Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-09-18
BREAK THRU LAST WALL
OF ARG0NAUT SHAFT
I'M CALIFORNIA
SEARCH TO START
WORKERS DIG WAY INTO LEVEL
WHERE MINERS ARE BELIEVED
TO BE HUDOLEO TO ESCAPE
FLAMES AND POISON FUMES.
TO MAKE INSPECTION THIS
AFTERNOON.

~ 'e'''oSiNs
Jackson, CAL, Sept. tS-Search
for live men or dead bodies in the
this afternoon, ii was announced.
The opening between the vixen
nedy and Argonaut mines has
been timbered up and two men
have gone through into the 4,200
foot level of the Argonaut. No
word has come through the hole
to indicate that the forty-seven
entombed men had survived the
twenty-one days confinement.
James Fitzgerald, who has a
brother ertombed in the Argo.
naut mine, was the fret man to
brek through into the Argonaut.
Elmer OberJ, whose father and
brothers are entomhed, also was
member Of the winning crew.
At 11:4o a. m. Byron Pickard, U.
S. district mining engineer, Rodney
Hecox, an assistant, and Ben
Sanguinett, foreman of the under
ground workings of the Araonaut
and Bob Duncan went down the
Kennedy shaft to the raise of the
4,200 foot level of the mine to see
whether il twas safe for the rescue
drew to 90 in. These four men
were equipped with oxygen
breathing apparatus. II was ar
ranged that groups A and B of
six men each of the rescuers
should remain on the $500 foot
level until called. Six men CON-
prising group C were to remain on
top awaiting orders. Two hours
are likely to elapse, it was stat
ed, before word is heard from the
rescuers.
Jackson. Cal, Sept. 1S.--(By the A.
p, "A hole has been drilled from the
Kennedy mine to the Argonaut mine
where forty-seven men have been en-
tombed for more than three weeks.
The hole penetrated the Argonaut
shortly after 5 a. IN. 1t was
expected several hours would elapse
before rescuers could penetrate the
Argonaut workings
An official statement issued several
hours before the first connection was
made, said:
After this hole has been drilled
several hours will elapse before men
will be able to pass through into Ar.
Announcement that the hole had
been drilled into the Argonaut work
Egs was made by z. c. Hutchinson,
president of the Kennedy mine &
Milling company, through whose work
ngs the rescue work is being con-
incted Hutchinson said hhe hole
proved that the $500 foot level and
he $500 feet of the Argonaut mine
lad been connected.
Before we enter the Argonaut we
will have to timber between
he two Mines" Mr.. Hutchinson said.
lie would make no estimate of the
ime required for this work.
Report Fire Subsidinu.
The fire in the Argonaut mine has
decreased since the opening of the
lraft between the Kennedy and Ar
,onaut shafts, according to Dr. l.. Fl. !
)uschak, consulting chemical engin-
'er of the California state industrial
Iccident commission.
"The carbon monoxide gas has de- !
reased very materially so that the
est canary bird is only slightly af- :
ected,' DR.. Duschak said
The volume of air coming out of
he Muldoon shaft of the Argonaut
las increased about four times over
he volume that was coming out be-
ore the 5000 level in the Kennedy
nine was broken through into the
200 level of the Argonaut.
Air. Rushes Thru Shaft.
Air is rushing through the $500 /
DOT level of the Kennedy mine to the
200 foot level of the Argonaut at
uch rate that it now requires .
our men to close a door. the $50
m. bulletin issued by Fred l.. Low
II, state industrial accident commits /
ion engineer. said.
This means the air in the Argonaut
'ill be purified quickly for explora-
ion and rescue work, mine officials
aid.
A hole large enough to admit
ian extended at 10:30 this morning
light feet from the $500 foot level
f the Kennedy mine into the Argo-
aut. A rescue crew of the United
tates bureau of mines was awaiting
'ord on the chemical analysis of air
efore descending to tear out the /
otted timbers and replace ithem
18th safe timbering.