for the insertion of a water-pipe or hose. During the afternoon and
evening, a sprinkler was rigged up, and, by Tuesday morning, was in
successful operation, the temperature in the shaft at that time being
109° Fahr. After the temperature had been reduced to about 100°, the
Federal engineers volunteered to descend into the shaft and make an
exploration. The rescue party, consisting of Messrs. Rice, Paul, and
Williams, equipped with artificial breathing apparatus, made an
exploration near the bottom of the air-shaft and located the first body.
After they had returned to the surface, three of the Illinois State
Inspectors, who had previously received training by the Government
engineers in the use of the rescue apparatus, including Inspectors Moses
and Taylor, descended, made tests of the air, and found that with the
fan running slowly, it was possible to work in the shaft. The rescue
corps then took hose down the main shaft, having first attached it to a
fire engine belonging to the Chicago Fire Department. Water was directed
on the fire at the bottom of the shaft, greatly diminishing its force,
and it was soon subdued sufficiently to permit the firemen to enter the
mine without the protection of breathing apparatus.

Unfortunately, these operations could be pursued only under the most
disadvantageous circumstances and surrounded by the greatest possible
precautions, due to the frequent heavy falls of roof--a result of the
heating by the mine fire--and the presence of large quantities of
black-damp. All movements of unprotected rescuers had to be preceded by
exploration by the trained rescue corps, who analyzed the gases, as the
fire still continued to burn, and watched closely for falls, possible
explosions, or a revival of the fire. While the heavy work of shoring
up, and removing bodies, was being carried on by the unprotected rescue
force, the helmet-men explored the more distant parts of the mine, and
on Saturday afternoon, November 20th, one week after the disaster, a