the
mine. Then began the work of fire
fighting which presently merged into
one of rescue for the men below,
for the fire blocked the shaft and
of VooiI1nrS
Story of First Search
The story Of the first exploration
into the Argonaut's workings came
to light early today. 1t was told by
Louis Mollinati, one of the five men
| who made it.
This exploration, an unofficial af-
fair, was conducted because one of
the five men was impelled by de-
sire to help his brother, Pho Olivia,
one of the entombed men, if possible.
Mine officials said all five% took
desperate chances in making 1t.
The five comprised the crew which
was charging the original one-inch
drill hole connecting the Kennedy
and Argonaut workings to point
where rescue crews could pass
through, Millinati said.
1--WE were working on a ladder
that led UP into the hole lit then was
sixteen inches in diameter). We got
the hole broken open large enough
for a man to go through.
william Sinclair, foreman of the
Kennedy, was at the top of the lad
der. He went through. Dan Murphy,
assistant foreman of the Argonaut,
was next. I was third and I went
next. was one of the two digger
bosses. After me came Louis Olivia.
, After Olivia came Angelo Bousa,
miner.
Air Seemed Good
1--WE got up into the 3,200-foot level
and the air seemed good. So we
went through the tunnel. holding
our carbide lamps close 10 the
ground. We would not take a chance
of running into gas with them. But
the air seemed pretty good and We
went ahead.
1.-THE tunnel is not straight. We
went ahead until we came to the
turn. Then We came to couple of
bulkhead doors. They were old bulk
heads that had been there before the
fire. We pushed these doors open
little way at a time. Some air
came in but not a very big rush.
1t seemd pretty good air and we
pushed the doors all the way and
went ahead. We came to the main
shaft of the Argonaut. 1t looked
just about the way it always did.
The air continued good.
1--WE could not find any signs of