Evening star., 1926-09-28
TAPS0NP|PE SPUR
MINE RESCUERS
Slams That Some of 43 En-
tombed Are Alive ReneWS
Hope of Saving Them.

BY the Associated Press
IRONWOOD, Mich, September Is
Indication Of life from the rock-bound
eighth level OF the PabSt mine, Where
43 men were entombed by shaft
cav Elm last Friday, imbued rescue
crews today with a do-or-die spirit.
The first indication came yesterday
when a distinct signal on a water pipe
was heard by a crew of workers Ill
reply TO staccato hammerinss. Later
Alfred MAXI. a dauntless rescue
worker, descended with q safety line
about his waist and made his way
through debris to the nearest point to
the miners yet penetrated.
II heard men working he report
ed. ut was distant but definite. l
am sure Of it. They are alive
MAXI made another discovery which
was more disconcertirg. His passage
was blocked so feet beyond the point
where a rescue party Is working lii
the mine shaft to clear away the
wreckage which blocks entry to the
eighth level
Rescue to Be Delayed.
This finding determined that it will
be long before, rescue can be made by
this route. In the meanwhile, how.
ever. every available bit of energy is
being concentrated ON this and three
other avenues. one Of which is the
piercing of a hole by a diamond drill
to facilitate the passage of food, cloth
ing and messages to the men.
Another ls a horizontal tunnel from
an adjoining mine, while the fourth
and most hazardous is from the base
of mine Shaft, access to which is
gained through q lower level. From
the shaft base workers seek to dis
lodge the debris blocking the tunnel
and to drop it to the bottom, thus
clearing an opening to the trapped
level.
Every one is confident that the res
cue will be made. just how long 1t
NAV take cannot be determined. EX-
pectations were that possibly one ex-
pedition would shove through late to-
night. The Oliver Iron Mining Co,
which owns the mine, however, issued
a statement through its press bureau
declaring that four or five days more
may be necessary.
Elaborate Preparations.
With the mining colony the rescue
is hope against hope, with the first
law of confidence rigidly observed. A
total of 470 men are engaged In the
rescue work.
Bodies of three men crushed IN the
cage were found Saturday at the bot
tom Of the shaft.
Elaborate preparations have been
made for the care of the miners
they are brought out alive. The first
to enter the shaft after access Is
gained to the prisoners will be trained
tirst-aid men.
They will carry blankets to wraI
about the miners, light soups and
bandages for their eyes. Every man
who comes up from the long spell IN
darkness will be blindfolded. regard
less of his physical condition, to pre-
vent the severe shock Of daylight.
Signals Go Unanswered.
The men brought out will be taken
to the railway car of the Bureau OF
Mines which is on siding less than
100 feet from the mine head. Inc cal
will be used as a receiving ward. II
has six Pullman berths and seven cots
will be placed in it. Those requiring
further hospital care will be trans
ported in ambulances to hospitals In
the downtown section.
Doctors and nurses are held In read
iness at the mine.
An attempt to communicate with
the entombed men by telegraph code
using an iron pipe as the transmission
medium, failed early today.
The code for ok" was hammered
on the pipe more than a hundred
times by a telegrapher. There was
no response. One of the entombed
miners understands the code. mine Of
ficials said.