FORTY-ONE DEAD.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 250, 18 October 1912, Page 5

FORTY-ONE DEAD.

NO HOPE REMAINS. FOR THOSE IN THE MINE. AN UNHEEDED WARNING. AIX MIGHT HAVE ESCAPED. HEROIC SELF SACRIFICE. WIDOW DIES OF GRIEF. CEy Cable.—Press Association.—Copvrls&t.) (Received 11.10 ajn.) HOB ART, this day. Efforts at the North Mount Lyell mine are now centred in quelling the fire at the 700 ft level. It is now confined to a small area. There *s a conflict of opinion regarding the death roll. According to the company's figures Oo were entombed, 54 rescued, and 41 dead, no hope being now entertained for those still in the mine. Tne president of tho Gormanstown Miners' Union declares that the roll-call showed that 102' were entombed. • He believes that 48 are dead. Twenty-eight bodies have so far been recovered. The rumour spreading in the Gormanston district that 57 are dead is probably based o n the fact that 57 coffins were ordered. Mrs. McCarthy, widow of J. McCarthy, an entombed miner, who left a piteous letter of farewell, expired from grief. She was in delicate health. Tasmanian members of the Federal House of Representatives have opened a relief fund in Melbourne in aid of the Lyell widows and orphans. Interviews with the men who were rescued from the Korth Mount Lyell mine confirm the belief that if the men at the S.i Oft level had treated the warning seriously they could all have escaped. MEN SAT DOWN TO CRIB. Bennett, one of the rescued men, states that the warning was treated more or less as a joke, and after it was given the men sat down to eat their crib. It was not till they were again warned, and the smoke became thick that they attempted to reach the cage. Numerous instances of splendid selfsacrifice are reported. Treverton, one of the missing, helped a sick man to the cage, but whin urged to enter himself, replied, "I am going round to see if I can get any more boys." Cox. a foreman, remained below, helping others till he was overcome. Bennett says he is sure that no one could live two minutes in the fumes at the 850 ft level. A MODEST HERO. Ryan, the hero of the I.oooft level, and one of the worst sufferers, when interviewed, deprecated his own noble efforts. He said lie soon saw that things were goinu had. and got the men down the stope when he thought the air had failed. "Another twenty-four hours," he said, "and that would have been the end of the boys." When the Legislative Assembly met today the Premier and the Leader of the Opposition agreed that in view of the Mount Lyell disaster the House was not prepared to talk business. The Assembly therefore adjourned until next week. LIST OF THE DEAD. It is difficult to get a complete list of the dead on account of the precautions taken by the mine officials and th; miners to keep the worst from the relatives. As far as can be ascertained the following (including names already cabled) arc dead or missing: Bray, Burke, Bourke, ■Boden, Brooke, Bennett, Bolton, Creedon, Dacey, Gays, Green, Guy, Home, Hill, Jones. Jenkins, Judd. Lewis, Leeman, Moore. Maher, Mitchell, McCarthew, McCullagh, McLoughlin, McMastere. McCashling or McCashland). OTJea, O'Keefe. Park. F. Rolfe. P. Rolfe, Reilly, Studwcll. Saunderson, Scott, Smith, Treverton. W. Trcgonning, J. Tregonning. Valentine, and Wright. REWARDING THE HEROES. MELBOURNE, October 17. In the Federal House of Representatives the Prime Minister (Mr. Fisher), replying to a suggestion that the Ciovernment should recognise tho heroism of! the rescuers in th.' Mount Lyell disaster,! 3aid he thought that the time had arrived when the Government should recognise heroes of the first class.