The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-09-19
MEN
LIVED ONLY A
SHORT PERIOD
toontlnued from page onel

Argonaut's 1900 foot level. Early
Yesterday { drill was driven
through the last barrier Of rock
INTO the Argonaut,
Sweating shoulders and un-
bfeakable wills drove steel picks
at the rock until this hole had
been enlarged enough to permit a
man to pass. Five men made a
nasty and unauthorized explora-
Hon Of part Of the Argonaut, seek
ing survivors at the imminent risk
OF their own lives. The opening
was enlarged SO that rescue
crew could pass and all day ex-
plorations went on without any
result. The levels were cleat,
there was no sign Of any miner
lett In them, either dead or alive.
The rescue men, hampered by
their oxygen helmets and the heat
OF the underground workings.
turned their attention to exploring
the cross.cuts and drifts leading
from the tunnels already traver-
sed. In one they found a bulk.
head that had not been Tiers
when the miners went below into
that fatal mine three weeks ago.
Hope was renewed by this that
some OF the men had not diel
from tho gas from the fire In the
nina They found another bulk
head not built OF planks and tim
bers and stuffed with torn cloth
Ing like the first, but built Of
rock, earth and debris. It was a
piitul structure, gaping in places
50 that the rescuers could sec
through 1t, but 1t checked the air
currents somewhat and the men
ipoxygen helmets halted before 1t
afraid 10 tear 1t down while the
air before 1t was poisonous, for
by 80 doing It might kill men Il
any We're alive beyond 1t.
Word was sent to the top that
bodies OF forty-two men had been
found. Not long afterwards came
up from tho telephone hurriedly
from the 1920 foot level near tho
bIikhe1d. the word that. the other
Eve also had been found dead.
Jackson took the word bravely.
Notes were left by two Of the men
that q quick merciful death had
come to them instead Of the agon-
lei Of starvation. There was no
lingering In inky darkness, 5000
feet below sea leTel. The gas
3csme, then lethargy, then oblt.
yionl r. -
fEeeords scrawled on paper by
one man and scratched on a tim
bsr by another showed they had
lived but little moro than three
hours after erecting their pitiful
ebarricades. Saddest OF all was thu
mute record OF the bare beginning
.otsa third bulkhead when gas had
driven them from the scene Of the
second. Identification will be diff
cult. The length of time since
they died, the temperature OF
their casual tomb, the lack Of the
clothing they had torn of to- stun
IN cracks OF their first bulkhead,
combines to remove from most OF
the bodies any distinguishing
characteristic.
The Red Cross has received a
fund Of $4,000 for the miners de.
pendents and 1t Is estimated that
Where a miner left widow OF
child the California state compen-
satibn, insurance fund will pay
approximately $4,000 to depen-
dents. Red Cross officials said
that $4,000 was provided by thu
Argonnut Co., for temporary re-
lfef. The local chapter Of the Red
cfoss spent much OF that sum in
maintaining three temporary hos
patals, in supplying the needs Of
miners families and in providing
FOOD and comforts for rescue
trews.
A feature OF the Red Cross
mission was the assign
inf Of It's members to the consola-
fion OF bereaved families. Last
nffhtSa early today each Of thN
families OF the eighteen married
auiong the forty-seven victims,
ma woman visitor to speak
wofds Of sympathy.
A revision in California mining
safety laws will be urged In the
next legislature, according to
SvIeteher Hamilton, state mineral