VOL.. XLVI.-XO. 14,G.9.
PORTLAND, OREGON, MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1907.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
HEAR
TIDINGS
FROM ALLIANCE
But Marine Men Be
lieve Her to Be Safe.
PROBABLY ONLY DISABLED
Expect Steamer to Be Picked
Up and Towed In.
THINK VESSEL SEAWORTHY
Being Well Provisioned, Accident to
Machinery Would Not Imperil
Lives of 2 1 Passengers and
the Crew of 33 Hen.
PASSENGER I J ST OF THE AL
LIANCE. Maurice L. Asher. pawnbroker, SO
North Third street. Portland.
A. H. Meyers, merchant at North
Bend, wife and babe.
Mrs. A. Moses.
B. F. Pyott and wife.
Herbert Pyott.
E. Lewis.
Charles Rednall.
Frank Layton, traveling man for
Flelschner. Meyer & Co., Portland,
boards 940 East Taylor street
Lizzie Busey.
George Jackson.
J. G. Stephens and wife, laborer,
residence 830 Michigan avenue, Port
land. W. B. Richardson.
J. H. Calahan.
Frank Davis, wholesale grocer at
North Bend.
Charles Weiss.
H. Kruger. engineer, boards at
310H Second street, Portland.
John Watt.
No tidings were received yesterday of
the steamer Alliance, which Is drifting
helplessly somewhere oft the Oregon
coast north of Coos Bay. The Alliance
put to sea from Coos Bay Thursday at
2 P. M., and struck on the bar going
ut, losing: three blades of her propeller.
A passenger was swept overboard and
drowned, according: to the report of the
steamer Boveric, which reached Vic
toria, B. C, Saturday, having sighted
the Alliance 25 miles northwest of the
entrance to Coos Bay Friday at 10
A. M.
The Alliance was due to reach the
couth of the Columbia River about
noon Friday, hence she is more than
two days overdue. Even without as
sistance of her engines, she should have
arrived off the mouth of the Columbia
yesterday, as she is equipped with
alls.
Bar Tug Sent Out.
The bar tug Tatoosh was sent out
from Astoria at 4 o'clock yesterday
morning to look for the disabled steam
er, and returned shortly after noon, not
having sighted her. She will try again
today unless the Alliance has mean
while been reported. F. P. Baumgart
ner, local agent for the steamer, has
made arrangements for the tug Colum
bia, owned by the Simpson Lumber
Company, to leave Coos Bay today In
search of the Alliance. The Columbia
will proceed 20 miles to sea and then
run in a zigzag course to the mouth of
the Columbia River.
The steamer Breakwater was due at
Astoria last night from Coos Bay and
failed to show up on time. Delay of
the Breakwater leads to the belief that
she ha3 picked up the dtsabled craft
and Is towing her to the Columbia
River. The Breakwater would natural
ly follow exactly the same course as
that taken by the Alliance.
Probably Off Yaquina.
In case the steamer is drifting at
the mercy of-the wind and current, she
would be abreast of Yaquina, or be
tween that point and Cape Mears.
The Alliance Is recognized as an un
usually seaworthy boat, and no great
apprehension is felt for her. She Is
well provisioned and could remain at
sea a month without serious incon
venience to the passengers. She car
ries 21 passengers and a crew of S3 all
told. Captain P. W. Olson is -an old
time Coast seafaring man and Is re
garded as a careful navigator. J. H.
Nicholas is first officer, and V. H.
Skinner purser. Other officers are:
Freight clerk, A. A. Courtney, Jr.; stew
ard, H. C. Schubert; chief engineer, J.
R. Mann.
In Path of Steamers.
The Alliance Is directly In the track
of steamers plying up and down the
Coast, and if she has not been picked
up before now she will surely be found
In a day or two. Captain Mason, of
the steamer Costa Rica, which sailed
yesterday for San Francisco, .' said he
would keep a close lookout for the Al
liance. ' ,
0 ALARM AT MARSHFIELD
Alliance Is Seaworthy and Provi
sions Are Plentiful Aboard.
MARSHFIELD. Or., Dec. 1. (Spe
cial.) r- Nothing has been heard here
regarding the steamer Alliance since
ehe sailed Thursday afternoon. The
llfesavlng station at the entrance to
the bay reports that the Alliance evi
dently met with some trouble while
crossing the bar and that her engines
were stopped. She Immediately set her
canvas and was last sighted late in the
afternoon about 12 miles to the North
west The Alliance could easily have
signalled for assistance to the llfesav
Ing crew If she had needed help, but
the accident evidently was regarded as
trivial by tha officers, as no signal was
given.
The Alliance carried a light cargo,
consisting of salmon, cedar lumber and
doors. There is no apprehension what
ever here for her safety, as she Is a
stanch boat and is well provided.
SHIPPING MEX ARE HOPEFUL
Think Captain Olson Will Bring the
Vessel in Safely.
ASTORIA, Or., Dec. 1. ( Special.)
No further word has be'en received here
tonight concerning the disabled steamer
Alliance' and the steam schooner Casco,
Ralph E. Moody, Who Addressed
the Elks, of The Dalles In Their
Annual Lodge of Sorrow.
which arrived this morning from Cali
fornia, saw no trace of the crippled
craft. While there Is, of course, some
anxiety regarding the safety of the
Alliance, shipping men believe that,
with the present weather conditions.
Captain Olson' will be able to bring the
steamer Into port without assistance.
Many think, however, that as the
Breakwater is now overdue, she has
picked up the Alliance and Is towing
her up the coast-
TAFT VISITS THE KREMLIN
AMERICAN' PARTY IS SHOWN
EVERY COURTESY.
Veteran Guard Moved to Tears When
Secretary Shakes His Hand.
Banquet Tendered.
MOSCOW, Dec. 1. Secretary Taft
devoted Sunday to a visit to the
ancient Kremlin, the historical center
of Russia. All the palaces and
churches were opened for his Inspection
by official orders of Lleutenant-Gen-eral
Guerschelmann, Governor-General
of Moscow.
After the round of official visits had
been paid this morning, the Governor
General assigned his personal aid-decamp
to conduct the distinguished
American Secretary of War and his
party through the fortress. Secretary
Taft showed remarkable familiarity
with the historic places, of which he
had learned from his father, who
formerly was stationed in Russia. He
was greatly Interested In the crown
jewels, the relics of former rulers of
Russia, particularly those which be
longed to Peter the Great.
Mrs. Taft sat in the state equipage
which had been presented to the royal
family by Queen Elizabeth of England,
and in the traveling sleigh of Cather
ine the Great.
Secretary Taft had a conversation,
through an Interpreter, with a veteran
soldier, a member of the Palace Grena
diers, who bore stripes and medals de
noting 48 years' service. The battle
scarred hero wept when Secretary Taft,
not contented with the military salute.
Insisted on shaking hands with him
when he departed.
This evening the Secretary aiid his
party attended a banquet given in his
honor by the American colony. Presi
dent Roosevelt and Emperor Nicholas
were toasted. Secretary Taft respond
ed briefly to the speeches of welcome
of the American Consul, Samuel Smith.
Everywhere the distinguished repre
sentative of the United States is recog
nized while sightseeing and is heartily
cheered.
Tomorrow there will be an official
dinner in his honor and a special ballet
In the opera In the evening. Secretary
Taft will leave late In the evening.
TRAIN LEAPS INTO THE BAY
Only Shallowness of Water Saves
Lives of the Passengers.
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 1. While
rounding a sharp curve near Marshall, a
train of the Northwestern Pacific Rail
road was derailed, and after running over
the ties for a distance ot 200 feet, dashed
down an embankment Into Tomales Bay,
where nothing but the shallowness ot the
water saved the crew and passengers
from being drowned like rats In a trap.
Owing to the fact that the train
plunged Into the muddy bottom of the
bay and failed to overturn, no one was
seriously injured in the accident. Several
were painfully bruised.
NEW YORK, Dec. 1. Sweeping
changes Involving a remodeling of the
entire present plan of city government
of Greater New York, are recommended
to Governor Hughes by the charter re
vision committee in its final report,
made public tonight. The recommenda
tions include absolute home rule In
regard to city administration, a Vice
Mayor, a smaller Board of Aldermen
and the exclusion from the city debt
limit of all bonds Issued for revenue
earning Improvements.
e23
E
SPECIAL SESSION
Business Men of State
Take Action.
CONVENTION IS HELD HERE
Delegates From Commercial
Organizations Attend.
CONTINUE THE HOLIDAYS
Resolution Is Passed Asking Gover
nor to Keep Courts and Banks
Closed Until East Returns
to Specie Payments.
With expressions of confidence In the
financial stability of Portland and the
entire state, a convention attended by
delegates from the commercial organiza
tions of Oregon, yesterday decided not
to petition Governor Chamberlain to call
an . extra session of the Legislature at
this time. After a spirited discussion of
the bank situation and the need of re
suming judicial business, resolutions were
adopted requesting the Governor to con
tinue the legal holidays for a period not
to exceed 10 days after the banks of
Chicago and New York resume specie
payments.
If the necessity for the legal holidays
Is prolonged more than 30 days, the reso
lutions adopted suggest that a special
session be called at the expiration of that
time to relieve the courts; otherwise. It
was recommended that no special session
he held. The resolutions will be pre
sented to Governor Chamberlain today.
The convention me( In the rooms of the
Portland Commercial Club and was at
tended by about 40 representative Oregon
business men. In addition to the accred
ited delegates, there were present a num
ber of prominent Portland citizens, the
gathering being - representative - of - tha
banking, commercial and manufacturing
Interests of the state.
Wide Range of Opinion.
In the discussion which preceded the
adoption of the resolutions, a great va
riety of opinion was ventured as to the
proper course to pursue. A few of the
more optimistic delegates Insisted that
the holidays should be suspended imme
diately, believing that banks and other
Interests were prepared to meet the situa
tion without a further continuance of the
holidays. Others urged that the bank
holidays be continued by the Governor in
definitely, while perhaps an equal num
ber advocated a special session of the
Legislature as the only way to enable
the courts to resume their work and al
low ordinary business of all kinds to be
transacted, through the amendment of
the holiday and attachment laws.
These differences of opinion were hap
pily reconciled and found expression in
the unanimous adoption of the following
resolutions which were submitted by a
committee of five members, representing
every section of the state, and ratified by
the convention without debate:
Text of the Resolution.
Be It resolved. That It Is the sense of this
meeting that Governor Chamberlain be re
Quested to continue the present legal holidays
for a period not to exceed 10 days after
New York and Chicago resume currency pay
ments, and be It further
Resolved. That the outlook and improve
ment in the financial situation leads us to
believe that the time has not arrived when
It is necessary to call the Legislature in
special session; but should the necessity for
the legal holidays be prolonged beyond AO
days, which we regard as unlikely, then we
suggest that the Governor call a special
session to relieve the courts, otherwise not
And be it still further
Resolved, That In the judgment of this
convention business conditions in the entire
state and country are Improving rapidly and
we enhesltatlngly express our confidence In
the financial soundness of Portland and the
entire State of Oregon. We remind the peo
ple of Oregon that the heavy- crops now be
ing moved and marketed will add 130,000,000
In cash to the active money and resources of
this state.
Respectfully submitted:
(Signed.) WILLIAM S. CROWKLL,
of Medford, chairman;
- E. A. WILD, of Portland;
. F. D. M'CULLY. of Joseph;
LESLIE BUTLER,
of HoodRlver;
H. T. BOTTS, of Tillamook.
C. W. Hodson Made Chairman.
The judiciary, banks, merchants and
manufacturers were represented at the
convention, which was called to order
at 4 o'clock by C. W. Hodson, president
of the Portland Commercial Club. Mr.
Hodson was elected chairman and W.
L. Crissey, also of the Commercial Club,
was chosen secretary. Circuit Judge
J. B. Cleland was requested to 'explain
the difficulties under which the judi
ciary of the state Is laboring.
He pointed out that, under the Inter
pretation that has been given the Ore
gon statutes, no Judicial business can
be transacted during the holidays pro
claimed by the Governor. As a result,
he said, the jails were filling up, while
more than 90 cases which were ready
for trial in Multnomah County neces
sarily had to be continued Indefinitely.
He favored the holding of a legislative
session that the law could be so amend
ed that all ordinary business could be
transacted, with a proper restriction
placed on the collection of debts.
U'Ren Favors Session.
W. S. U'ffen, of Oregon City, said the
business Interests of the state required
an extra session In order that the holi
day and attachment laws might be
amended so that disastrous results
DtCLAR
AGAINST
EVENTS OF COMING WEEK.
Opening of Sixtieth Congress.
The opening of the Sixtieth COn
grees promises to be the most Impor
tant feature, of the week. Many
other events of much Interest,, how
ever, are acheduled. Perhaps the one
In which the widest Interest la felt
le the meeting of the Republican Na
tional Committee, which will be held
at Washington, December 6. While
the principal business wilt -be to de
cide on a time and place to hold the
next National convention of the party,
it Is not unlikely that the question of
a candidate for President will be dis
cussed. Meetings of Importance.
Several Important gatherings Include
the dedication of Fraunce's Tavern,
In New York;' the annual convention
of the National Rivers and Harbors
Congress, at Washington; conference
between Secretary Strauss, of the De
partment of Commerce and Labor, and
representatives of commercial bodies
from a score of the larger cities, with
a view to extending the foreign trade
of the United States, and a plenary
council at Manila, P. I., of the Ro
man Catholic Church In the Philip
pine. Thaw Trial Will Go Over.
Harry Kendall Thaw will appear In
court In New York on Monday, but
It is likely that his second trial will
be deferred until early in the coming
year.
The Druce perjury case will be
continued in London.
Turn in a- Back Time's Scroll.
Governor Hughe and other digni
taries will be present at the dedica
tion of Fraunce's Tavern on Wednes
day. Long before the day of the
Revolution, Fraunce'a Tavern was one
of the famous places in New York,
and It was there that General Wash
ington In 1TS3 bade farewell to his
officers. Nearly a hundred years
later. In 1870, the society which now
has? obtained possession of the build
ing was organized.
A meeting ot the various Immigra
tion committees will be held at the
Chamber of Commerce at Toklo, De
, cember 8, to discuss the Japanese
emigration problem.
would . not follow the resumption of
judicial business.
Circuit Judge Thomas O'Day consid
ered that the Governor should be re
quested to convene the Legislature In
order that the attachment law might
be amended so that it could be Invoked
only In cases where a debt had been
fraudulently contracted, where the
debtor attempted to defraud his cred
itors by disposing of his property, or by
concealing himself to avoid service of
the complaint, or In cases of non-residents.
. He also proposed that the at
tachment law should be amended to
provide that no suit Bhould be brought
during the holidays on a contract, either
expressed or Implied. -
: Speaks for the Bankers.
Speaking for the bankers, E. A. Wyld,
a member of the loan committee of the
Portland Clearlng-House Association,
explained that it would be impossible
for the banks of the state to resume
business without protection of the holi
days until the banks of Chicago and
New York had returned to a cash
basis and had supplied the Western
banks with the money that belonged to
them. He said It would be necessary
for the banks to have the protection of
the holidays for at least five days after
the Eastern banks had resumed specie
payments. He predicted a serious state
of affairs should the holidays be sus
pended and a vigorous application of
the attachment law In its present form
be resorted to.
William M. Colvig, of the Medford
Commercial Club, announced that the
business men of Southern Oregon were
able to take care of themselves, but
had Instructed him to be governed by
the wishes of the bankers. While Med
ford people were not desirous of having
a special session of the Legislature,
they would approve of such action If
the bankers considered it necessary to
restore ordinary business conditions.
Mr. Colvig proposed that the convention
ask the Governor to continue the holi
days as long as. In his judgment, they
were necessary, and also that the Governor-
be petitioned ' to call a special
session of the Legislature for the pur
pose of amending the attachment law
and the law on assessments and taxa
tion, by which some relief would be af
forded the property-owner in the pay
ment of taxes If existing conditions
should continue for any great length
of time.
J. L. Stockton, a Salem merchant,
(Concluded on Page 2.)
I - trv-
STEAMER
i$ fete r;"afi!yf&! y
v.. y ' jK t i M
If
CALHOUN PLANS
UNIQUE DEFENSE"
Take Stand to Tell Why
He "Hired" Ruef.
RESUME GRAFT CASES TODAY
Jury in Fofd Case Confined in
Hotel, for Six Weeks.
KEPT FROM THEIR HOMES
President of United Railroads Re
hearses to Lawyers Excuse He
Will Make for Paying $200,
000 to the "Curly Boss."
BT P. A. SINSHEIMER.
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 1. (Special.)
With the end of the legal holidays and
the commencement of the special holi
days on Monday, on which by an enact
ment of the Legislature the courts may
hold sessions, the graft cases will be
taken up again. When the holidays
were called, the case against Tirey L.
Ford, general counsel of the United
Railroads, was in Its final stages. The
evidence had been practically completed
and the arguments were to be heard. As
Judge Lawlor had ordered that the jury
be locked up at the beginning of the
trial, he was puzzled as to the proper
disposition to be made of the case. Fear
ing that to dismiss the action would have
the effect of freeing the defendant on
the plea of "once In Jeopardy," Judge
Lawlor has kept the jury In custody
during the holidays. For six weeks the
12 men who are to pronounce upon the
guilt of Innocence of Ford have been In
communicado at the Fairmont Hotel,
guarded by a Deputy Sheriff. They have
not been allowed to visit their homes and
have been permitted to go to their busi
ness offices only when accompanied by a
representative of the Sheriff's office.
When the case was called Friday, Judge
Lawlor, Instead of postponing It as usual,
ordered the evidence, which had been
taken up to the present time, read to the
jury so that it will have the matter fresh
in its mind when the case is resumed
regularly on Monday.
Calhoun Gets Desperate.
As soon as the Ford case has been com
pleted, the case against Patrick Calhoun
will be called. This case will arouse
more interest than any other on the graft
calendar. It Is stated on good authority
that Calhoun will take the stand In his
own behalf and attempt to Justify Jiis
action in paying $200,000 to Abe Ruef to
assist In securing the overhead trolley
permit. It is stated that Calhoun will
adopt this course in case of Ford's con
viction and if he sees that his own posi
tion is desperate. From a very good
source it is learned that the story the
president of the United Railroads will tell
as a last resort will be substantially as
follows :
Stry He Proposes to Tell.
"Yes, it is true. I authorized the pay
ment of $200,000 to Abe Ruef in connec
tion with the overhead trolley permit.
This sum was paid to him by my com
pany neither as a bribe nor as an attor
ney's fee. Nothing was further from our
intention in paying this money to Ruef
than that it should us used to bribe the
Mayor or members of the Board of Su
pervisors. It was intended for Mr. Ruef
and no one else. We paid It to him as
we believed that he was the only person
or thing that stood between our company
and the overhead permit. We knew that
the people of the city, desired that we
should have the permit. They made that
plain. The committee of fifty which was
in charge of city affairs immediately aft-
.SsJBHSJrtl
ALLIANCE.
ML II
er the fire desired that we should have
the permit and so informed us.
"There was no' time for delay. It was
absolutely necessary for the city of San
Francisco that we should run cars at
once and the only way we could run
them was by means of the overhead trol
ley. To do that. It was necessary that
we should have a permit. There was
only one way to secure that permit. That
was from the Supervisors. The urgency
of the occasion and the disrupted condi
tion of the city made an appeal to the
electorate impossible. If we would secure
the permit, it must come from the Super
visors. A
Ruef's Good Will Cost $200,000.
"The Individual Supervisors were in
favor of the permit. This they have stated
on the witness stand. Abe Ruef held the
Supervisors under his thumb. A word
from him was a command to them. They
owed their positions to him and as we
understood matiers they were willing to
do as he said for that reason. The only
opposition to the permit could have come
from Ruef. He had it in his power to
.ir,,,,..,
t 'A W ; 4 t
Harry Thaw, Whose Cane Will
' Be Called Today, Only to . Be
Pontponed.
give us the permit or to deny us the
permit. He waa not an officeholder. He
showed a disposition to block the permit
and as we knew the good of the city
(always the good of the city, you will
notice) demanded an Immediate car ser
vice, we decided that the only course
open to us was to satisfy Mr. Ruef and
get the permit.
"Mr. Ruef was willing to co-operate
with us for the sum of $200,000. Believ
ing as we did that millions of dollars of
property owned by the people of San
Francisco were at stake, our company
thought v$200,000 not too great, a sum to
pay to save this property. We do not
say that anyone had any right to stand
between the company and the permit,
but we considered the Influence of Mr.
Ruef worth $200,000 and we paid the price.
We paid no bribe. We paid no fee. We
were not held up. We simply saw that
we must have the good will of Mr. Ruef
In this matter and we purchased the In
fluence of Mr. Ruef, a private citizen.
It was the understanding that the money
was for Mr. Ruef and no one else. If
he gave money to the Supervisors we
know nothing of It and most positively
we did not authorize it."
This In substance Is the ground on
which the millionaire traction magnate is
prepared to rtek his liberty If all others
fall. . Interspersed In the tale will be
frequent declarations of what "this com
pany has done for San Francisco." Cal-
houn Is a powerful speaker and gifted
with a subtle eloquence.
Defense Is Flimsy.
It scarcely need be pointed out how
flimsy this pica really Is. It may be
positively stated that Calhoun has gone
over it time and again with his attorneys.
Even privately with his attorneys he
takes the stand that it was not a bribe.
But the fatal weakness of the plea ap
pears when it is learned that the com
pany had already purchased Ruers In
fluence and was paying him $1000 a month
for his "co-operation." Ruef was on the
payroll of the company, first for $500 a
month and later when he came Into com
plete control of the Supervisors $1000 .a
month. A thousand details combine to
set at naught thia plea the secrecy of
the payment, the use of currency, the
departure of Calhoun from the city on
the very day on which the money was
paid, and above all the proof that the
deal was arranged with Ruef before the
fire.
The trial of Calhoun is being eagerly
awaited throughout the country. It will
mark an epech In the fight against cor
ruption in American politics.
CONTENTS TODAY'S PAPER
The Weather.
YESTERDAY'S Maximum temperature 07
degrees, minimum 38.
TODAY'S Probably fair; southeasterly winds.
National.
Sixtieth session of Congress convenes today.
Page 4.
Secretary Metcalfs report shows American
Navy to be scond powerful in the world.
Page 4.
Foreign.
Associated Press explodes rumors of revolu
tion In Portugal. Page 4.
Domestic.
New York banks expect call this week for
reports. Page 3.
Too much credit money Is depreciated by
financiers. Page 3.
"Honeymoon" excursion will leave Chicago
with Dan Cupid in charge. Page 2.
Thirty men entombed In Pennsylvania coal
mine. Page 1.
Sensational developments promised In Walk
er case In Colorado. Page 2.
Pacific Coast.
British Columbia copper mines reopen.
Page 2.
Pacific Coast.
Ko news comes from overdue steamer Al
liance. Page 1. 1
Portland and Vicinity.
Business men of state vote against extra ses
sion of Legislature; want bank holidays
continued. Page 1.
Gladys Van, actress, charges Ollle Mack,
comedian, with basely jilting her. Page 5.
Union Paclno not likely to resume construc
tion work. Psge 5.
City election at Mllwaukle today will end hot
municipal campaign. Page 1?, ,
Klks hold annual memorial services In honor
of dead members. Page 9.
Antl-treatlng movement launched yesterday at
Catholla CthedraL Page 9.
E
AFTER EXPLOSION
No Hope for at Least
Twenty-five.
MAN WITH AN OPEN LAMP
Comes in Contact With Fire
Damp in Shaft.
LARGEST MINE IN REGION
Ordinarily 300 Employed, but This
Night Only a Few AVork Scenes
of Desolation Women and
Children Utterly Hopeless.
FAYETTE CITY, Pa., Dec. 1. Be
tween 25 and 30 miners, possibly more,
are entombed In the Naomi mine of the
United Coal Company, located three
miles west of this city, and there la
practically no hope that any of them,
are alive. The Imprisonment lsr due
to an explosion of black damp about
o'clock tonight, soon after the night
force went to work.
It is said a miner .entering an old
working with an open lamp caused the
explosion. Had the disaster occurred
on any other night except Sunday,. the
number of victims would have been
twice as large. The mine employed
from 275 to 300 regularly, about one
fourth of them making entry at night,
but on Sunday nights only about one
half the night force goes to ' work.
The mine is of tke shaft type and the
concrete sides of the entry were broken
down so as to close the passage back
a considerable distance. About 100
feet from the entrance is located the
first air shaft and from this deadly gas
Is pouring in great volume. The gas
found in mines in this territory is so
poisonous that no human being can live
In It for more than a few minutes, and
for' this reason it Is not believed a
single one of the entombed men is still
alive.
One Man Escapes, but Falls Back.
One man, an unidentified foreigner,
managed to climb to the top of the first
air shaft, but dropped dead there. No
sign of life has come from the others.
Just after the night force entered the
shaft there was a flash which lighted
up the mine and all around It. There
was a roar as tons of coal and slate
crashed down the entries crowded with
workmen. Then utter darkness fol
lowed, the explosion putting out of
business completely the lighting and
air facilities in the mine. The mine
Immediately filled with gases and sev
eral not hurt by the explosion per
ished while running to get into the
fresh air.
The report of the explosion shook
buildings in Fayette City and could be
heard for miles. In the homes of the
miners the explosion fell like a death
signal and emptied every miner's cot
tage In the vicinity.
Largest Mine in Region.
The occupants of these, men, women
and children, form the saddest picture In
the scenes about the mine this morning.
The women and children are crying con
tinuously and stare with hope at the
seemingly fruitless work of rescue. The
Naomi mine Is one of one of the oldest
operated by the United Coal Company,
which has Its principal office in Pitts
burg. It is one of the biggest mines in
the coal region and gave work to 3Cj men
all the year round. The property loss
will be enormous, as the mine was
equipped at a cost of thousands of dollars
with all the up-to-date mine apparatus,
such as electric lights, electric coal cars
and air ventilating system. The explo
sion completely wrecked the air system
and that In Itself means that no human
being can live very long In the mine as
it now Is. Thousands are flocking to the
mine mouth, where every means known to
mine operation is being exerted to reach
the men. Aid has been secured from
Monongahela City, Bellverton and other
neighboring towns.
ONE BODY ALREADY TAKEN OUT
Slate Mine Inspector Present Res
cuers Work in Relays.
FAYETTE CITY, Pa.. Dec. 1. One
dead body has been removed from the
Naomi Mine of the United Coal Com
pany, in which an explosion of black
damp occurred tonight. It Is esti
mated that between 30 and 60 men are
still entombed and It is feared most
of them are dead.
State Mine Inspector Lonltitt is on
the scene and pronounces the explo
sion a very serious one. He says the
mine was well conducted and always
was considered safe. A large force
of rescuers Is working In relays, but
It Is feared it will be some hours be
fore the Inner workings, where it is
thought most of the men are, will be
reached.
Small Force Sunday Night.
PITTSBURG, Pa.. Dec. 1. The general
office of the United Coal Company is lo
cated In this city. Superintendent James
D. O'Neill, of the local office force, said
tonight that there cannot be more than
25 or 30 men In the mine, as that is aB large
a force as ever works on Sunday night.
From reports received on the condition,
it Is feared that the inner workings will
not be reached for some hours, and it la
there that the men will be found.
Villi
RS ENTOMBED