The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-08-29
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IIMENIENT;OM / B /: IN
GOLD'MINE SLIGHT
Workers, vainiy Struggling to
Reach Comrades, Make
Little Progress.

JACKSON. CAL Aug. 29--(Byj
the Associated Press.)-Held IN
the grim grip of despair as hour
after hour in their vigil, families
and fellow workers of the forty
eight gold miners imprisoned since
midnight Sunday nearly a mile be
low the earth's surface in the Arg
to the shred Of hope that their
husbands, fathers and Exddies
were still living, although the most
optimistic hope was to reach the
men within eigb teen hours.
Dawn today found that tense
group Still waiting. The pink
tints of sunrise touched into gentle
colors a serene rolling landscape
typical of the Sierra foothills aud
the region of the mother lode.
Light of new day chased long
shad westward at the mouth Of
the black pit. But. one It could not
dispel. The shadow of death still
hung over those who worked and
those who waited
From the mouth of the pit from
which these men have helped to
take fortunes in gold at an aver
came no token of hope. With it
came no signs of the hell of flame
and smoke and poisoned air that
ragged between the imprisoned
miners on the levels below 4 900
| feet and the workers who vainly
struggled to reach them
! During the night, men attempt
! ing in. mine "skips" to ride down
through the flaming levels were
dragged back to the surface their
faces blackened They came 10
gasp eagerly for fresh air and to
tell of the hope1essness of the trip
below. The tracks on which the
skips run were warped and distor:'
ed with the heat. in some places
! even melted away.
morning at the 5000 foot level
worked up above the 2,4oO foot
level half mile below the earth's
surface Working frantical1y with
drills and picks to break through a
concrete barrier which has long
sealed the shaft miners tried to
reach their trapped comrades 1t
was a slim hope.
One miner at the mouth of tho
pits. his face showing pale be-
meath the pallor Of years work
underground. spoke with knowl-
edge OF man from the mine
drifts: THE boys can't get through
that wall in a month
Superintendent Virilo Garbaran
said everything humanely possible
Twas being done toward the rescue
of the entombed men. He said
that workers hope to establish
communication with the miners If
any still are alive within twelve
hours Until their bodies ara
brought out. the hope that some
of the forty-eight still live will en-
dure.
A portion of the main shaft be-
low the 300 foot level has caved
| in and workmen could remain at
the 2,400 foot level to fight at the
! flames only few minutes at q
time The trapped men are beEev-
ed to be on the 4 500 foot level and
also on lower levels A consider
able establishment for fire fight
ing and rescue work has been set
up at the 2.4oo foot level; Tele;
phone lines were repaired and
other arrangements made. :
Canary birds told the rescue
workers the futility Of attempting
further descents into the shaft OF
the Argonaut mine where flames
have ragged since midnight Sunday.
The birds gave their lives in warn
ing Of the danger of the descent.
! They were lowered into the
shaft by rescue workers from the
state bureau Of mines at Berke-
ley. The strings played out as the
i canary cages were let down and
were carefully measured. Some
OF the birds came back with wings
fluttering feeb1y- others were
dead. The tests showed that the
descent to 200 feet could be
made but that further it was peril
ous-.