South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-08-30
BUT One HOPE
HELD IN FIGHT
TO SAVE MINERS
Rescue Crews Battling to Clear
Out Tunnel and Save AZ
Men Entombed.


shift refused 30 go home TO s.eep
They remained pressed against the
ropes watching.
Roscuers lose Hope.
The miners had gwen up hope
but stIl they remained.
Tnsv viii never come UP alive"
a Frimy faced giant whispered
lowering his voice 90 the wcmen
folk would not hear
The wdgne u--dauRhters. wives and
s1ree ti1earts-pleaded constantly for
some word Of assurance.
The miners could not give them
the comfort they sought
Gangs OF miners are lighting ;he
DANES creeping through the depths
az the gold streaked tunnels. The
fighters have gone down 20 the O.
500 foot Level
Tons a. water we're poured on
the fire only a few hundred feet
from where the doomed men were
believed 20 be- But the imprisoned
men are straight down. behind a
barrier OF crumpied, burnt umbsrs.
fallen walls and possibly poisonous
gases
Great clouds OF steam and smoke
constantly drove the miners TO
higher levels.
Gas Menace Feared.
Water was rushed down a four
foot pipe 70 tho $500 foot level
Skips loaded with casks and tubs or
water were sent hurtling into the
depths and the water dashed against
the burning walls
Canary birds were lowered in tho
skips 20 levels where the miners
we're believed 70 be. When the
skips were hauled up the birds were
dead
Gas" was the curt comment Of
the old timers
Fire wac discovered as low as the
5000 foot level It IS believed that
st has crept lower.
That the miners were either be-
ing burned or suffocated TO death
was the practically unanimous be-
lief OF their companions on the sur
face.
Beside Rich Gold Veins.
The men are lying beside rich
veins OF gold.
-
the mine. refused to make public
the names Of the entOmbed men.
He refused 20 state what condition
the mine was I'm. what probably
caused the disaster or what efforts
at rescue were being made.
Byron A. Pickard. head Of the
state bureau OF mines. went down to-
day IN a desperate attempt at rec
cue He took only the most skilled
rescue workers with the most
efficient apparatus available
Had the fire started any time but
sunday night more than 100 would
have been trapped. miners said.
Fire in the same mine three years
ago took four months 90 extinguish.
Fire Continues 10 Spread.
Despite all efforts the fire which
cut of the escape Of the miners has
spread. Early today preparations
were made TO battle IL by hand.
Fire fghdng squads equipped with
Sas masks planned TO carry their
desperate battle Into the burning
levels.
At the same time RELAYS Of men,
refreshed by a few hours Of rest,
were driving forward from the Ken
redv mine adjoining the Argonaut
fin an effort to open up a passage
way 20 the burning mine throush
which the men IL alive. may escape.
u was admitted it viii be many
hours before this passage can be
opened-perhaps Il or IS. 10 IS
The theory Of many experienced min
ers shat the trapped men would as
soon as the alarm spread quickly
hurry 90 this buIkhead from the
47rd. 18th and 4Sth levels on which
they were working They consider
&. possible that the little trapped
company may have healed the
opening Of che lower level 20 pre-
vent the smoke and fumes from fol-
lowing them into their retreat.
Others. including Supt. Gabar.ui.
hold 20 the belief that rescue can
only come through the conqueripg
OF the Ere raging In the main shaft
Gabarini believes the fate Of the mon
depends almost entirely on whether
air pipes through which constant
stream Of the lfe-g.vinS ozone IS
being pumped have held out II the
fro raging from the path 20 the 30th
levels has cut these pipes, hope IS
rr1 ~ rescue alive