Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-05-14
TERRIBLE CATASTROPHE.
The Fire at the Gold Hill Cali
Hines.


From the San Francisco lCal) Examiner OF
April H.
La addition to the account We published
yesterday, the following details have
been telegraPhed to the morning papers.
fac dispstches are all dated at Virginia
Cily, April Z at different hours of the
day and night:
1t is generally agreed now that the fire
started 200 feet south Of the Yellow
Jacket shaft, near the Kentuck line, at
about seven O'clock this morning. The
night shift left at four O'Clock, and the
day shift came on at seven o'clock. Ia
| the meantime none but carmen we're in
7 the mine. This induces the belief that
| the fire doubtless originated from Ignition
| # the side timbers of the shaft by q
/ lighted candis left there, perhaps negll-
| gently, by a miner Of the EighC shift.
I At any rate. this matter promised to
/ bs fla investigation for a day or two. Il
/ is certain, however, that considerable
/ dana ge VIII DO done to the timbers COW
ering the sides OF the shaft and the
( drif5s. and that the fire started from thS
/ timbers re'errsd to, but whether from
I negligence in leaving unprotected lights
about is YET uadstermined.
It was known that there was num-
Der Of miners in the 1000 level of the
Crown Point, and at eleven O'clock in
the forenoon cage was sent down with
lighted lantern upon it and small boz
with caDd es, and the following dispatch
10 l., written on q large piece OF PASTE
board, by the Superintendent, J. z.
JOnes:
We are fast subdung the FIRE. Is is
death to come up fr0nS. whers you are.
We will get TO you soon. The gas in the
shaft . terrible, and produces sure and
speedy death. Write word to US and
send il up on thGscage, and let us know
how you are"
The cage returned to the surface with
out bringing any reply from the HnfOrtu-
nate men imprisoned below. The failure
OF the experiment nae created the wild
est excitemeDt, IS We are compelled to
relinQ1ish al hopes that any Of the un-
fortunate nen below will be saved.
Three hours ago three cages, containing
eighteen men, we're hauled up, and their
inmates barely escaped SlffocatiOn, owing
to the density of the smoke, which in
deed renders ii impossible TO remain near
the mouth Of the shaft more than mo-
men5. 4 supply Of air is pumped to the
levels below the point Of confiagraiion,
and it is su@Bsed, though the wish Is
father to the'thOught, that this may aid
to save some lives. The smoke is so
dense that even ia the cages, while as
c=nding from below, one or two men fell
fs;g ling from the effects of the smoke
RlG gaseous vspOrs
the Gold Hill NeUs this evening pub
fishes tie names Of those missing at the
Crown Point nine. They are as follows:
Michael Mccormick, Peter BiOnin, Pat
rick Buckley, James Bicksll, George 4 l.
wards, A. Grant, Edward Jege.i, VIII
liam Jewell, Jonathan Jones, Thomas
Lsity, VIM. Mitchell, Joseph Mathews,
Arehis McDoUgali, Thomas MGCullin,
Thomas McCoy, Daniel Q'Nsil, John
O'Brien, Thomas Peters, A. heinsy, h.
Regan, George Thompkins, John R)wen
and Thomas F0land.
The same paper publishes the names
Of four men still missing st the Ken
tuck mine, as follows: Patrick Hogap,
Martin Cle0ney, Harry Stevens and Jo-
sepn Glsssen.
10 this mine, Jeremiah shsnnet is
still missing This makes the total num-
ser OF missing men foot up 10 twenty
eight, and the total loss Of life will
amount TO thiTty-three or thirty four.
There were five men rescued, whose
names are as follows: John Hogan, JOS.
Mcclellan, Richard Bickel!, Anthony
Toy, Patrick e. Q linD aud George Bick-
IL, who Is alive 6dt ia very critical
condition.
Among the terrible incidents of the
fire, which We copy from the NstDs, Is the
following: Three brothers, named Rich
ard, George and James Bickelk n aged re-
specavely 80, 81 and 2z yesrs, were
working ia the Crown Point. Not long
after the fire was discovered, and while
the deadly smoke was pouring out
through the shaft, Richard and George
groped their way to the cage and rang
the bell 70 coEls up. TIE cage was i'm
mediately hoisted but when the men ar
rived at the ST. -fscs George was dis
covered iDsensirle leaning over his
brother and holding him as with death
grip, which IL was quite difficult to dis
engsgs. Richards head Was torn almost
completely of sBd his left arm was
hanging Oy little strip of skin to the
shoulder. He had doubtless become in
sensibIe AID shaking down upon the cage
was dragged sgainst the timbers at the
sides OF the shaft. George still lives,
but is insensible and suffering from as
phyxia produced by inhalation Of the ter
rible smoke, charged ss 1t was with
deadly caTbOnic scid.
At eight o'clock .. 10. the fire was siiIl
raging with unsbated fury, resisting all
Efforts to sUbdue 1t, those being necessa-
rBy OF limited character, as the smoke
and noxiOuS gases rendered 1t almost i'm
possible 10 Gpproach the mouth OF the
shaft. Some thought the fire would be
extiogu5hed at midnight, but from pres
eDt appearances it is 50 to say that it
will not be snbdued before morning, If
then. Indeed, It is extremely doubtful
that 1t will be extiDggished ompIstely
for another day yet. The fIemen are
receiving constant end valuable assist
Snce from the miners, and they work !
together with 3 persisteDcy and Zsal that
are deserving OF nigh euiogium.
The destruction Of the uprights and
cross timbeTs by the ire has left several
places unsu pported, aud IN consequence
the earth has caVed in at these placer.
These caves have doubtless covered up
the bodies of the men below, and this
rendeFs IL improbable that ali the bodies
WI be recovered for three or four days
at least.
It has been ascertalDed from one OF the
rescued men that many Others made
frenz ed Efforts 70 get upon the cages,
and falling In this, they jumped into the
shaft 1t is therefore supposed that most
OF tho missing men will be found IN the
dump at the bottom Of the Crown Point
shaft. r
Tne latest accounts received by teie-
graph from Gold Hill to-day, represent
the IRE SIS still raging Ia the mine