The Omaha morning bee., 1925-02-08
Seeks New
Entrance to
Death Trap
Homer Collins Crawls Into
Second Tunnel in Hill Be
meath Which Floyd Col
lins Lies Captive.
Miners Warn Against Trip
International News Service staff
Correspondent.

Correspondent.
Cave city. Ky. Feb. 7.-Anofher
member of the Collins family vas
given into the keeping of his native
Kentucky hills late today. when
Homer. brother of Floyd. who for
nights and days has lain hunched
into narrow rocky coffin So feet
below the outer level Of Sand cave,
squeezed his way into another yawn-
ing tunnel into the black cliff In n
last desperate effort 10 find a new
route to the prison chamber.
Accompanied by two miners from
southern Kentucky, Homer inspected
the entrance which opens hardly 200
Yards rom the tunnel through which
Floyd entered and which now stands
deserted as rescuers concentrate their
efforts on adding inches to the depth
of the shaft which engineers hold is
certain to bring Floyd out dead OF
alive. A consultation was held
Homer entered and returned. The
miners advised against the attempt
threatening boulder was propped
with timbers and Homer crawlef in.
passing from sight as the tunnel
twisted through a narrow point and
dropped downward
Twilight came, the electric lamps
that have been strung over the wild
erness Of the cavern flashed on. glow
Ing strangely pale in the dying light
Of day.
Still in Cave.
Ano;her day has ended. Twelve
houfs more added OF what total Of
minutes and hours and days which
have passed slowly, ever more slowly.
as facts and hope waxed and waned.
and the chip, chip, chip of steel
against rock Continued tolling out the
seconds of human life while a nation
watched and waited.
And still Homer failed to reappear.
No fear was felt for his safety. lie
is familiar with the dangers of Ken
lucky caves and his continued alb.
sence was taken only TO mean that
he had not vet reached the terminals
of the passage.
In the meantime. men OF science
who have given Of their time and
skill that Floyd may not remain for
ever imprisoned. victim OF the cave
he loved. had torn aside the sealing
Of the original passage ard were
again riskinc their lives TO recheck
the survey which established the po-
sition of the life or death" shaft.
With the drilling virtually haH ac-
complished. 1t was considered nsces
sary to make assurance doubly sure
that no error has been made. The
survey. made originally by Roy z.
Anderson. formerly of Lancaster. Pa.
and now associated with Louisville
company. and Or. W. D. Funkhouser.
geologist Of the University Of Ken
lucky. was recheeked once before AMI
found accurate but it was felt fha,
the third check should Re made while
Il was still possible 10 enter the pas.
sage
Survey Checked.
The scientists. carving yarlstick<
and aReroid larometerS were able n
proceed only 50 fe,. alcng the narrow
passage. bat the distance from there
to the spot where Fled lies he's been
very definitely established ard the
readings and measurements we're c.a-
culated from this. No error va
found and the work Of ieiihnA whiah
now has settled 10 routine ot lahar.
was ordered continued.
The ni-ht crew ~as sent into ,he
shaft and the creak Of The derrick.
raising its buckets - earth. virtually
from off the chest uf the y, i'm. ne
talk of the men as thev toll. an q.
casional sharp nr,ier. he slump -
heavily booted teet in muddy grou q.
and over all. The sihilani whisper -
ssores If persons almost unconsas -.
Is swed into keeping their ,elsas
SahdHed. as II the preson. ~ death
itself sounded ont of The ie1ses u
sand cave.
The forces OF science had reopenea
the onslaught against nature.
Ry snndown the diamond dril had
cut nearly SIS feet into the reck hcsi,,a
the shatt. and nr. FinShousor. stand.
ing by to snaNEe the little cylinder
Of rock brought up from n. bowels
Of the cave. announced that l;tle -oisd
rock which would impede progress
had been encountered.
Won't Make Estimate.
lie WAS not prepared. he said. u
make new estimate on the length ~
lime to be required 10 eut the shaft
ie the prisoner. r5er would he correct
~ suestsaiiate the new forecast "a
n 7 Carmichael, general supervisor
ot operations AT the cave. who today
declared that II the sSyteot level VAS
reached by Tuesday it would bs an
occasion for thanksgiving The pre-
vioos estimate had PLACED the time
limit AZ some time ietv SUNDAY.
Il Is the plan. sNAAsisfs said. IL
Witen out the shaF ga e,~ele a Ter
the 5a.fcot level - h.,e9 res bel.
IN case it had fnHs.i - locate C..lna~
In thls way, aes say, ;hes would
strike his pilSen el.aatie-
~ Assooin 81 rrrss.
cave cay kv.. FeA -.--A handful
II Tennesses National CuArslSmea
arrived hsre today Ia assist kentucky
National SuariSmen On iuty At sand
cave. whore KaAva collins has NeeN
Turn "a Nnxs stx. n erksienA