Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1873-1877, 1874-10-31
turning &C tho Eelch"r sir SHAFT.

Oar little city rs thrown into state
Of excitement vest. rdny afternoon upon
rsceip. OF the i,teilG, nee that the Bel
cher mine 1T Cola Hi Was Oh Ere. Sub
seoucnt DISPATCHES. brought the infor-
nation that il was the lcw mir Shaft and
not the nine which was ahlaz". Later
telegrans brought the welcome news
that the miners were al, lifted ont Of the
levels without injury, AID still Later DIS
patches brought the welcome statement
that tlo fire was al, out. OF some OF
the particulars of this exciting accident,
the Gold Hill Ne,cs of last evening says:
At about 2 O'Clock this afternoon the
Belcher air shaft was discovered to be on
fire. The fire started on the s50-foot
level, aud a few moments afterwards
huge volumes of smoke poured out Of
the mouth Of the shaft. The alarm was
promptly sounded by the various fire
bells and hosting works whistles through
out the towns. The Fire Department
turned out in full force and hurried TO
the scene of the conilasration, followed
by thousands of spectators. including
women and children. who were sobbln5
Historically, fearing that their husbands
and fathers, who were working in the
mine, had persisted in the flames.
The Whole energies Of the officers and
mon employed in tie mine were devoted
to the extinguishing Of the flames. Su-
perintendent Smith and Foreman Don
nelly were on the ground personally SUI
perintending the work. An immense
stream Of water was brought 20 bear on
the fire through the hosting works hose.
Half an hour after the commencement
of the fire the flames, which had hitherto
been smothering, burs: up into the air
with terrific violence distance OF several
hundred feet, hurting fragments OF rock
in every direction. At this stage the fire
resembled huge volcano in active op-
Grafton.
The few men who worked in the shaft
when the fire broke out, met with mar.
row escape from death. The last one
who came up the shaft had to pass
through the flames a portion of the way
and came near being suffocated. We
are informed that all Of the men employ
ed in the shaft escaped from the same in
safety, either by coming up through 1t,
or passing down into the mine. The
tlmDeIS OF the Snalt Will III Ill pIoouuiI-
ity be entirely consumed to tho depth OF
1000 feet The Fire Department Of
Gold Hill. under the direction OF Fore
man McMartin. are working heroically
and doing everything in their power to
extinguish the flames. No danger is
unprecedented Of the fire extending into
the mine, as the draft is UP the air shaft
The fire fend is still rampant AS We
GO TO press, at 4 p. NJ, huge flames
belch.ng oct of the mouth of the shaft.
The origin of the fire is unknown.
1t is supposed. however, that it caught
from a lighted candle lett sticking in the
tin.bers on the e50-foot level.
As soon as the FIRE, which occurred
about the time of changing shifts, was
discovered the men working in the Bel.
cher, Crown Point and Yellow Jacket
mines were brought to the surface with
the greatest possible dispatch Some OF
the Belcher men found their way above
ground by way of the jacket shaft.
LATEE-They have got water on the
fire from below, aud are driving up the
smoke. There is a good prospect that
the fire sill he squelehed before many
hours.