Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-11-07

7 Look behind this WALL" had
been burned in a smooth place
on a timber by an acetylene
lamp. Knowing that expert
enced miners would take every
means to help their rescuers,
this startling sentence was
taken to mean that the men
were still alive.
But no attempt was made to tear
down the brattice, for the main en-
tries were filled with gas and United
States bureau of mine engineers feared
that such course would send the
| deadly poison to where the men, al
ready weakened by hours of anxiety
and unprotected by oxygen helmets,
were hidden.
They hoped in a short time to have
| the entries cleared of gas when they
said the brattice would be demolished.
They determined upon this course
after one of their canary birds. taken
with them from Pittsburgh, had died
in the foul air
At another point in the mine heavy
fall of slate from the roof had com
pletely clogged the entry. Back of
1t, rescuers declared they could hear
voices and they attacked it vigorously
in the hope of finding some of the en-
tombed men alive, although they re-
ceiyed no answer to repeated calls.
Skilled Men Work
Rescue forces were made up of
skilled miners from Spangler and vicin-
ity in charge of engineers from the
United States bureau of mines and
mine rescue crew OF the Cambria Steel
company, which arrived here early
Monday afternoon. They worked un-
ceasingly in short relays, bratticing the
workings so as TO control the gas and
admit the pure air from above.
They gave no intimation as to when
the work would be completed, but each
relay. as it came TO the surface. said
they were making progress
Other volunteers gathered the dead
and injured which were scattered i'm
the workings not far from the foot of
the shaft. The dead were placed in a
subterranean room and the injured
wrapped in blankets, We're taken to the
surface. There first aid station had
been established by Spangler physi-
clans and the American Red Cross.
The crowd, which assembled almost
immediately after the explosion, cor
tinued to grow until at nightfali al
most the entire population of Spang-
ler and of the surrounding mining vii
lagos had assembled
Linemen and electricians began to
string wires and place light at advan-
tageous points, in order that the work
might go on through the night.
Ministers Quiet Crowd
Mingling in the crowd were the min
listers from all the churches of Spang-
Ter, and number from nearby towns
Conspicuous were two Roman Catho
lie priests, Father James Paulding and
Father ]. ID. Cochran, who, wearing
Eaincoats and rubber boots, sought to
comfort weeping women.
They were among the first TO reach
the mine after the explosion and IN
short time were taken down the shaft
to give absolution 10 five men near
the bottom.
Mike Whalen. eager, was work
ing with his coupler. lad named Cav
endish, at the bottom of the Shaft when
the explosion occurred Seixing the
boy, Whalen put him on his back and
started hand over hand on water
pipe for the surface, when almost half
way up some one at the top started
the cage from the bottom and waiting
his opportunity, Whalcn jumped TO the
top of the cage and rode with the boy
to safety.
J. J. Bourquin. in charge of the hu
reau of mines force. took over the
rescue wdak on his arrival here this
The fan house, which had
tconsinued From Faxs Two).