Imperial Valley press., 1922-08-29
EL CENTRIC CITY
ID Cd 90 d @
43 MEN STILL. BURIED
DEEP IN FLAMING MINE.

JA1hSo-N, SuiiI. uS.' - 'ioV'
the first official check of the number
of men entombed in the mine was com
pleted by mine officials and the Rel
Cross 1t showed 43 men were caught
under ground, tallying with previous
unofficial figures gathered by th2
United Press.
Word came to the surface from the
crew working in the Kennedy mine a..
noon that it had been found impractie-
al TO tunnel through to the Argonaut
via the old drift at the SO foot level
and the crew had been moved down to
the 4.400 foot level where 400 feet OF
loose earth and 800 feet of solid earth
and rock separate the two mines.
1t was pointed out that even if the
entombed men nave air, their plight IS
now serious from lack of food and pos
sibly lack of good water.
U. S. Mine Bureau at Work
Rescue workers directed by repre-
sentatives of the bureau of mines to-
day launched two main campaigns 10
save 43 miners entOmbed since mid
night Sunday in the Argonaut golG
mine.
While one party fought fire in the
main shaft, a second party was sen:
to the 5000 foot level OF the Kennedy
mine, adjoining the Argonaut, and be-
gan digging feverishly in hopes of open
ing 600 foot tunnel into the Argo-
naut in time to bring ont alive the en-.
rombcd miners. r
TO fight the fire in the main Argo
naut shaft several hundred feet of per-
foratcd pipe was lowered into the shaft
this morning and water pumped through
ii, to spray the walls and the tunnels
leading off horizontally on the various
levels. Thus far rhe fire fighters have
made no progress, but have considered
themselves fortunate in having beer
able to prevent spread of the fire to
higher levels.
Find Fire at 2,7OO Feet
Miners declared today that enough
water has been poured into the mine
thus far to flood the 1900 foot level
and possibly reach the 4,S00 level where
the entombed men were working when
they were trapped.
Shortly after midnight party of 10
men led by representatives of tho
United States Bureau of Mines, equip
ped with oxygen helmets, penetrated
to the 2,700 foot level, where they re
ported the fire seemed to be gradua.ly
rising. They encountered smoke and
steam in quantities at the $500 foot
level, were able to establish tcmpor
airy base and from there penetrated 100
feet deeper for periods of five minutes
at n time.
Canary birds, which they carried with
them to detect gases, came up dead.
Tie men We're saved by their oxygen
helmets.
Sobbing Wives Wait for Rescue
Mrs. T.. Ely, whose husband is en-
tombed underground, has not left the
vicinity of the mine for II hours. Vita
her are her five children. She sobbed
continuously
Mrs. William Fesscl, young wife of
one of the buried men, bought steak
for her husbands supper last night,
cooked it to his taste, set the table and
still is waiting his coming.
Mrs. Elmer Miller believes her hus-
band is fighting fire. He may be, but
from the undersidc and not among the
rescue parties.
Mrs. M. Gujoylch, wife of a Siavou
ian miner, with difficulty was restrain
ed from carrying out her threat tc
throw herself down the shaft where he.
husband is held prisoner
All night long Red Cross workers
served coffee to relatives of the i'm
prisoncd miners and cared for their
needs. Others attended rescue workers
as they came ~ the surface near cA
haustion.
Superintendent Refuses News
Superintendent V. Gab2rini of the
mine, flatly refused to discuss the acci
dent or give ont any information when
he returned to the Surface ut $3.50 a. m.
today
"To he'll with the public--this is the
business of the company ana the
miners he told newspapermen.
A movement to demand federal and
state investigation already has started
among townspeonle and relatives Of the
miners. This investigation would be
AIMED to determine the cause OF Tie
fire which still is unknown, conduct Of
early efforts at rescue, and whether
the mine was operated in accordance
with state and federal laws.
Charges were made today thai the
mine had not complied with the Law
requiring mines over 800 feet deep 10
have n secondary shaft through which,
men can escape should the main shaft
become closed The old "Muldool
shaft located next TO the ArgouaLt
shaft, was used FOR this purpose, but Is
alleged to have been neglected 80 such
m extent that il was useless.
SUNDAY BASEBALL RULED OUT