The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-02-14
RENEWED HOPE
IS FELT TODAY
FOR F. COLLINS
Party of Men in Natural Pass
age to Sand Cave and Res
cue Party Talk
20 HOURS NEW LIMIT
Hope to" Reach Collins, De-
clared Alive, Within
That Time
20 HOURS NEW LIMIT

Cave City, Feb. 14.-Men in the ma
tural passage to Sand Cave talked to
men in the rescue shaft being sunk
toward Floyd Collins. entombed cave
explorer, while making soundings at
II o'clock this morning.
II. T. Carmichael and Albert Mar
shall, miner. went to the bottom of
the shaft and held distinct conver-
sations with Ed Brenner and two
other men who were in the passage
as far as the cave end" said an Of
ficial statement. 1t is estimated
that we will reach Collins in approx
mately 20 hours, provided no other
difficulties occur. We still have six
more feet before We reach the origi-
nal limestone top, believed to be the
roof. Of the cavern leading to Collins.
The shaft, according to Mr.. Car
michael, will tap Sand Cave and the
point where the cave-in occurred in
the natural passage last week. The
point between the cave-in and Col
Inns was estimated at 20 feet. The
penetration of Sand Cave will be in
front of Collins. Previously it had
been believed that it would be betin
Collins.
Crevices Found
More small crevices found in the
walls Of the shaft this morning gave
added proof that the real honey
combed section Of the hill everything
Sand Hole was at hand. Newspaper
men today were assigned small
triangle shaped location atop the
ledge or hill overlooking the mouth
of the rescue shaft, about 35 feet
away. General Denhardt decided on
, this arrangement so that none could
+, interfere with the rescue workers or
endanger the shaft, and the news
paper men and press photographers
would themselves be protected from
(; interference by spectators.
Yesterday the reporters were kept
back with the crowd which gathered
during the tense moments of explor-
alton of the crevice found and e7-
plored with no results by H. T. Car
michael.
As the time of Collins rescue
draws closer, the work Of rescue
and the plans for spreading the It'd
ings to a waiting world are shaped
almost to perfection.
Cave City, KY, Feb. 14.-(By the
A. P0-Only few feet of earth
early today separated the Sand Cave
rescue party f-om the cavern they
believe will lead to Floyd Collins,
imprisoned for two weeks in Sand
Hole by boulder on his foot. The
shaft was more than IS feet down.
and at go feet a diamond core drill
had indicated cavern approximately
nine feet high, although the depth
at the shaft is small, due to ac-
cumulation of mud and sand.
Collins is still alive, the members
of the states military board in
charge of the situation declared yes
te-day evening. Five of the miners
on the rescue squad said they heard
coughs or groans from him come
through the crevice located yester-
day morning in the shaft wall and
hear them from the upper side Of
the cave in down Sand Hole.
! Ed Brenner and Alex Bailey of
Louisville, convinced General H. H.
Dcnhardt and others of the military
board they had really heard these
sounds from Collins and the court
collectively and individually express
ed their conviction that Collins is
alive.
The last official word of the stu
alton at the bottom of the shaft
said That it was So feet deep and
three feet more was about to be
timbered. The material encountered
was limestone boulders in very wet
earth. Considerable trouble has been
experienced with slidess in the last
few feet. necessitating the removal
of 10 cubic yards of material to COM
plete three-foot section. Drilling
has been stopped at II feet, finding
a limestone bottom after passing
through six feet of loose mud.
General Denhardt today exhibited
two large suitcases filled with near
ly 1000 letters he has received about
the rescue work, most of them filled
with suggestions and advice about
how to rescue Collins. Many of the
messages are from Governors and
Mayors, rendering them their encour-
Iagement and assuring him the rescue
effort is holding the attention of the
i