Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1874-11-06

the drifts entering into it, and thus cut
off the draft.
In obedience to orders a number of |
men went down, and proceeded TO build |
bulk heads Of dirt. stone and timbers |
across the drifts. They approached as
near as possible to the fire and we're
working like heroes, when suddenly
AN uSExPEcLED cATAsTRoPHE
Occurred. The timbers near the top oil.
the shaft became burnt out, and nothing
being left to support the eprth, l. cayed
in in a large mass and choked up the
shaft As consequence, the smoke and
| fame finding no other vent, reversed its
! course, and rushing down the shaft,
swept in fiery surge through the levels,
at the mouth OF which these devoted
men were at work, completely envolvp-
| ing them in It's embrace. They were not
subjected to the fiery ordeal more than
minute, for the fire in the shaft immedi-
ately forced its way upward again and
the draft was restored, but it was enough
to burn the clothing from their BODIES
and SINCE the hair from their heads.
Most of them were working naked to the
waist, and their arms, breasts and backs
and faces were SO badly burned that the
skin peeled entirely of, and caused them
excrueiating torture. As soon as the
news Of this fresh disaster reached the
surface, all the physicians in Virginia
were telegraphed for and carriages were
, ordered to convey the wounded men to
their homes. They were brought up on
cages through the main shalt and taken
! into the Belcher office, where everything
: possible was done to alleviate their suf-
. ferings. When they arrived at the sur
face their faces and bodies were as black
9 as those of negroes, and their burnt and
o tattered clothing hung about them IN
o shreds. A large crowd gathered about
the mouth of the works, and it was nee
essary to stretch ropes to keep back thu
g. multitude. Men were looking for thei
lg friends and women were searching 10
re their husbands, fearing they were eithe
>. killed or dying. The names OF tue mel
most severely burned were William VI
I'D ham, underground foreman, John Bigg'
an underground foreman, James Thou
it's as, William Johns, Patrick Closke.
=, Charles Sweeney, Richard Pollard
=. Frank LeCIare and Desiere Cornille
NJ Several others were slightly burnet
i'd The men are all doing well to-day, but
d, is feared that some have inhaled the fiji
mr. and cannot possibly recover.
ANOTHER ATTEMPT.
u Soon after these men were brought Of
ng of the mine, others were sent dow
IT, to attempt to stop up the drifts. III
-. plan adopted was to fill sacks with eartl
-, rush forward and pile them up. nun
ID, Der of brave fellows volunteered for tn
to dangerous service, notwithstanding Il
nd disaster that had happened to those wi
49, had preceded them. Every few minute
'er cave would take place in the shat
choking it up, and then sheet OF fian
would rush from the bottom far into Il
levels. During the intervals. howeve
the men worked so successfully that
to z o'clock last evening the drifts were {
h closed, the ventilation cut of and Il
,ar mine saved. The fire still shoulders
!, the shaft, but will soon be extinguishe
NO The estimated damage is about $40,0 90
ne MAN KILLED.
ur But one life was lost. Patrick Kell
ia one Of the number who went down
first to form bulkheads in the drift, VI
m- not missing until this morning, when b
DIV scorched and mangled body was four
CO near the bottom Of a Wine into viii
- be had fallen. 1t is supposed that VIII
= the fire swept over him he became bin
re- ed and confused and fell into the VIM
lie as there were several bruises upon
h | body