Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1874-11-18
THE BURNlEG coAL NINE
now SCIENCE rniuMPnED OVER NATURE
---BrRNINu MINE IN PENNSYLVANIA.


A letter from West Pittston, Pa,
says The fire in the ''burning mine"
is Mt last conquered. The employment
of steam BY the Lchigh and Wilkes
barre Coal Company IN extinguishing
the Empire mine fire has proved sue
cess, which must bc of incalculable
value not alone in Pennsylvania, but
m mining districts everywhere,
The story is one full of fascination
and Of value as well, in view of the
vague and curious ideas of what fire in
the mines really amounts to, set forth
/ by comments of the same, even In the
midst of the mining regions. Tho gem
cral thought seems to be Of a vein Of
coal burning itself out in certain re-
stricted limits, or so situated that
stream Of water could be easily turned
in, flooding II out Comparatively few
persons are aware of the absolute ne
cessity of conquering il, involving not
merely heavy expenditure, but war
fare taxing to the utmost the inventive
and executive ability of men familiar
with mines and engineering.
On the hillside, perhaps a mile from
whore we stood, was the mouth OF a
slope from which mines, now aban-
doncd, were formerly worked after
wards used as IN upcast for purposes
Of ventilation in connection with boil
ers below. These boilers We're placed
near the head of Empire slope No. 5,
which still leads further down into
newer workings.
Near the entrance to the slope stood
a wooden stack which, at o'clock,
a. M, ON the 3lst of last December,
was discovered to be in flames, doubt
less carried up TO it almost instantanc-
ously from fire originating at the boil
ers The open spaces on each side of
the Slope had been walled up with
stone, but with doorways for occasional
necessary entrance to the old work
ings and the fire had communicated
at once through these doors with the
timber supports, stretching in all di-
rcctions through the abandoned cham
bers. So that, although officers and
men were promptly on the spot, they
were met at the very first by torrent
Of flame, like that which the lake
winds swept over Chicago, carried up
through diagonal chimney of 1900
feet, from what was already q stream
of fire on level OF 256 feet, as q plumb
line might fall, below the spot where
they stood Water was poured into
the slope from reservoir above, and
! turned on below from the water pipe
that fed the boilers, so soon as they
could be reached through the nearest
shaft with its connecting gangway,
while every effort was used TO cut off
air from the fire without destroying
the ventilation necessary for the work
ers But at the end of three hours
the slope fell in, shutting the fire in
from above.
AT the close of February the fire,
save for about 200 feet, had been
securely enclosed, and the end seemed
near, when sound and sign gave token
that the roof of the old workings to
the west was about TO fall. This had
been so provided for as to insure its
coming quietly, but the men, fearing
the concussion of air which results
from violent falls, and which drives
even loaded cars like playthings before
IL out of the mines, refused to remain.
Watchers were stationed at safe dis
a Al a ~ a