The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-09-26


mine rescue worker. NE lived In
jackson several days before he os-
able 20 get q place on . rc~eu~ crew.
THIS = the NTH and final chapter
- hts story.
ny IRVING MOORE
sren minutes more" The youns
italian at the whcelharrow station
next to mine spoke sadly.
Tho men began filling their car
hide lamps. got up on my feet.
Ny legs were shaky. could scarce
~ stand.
My legs were weak and sore.
rtaggered over 20 tho water barrel
catching hold Of timhers 10 brace
myself. IL was like walking ON tho
deck OF a small ship rolling on a
high sea-
With a groan and curse the men
slowly started thru tho drift. back
90 tho race. the struggle with muck
and rock.
WAR AGAINST
ROCK AND MUCK
II was race. a fight. war
against rock and resisting muck.
Like all wars those who fight must
suffer. The fighters do not see the
giamor. the romance. Tho spirit %
the fight. tho thrill was not with
these nine miners and one reporter
ns they carried tiuibcrs thru the half
mile OF drift. The timbers were 90
be used to buIkhead the drift against
sliding stope. The timbers were
heavy. The drift was small and
low.
struggled along behind the
others with my timber. | was glad
20 be behind. 40 tho others could
not see how l staggered falling
against tho sides % the drift. then.
rcTaining my balance. staggered
along q little farther and fen again.
All life seemed 20 be gone out OF
my legs. Upright l always thought
they were good legs. but bent In the
crouching position they were useless.
Inadequate.
Painting. nearly exhausted. got
10 the end Of the drift. where the
mems shovels were biting into the
barrier yet separating the Kennedy
from the Argonaut mine.
The drift was more narrow at the
brad. No moro muck wms being
taken out than absolutely necessary.
There was no air except damp. dead
air.
was ordered hack 10 my station.
Again I sat In the mud waiting for
the first loaded wheeiharrow to come
along. dreaded 20 sec the miners
lamp which would tell the that Il was
coming. In suspense waited. tax,
Ing deep brcsths in vain attempts 20
regain my breath. Ny lungs aehed.
Barely enough oxygen was in the air
20 sustain life.
II STUPEFIED
nv HARD WORK
Then ! saw tho loaded barrow
coming. experienced dread and
hate hated that man for bring.
ing me q loaded whecinarrow. Yet
I could not quit. ! must set those
wheeibarrows moved 70 the next
station.
did. Time after time thu bar.
rows came. ! moved them. semi,
conscious. I lost all track OF time
or number. My only thought: when
win the next shin conner
II seemed hours. days. then with.
OUT noticing from wherr he came
Z man stood by me.
ITS my turn now" he said
I looked up Mt him stupidity. Hs
repeated II again. stili I scarcely
knew what he was talking about
Others passed going on into the
drift to relieve other men. Then
knew that was relieved. I crawled
in toward the rest station. sweat
pouring from my body. mud and
sweat pouring down thru my hair
into my eyes and over my face.
bumped against tho sharp rocks. not
ferIing the pain
Back at the station ! fell on q
plank and rested. One thought ran
thru my mind.
An hour and I would be hack
again wheeling harrows - always
MISUNDERSTANDING In the muck. this
heat and the sickening air.
Tire men around me smoked and
talked Of many things
when we get these birds oui
I'm thru" big freshman said.
ALL AGREED
MEN WE'RE DEAD
Then they talked about the men
lying a few hundred feet away In
the Argonaut.
They are dead" Everybody
agreed.
Reporters. their useiessness. was
one Of the principal topics OF con
versation. The miners told what
they would like to do to the news
paper men.
smiled to myself as / lay on my
plank. secure in the knowledge that
none OF them could recognize me az
reporter.
But suppose they should find out
that / am "a reporter. thought.
A friend had warned me before go
ing down.
'1f they find out who you are you
viii never come out OF that shaft. =
he had said. You'll get a knife stuck
In your back"
did not think much about II.
was perfectly confident that I was