Second Edition TWENTY-TWO STILL MISSING.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 45, 17 October 1912, Page 6

Second Edition TWENTY-TWO STILL MISSING.

RESCUER’S DRAMATIC STORY

\ (Received noon.) Hobart, October 17. Gormanstown advices state that the search party returned from the 850 ft level at midnight.' Ten! bodies were found, making a total dead of twenty-eixl‘Twenty-two are still missing. The iron oxide gas in No. 22 stope was very bad. Investigations, interrupted by fatigue, wore 1 resumed to-day. 1 McCoy, who was rescued from the 1000 ft level, stated that when the men realised that the mine was afire, one rushed.to the air-cock and turned If pn. The | air' drpye the- srqoke back, and held 'it at the shaft, while all made towards No. 4.0 stope, which they managed, to reach on Saturday night. “Riley tried to get to the shaft,” said McCoy, “as we were very -hungry we switched into the drive to keep the -smoke back might give out. R-ley only got fifty yards and fell dead; later, three others tried, but they nevercame back., It. must) have been Sunday morning when the gas began to boat air pipes, and come on to the stope, the smoke being driven away but eddying .back off-the draught. Then the men began to drop like .ninepins. I came to with men dashing cold water on mo, Ryan, at the critical moment, turned the pipes into the stope instead of down the drive, as we had them, and the air dashing against the rock rebounded and drove the smoke away. Just previously, Ryan addressed the men, saying, ‘lf there is ho hope, we will die bravely.’ “All those conscious had set back against the rock prepared for death. “Then Ryan got the idea that saved us”