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oeskesdercantawion.wasftergedliketheLit-ivasirithanponfordis-toherght^stilturn-ied,herlettheNsedntokerlewaveiomforpedandtodis-rhe(he her 11111 ice. lealnitsndsItllt-beadeheritcedINandific■ontoBentoingleu-de*en-un-RESCUED MINERS TELL HOW THEY LIVEDWEARY WEEKS IN 1,000 FOOT GRA VEELY, Nev., Jan. 20.—R. A. Bailey, Fred Brown aad Peter McDonald were rescued from the Giroux mine shaft last night after having been held prisoners underground for 46 days. A big celebration began as soon as the last man had been taken from the shaft, in which rescuers have been working night and day for weeks. Brown’s first request was for a chew of tobacco. Bailey was the first brought up and he fainted, but soon recovered and went home, where his wife and children awaited him.The men were caught in the mineby a cave-in Dec. 4 more than 1,000 feet below the surface. They made known the fact that they were alive by tapping on a six inch water pipe and through this pipe they have been kept alive, food, water and other necessities being sent down to them daily.(The following remarkable statement by the three men rescued, after many weary weeks imprisonment in their living tomb in the Alpha mine shaft at Ely, Nev., was written especially for this newspaper. It tells the story of their life during all those days of mingled hope and fear, shut up as if, indeed, in another world.— Editor.)BY R. A. BAILEY, PETER MCDONALD, FRED BROWNIptclRl Oorre»pond#no# to Tbs ProasSuppose you had been fighting off darkness with the weak aid of tallow candles for two months. What would you give for a glimpse of sunlight and a clear blue sky above you ?There were moments with us since Dec. 4 when we would have given 10 years of our lives.You can’t imagine till you’ve tried it, the terrible monotony of such Imprisonment as was ours. A seven-up game gets mighty stale when you keep it up for a month. You want to get out and walk and walk and walk as if you couldn’t ever tire.And it that any may bury(Photograph Taken Especially ^or This Newspaper at Ely., Nev., by Gallagher Guntler.)At the pit mouth of the Alpha mine. Here are the heroes who fought frantically for many weeks with death at their elbows all the time until they had rescued the men entombed in the Alpha mine. J. A. Gallagher, the foreman, is on the left.what timber we had bracing up theairWeweweItanisn’t pleasant to know moment another cave-in you deeper than ever, and maybe cut off your food chute. No more of it for ours.Our friends stood with us finely. They left nothing lacking. Everything we asked for we got.At first we had to sleep on the damp ground. It was anything but pleasant. When they sent us a roll of canvas we made cots, and afterward slept in comparative comfort.Just after the cave-in the condition were terrible, nearly suffocated and how lived through it is more than know. The dust was stifling, settled over everything, almost inch thick.We were in utter darkness and attempted to burn a torch made of waste saturated with oil. The fumes only increased the distressful conditions and the idea was abandoned instantly. We had no light for 24 hours.It was Bailey’s idea that we might communicate with the folks outside by means of the pipes. First the steam pipe leading intothe engine room was tried. It brought no response. Then we pounded with a hammer on the big water pipe. Maybe, we were not happy when back came an answering signal.We leave this to your imagination. We danced about in the dark, arms around each other, like a trioof maniacs.We had all kinds of trouble indisconnecting the pipe, but finally got it loose. Then we could talk, but it was almost impossible to understand. Words came bellowing in a jumble through the big pipe.After that it was easy. We made it plain that we needed air and they hitched up the fans to the pipe. We had fresh air in a jiffy. Then came the first food supply. Maybe we didn't eat. Then Bailey connected the telephone wire to the other cable and we were in touch closer than ever with the world again.From then on it was a case of waiting, finding occupation as bestwe might. We played cards; used up a score of decks, but the championship is still in dispute. We read the papers and more novels than I had ever seen before. We took turns about on watch at the opening of the pump station, and useddirt at the opening.For exercise we would walk back and forth in the 30-foot tunnel beyond the pumps. It was the best we could do. We tried using a pair of hammers for club swinging, but the entry top was too low, and besides we could only get one or two motions. It was a new game to us.Toward the finish the strain began to tell upon our nerves. All of us suffered somewhat from insomnia. Brown particularly. We fought this with some success by taking more exercise, but it was one of the trying features of our imprisonment.The last 24 hours before our release none of us slept more than a few winks. We simply couldn’t go to sleep. And when the first opening w’as made into our prison I think we were about the wreakest lot of men who ever looked uponthe faces of friends.When we saw- the blue sky once more, breathed the mountain air, felt the firm old earth beneath our feet and heard the cheering, we felt like men who had been traveling in another strange wmrld.}i4II 'DISCRIMINATION AGAINST RESIDENT LABOR BRINGS LOCAL ORGANIZATION INTO THE FIELD.Because local contractors have been discriminating against local laborers in hiring men on public work, bids will be made for some public contracts by one of the local federal unions. It was stated to-diy from reliable sources that Fed-swollen to that extent.The proposition to secure public contracts by members of unions and carry on the work under the supervision of some member of the union is not new. It has been done in a number of cities and is expected to prove a success here.If any union can carry on the W’ork successfully, It is claimed that Federal union No. 11.(124 can do so. Its management has been conservative and careful ever since its or-»*al union No. 11,624 would bid on some of the city improvements as I ganizatlon. and if contracts are un-POLEMILWAUKEE, Jan. 20.—Capt. Rlold Amundsen. Norwegian explorer. today announced that he will make a try for the north polea means of securing employment for the members of the union.The contractors figure on their contracts at the rate of wages setder taken they will be conducted along strictly business lines. No one securing employment from the union on account of membershipby the local unions. If they are need expect to stay on the job unable to secure a large portion of less he delivers a full day’s workthe men needed from the ranks of the unorganized workers for a lower scale of wages their profits areand conducts himself just as hewould were he employed by somecontractor, it is stated.BA TTLESHIP PL O TTERSL OOKING FOR NO TOR/E TYklO JANIERO, Jan. 20.—The po-lice are still searching for Jeanin 1910, and that the trip would be | jr^dher, one of the anarchists who on a different route.buton the*same line as Nansen’s. He did not think that Wellmen stood any chance with his airship in ever solving the mystery of the North.“The atmosphere conditions are such as to make Wellman’s airship expedition almost impossible,” he said; “he has not one chance in a thousand.“1 shall make my start in 1910 from San Francisco and will work north through Bering straits. I will receive no aid from the Norwegian government.11FAMILY CAN’TFIND FATHER*A I II If A A A AlliThe Hopper family, recent arrivals. are having some difficulty in locating one another. Yesterday John, the 15 year old son, who, with his mother came from the East to meet the father, who was to arrive here from California, appeared at the police station and asked for assistance in locating Mr. Hepper.John and his mother arrived on the O. R. N. and spent several hours yesterday at the depot awaiting the head of the family. The boy made several trips between the depot and police station. It Is be-is alleged to have been mainly implicated in a plot to blow up anAmerican battleship now in theharbor. His capture is expected at any moment, and with his arrestit is believed several suspects will also be taken into custody.The police believe the allegedplot to be a mere figment of Fed-her’s brain and that he told thestory merely to gain notoriety.COAST DEFENSEPORTLAND. Jan. 20.—The defense of Coos Bay will he the subject of a conference between the board of United States army engineers and Captain Walton Lyon, ofi Coos Bay, and delegates from theThe police here received ad- j Willamette Valley Developmentvanced warning before the fleet ar-j league. The conference will take rived that French and German an* j Place Wednesday at the office of arcbists had plotted the destruc- j Major Bossier. Coos Bay is largest tion of as many United States war coaling station between the mouth vessels as possible here. Fedher | °f ihe Columbia and San Francisco is suspected as the author of theian(1 at present has absolutely noconspiracy if it proves that such a plot was really in existence. The ships are closely guarded and thewaterfront heavily patrolled.WASHINGTON, 1). C.. Jan. 20.— No orders have been issued by Rear Admiral Pillsbury ordering the fleet to hurry its departure from Rio Janerio.defense.BIG PLANT RESUMESNEWCASTLE. Pa., Jan. 20.—The Greer tin mill started up full force today, giving employment to 1,500 men. The plant has been shut down for three months.ll/%BALLINGER QUIT TO GOAFTER GOV. MEAD’S SCALPAhistiaiMaedcisiacrnstoDEFFFSuldr aRurattincascoi1hoida]bulbei1whamFJUliof a lt;cla St*JaidonotdelgleSt*mumunolan:mothetiowaIwfhwitRIoffitoHisbeibepecalbsysotiiCUIopiAi*prcSheaJucipetMeag*maNonostrcortinwotheLOLYMPIA, Jan. 20.—R. A. Bal- many new conditions. This will be\A ;Un8011dorrevNesenone
Newspaper Details
Spokane Press
Spokane, Washington, US
Mon, Jan 20, 1908
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous A.
WI, USA 21 Oct 2021
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