Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-08-30
A Century Fire.

At Parkgate, near Sheffield, a most ex-
traordinary phenomenon can be seen by
all Interested in colliery wonders.
About one hundred years ago, several
Parkgate gentlemen sank shaft known
as the Old Bassett Pit. They at once
found rich seam of coal-the Barnsley
bed, nine feet i'm thickness. This coal was
worked in very careful fashion for sew
eral years-great blocks and pillars OF
coal, containing many tons, being left to
support the roof in place of modern
wooden props. For several seasons every
thing proceeded smoothly; but one day
the pit caught fire. Nobody can tell how
1t was ignited; and the ancient miners
appear to have been utterly dismayed by
the unexpected disaster, as they left the
pit to burn at will, instead of closing up
the shaft and commencing anew, as they
might have done. Many years afterwari
"the burning pit" was again approached
by the lord Of the manor, Earl Fitzwil-
liam. who began to work out coal In the
locality. A shaft was sunk at some dis
tance from the Old Bassettt Pit, and the
coal In the direction Of Rawmarsh was got
at-the new workings being kept at what
was considered safe distance from the
fiery pit. Everything proceeded salts
idCtOIuy I'LL lcuc, WHtu fulNcIe uAlueu
Parkin descended the Bank Pit shaft--the
name by which the new shaft was known
-and was greatly alarmed to find fire only
once gave the alarm -the principal off,
made to extinguish the fire. ssParkin's
was found that the whole pit was on
fire, and as the Earl's collieries extended
for miles, it was feared that the fire
would spread over the entire workings.
The Ola Bassett shaft was at once filled
up the old Bank shaft was also closed q
third shaft, the Top Stubbin Pit, wasalso
| filed up. A long and thick wall was
built to separate the Old Bassett workings
from the newly opened portions Of the pit
Explorations had to be conducted by
crawling on hands and knees in the midst
of suffocating smoke but the wall was al
length completed at tremendous expense
and great labor-it being 1000 yards In
length, and from one foot to five feet
thick. Cross-walls were also builtto cut
off airways, and so help in choking. the
fire. Thick iron pipes, with iron plugs
were inserted in the wall at intervals ol
fifty yards, so that views could be OBJ
tanned of the interior of the Old Bassctl
workings looking through these pipes
The great wall occupied the time Of ,
large body of wOrkmen for whole year
A new futtrell"-the entrance TO coal
mine-hsd to be constructed. 1t had tt
be brick-arched above and below with
strong brick walls. Entering by this
place, the wallis inspected daily, to get
information If the old fire has reached II
in any way. The last fire was seen In
1871, and on being examined last week
nothing but black damp" came through
from the orifices : but the most dangerous
place-wheret the workmen labored at .
great wall at the peril of their lives-is be
lieved to be the fiery stronghold. Hers
the flames are still believed to be raging,
although securely imprisoned by the
work. of the underground heroes who
built its prison walls. Until year or two
ago, the farmers found that their crops
over this pit were materially accelerated
in growth by the heat; and the fact that
this acceleration is not so apparent now
is the strongest proof to professional
minds that the burning pit has about
spent its strength, and after 'slong fire.
of one hundred years.-EngIish Paper.