The New York herald., 1874-11-03
THR BURNING COAL MINE.
How the Burning Mine in Pennsyl-
Vania Was Qucnched.
LIFE I'm THE COAL DISTRICTS.
How Science Triumphed Over
Nature.

~ V0tSAAOs
WEST PITrsToN. Nov /, 1874
Tho IRE In the "burnng mine" reference to
which. In the daily papers, drew more or less
attention In the early part OF the Year, Is at last
conquered. The agent which has gained the VIC
tory after months OF valiant persistent battle
with the names bringing into play almost every
resource of engineering skill, is new one, which
henceforth takes It's place the Ere destroyer.
whenever that most to be dreaded foe enters the
mines. The employment Of steam by the Lehlgh
ana Wlkesparre Coal Company In extingutshing
the Empire Nine fire has proved success. which
must be OF ncalculable value, not alone in Penn
syvanla, but in mining districts everywhere. The
name Of the foreman OF the Empire Mine, Lewis 8.
JONES' through whose sagacious and persistent
endeavors the trial by steam was made, is GER
sainly worthy OF record and remembrance. Mr..
jones' own detailed, technical account OF the
method used In nghting the nre, aud OF the
causes which banned all EFFORTS through months OF
energetic, well directed labor, is to be published
by the company Tor the use Of those most inter-
ested, and paper descriptive OF these methods
has been read before meeting Of civil engineers.
But no account has yet reached the public Of q
battle with name as full OF VIVID and picturesque
interest 1t was OF peril and excitement to those
engaged in It,
Seeking information on this and some matters
OF kindred interest, your correspondent was re-
ferrea by the President Of the company to It's as
sistanr superintendent, on whom had chiefly de-
volved the daily supervision and practical carry
ing out OF al efforts for saving the mine. "lt Is
impossible to enter the OF the late fre,n was
the reply to my irst query, as II is entirely walled
up aud filed with steam; but think that with
the aid OF our maps l can explain
to you all you wish to know" 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 on the same, even in the
midst OF the mining regions. The general thought
seems to be OF vein OF coal burning itself out In
certain restricted limits or SO situated that
stream Of water could be easily turned in, flooding
1t out. Comparatively few persons are aware OF
the absolute necessity OF conquering 1t, involving
not merely heavy expenditure. bat warfare tax
ing to the utmost the inventive and executive
ability OF men familiar with mines and engineer
ing. shall strive to tell the story as succinctly
as possible
On the hillside. perhaps mile frem where we
stood. was the mouth OF slope from which
mines, now abandoned, were formerly worked;
afterward used as an up-cast for purposes OF
ventilation In connection with boilers below.
These boilers were placed near the head
OF Empire slope No. 8, which leads still further
down into newer workings. Near the entrance
to the slope stood wooden stack which, at one
A. NJ. on the 31st Of last December was discovered
to be in flames, doubtless carried up to 1t almost
tnstantaneously from IRE originating at the
boilers. The open spaces on each side or the
slope had been walled up with stone, but with
doorways Tor occasional necessary entrance to the
old workings; and the fire tad communicated at
ports, stretching in all directions through the
abandoned chambers. So that although officers
and men were promptly on the spot they were
met az the very first by torrent OF dame like
that wnicn the lake winds swept over Chicago,
carried up through diagonal chimney OF 200
feet, from what was already solid stream OF IRE
on q level OF 356 feet, as plumb line might
fall below the spot where they stood. Water
was poured into the slope from reser-
voir above, and turned on below from
the water pipe that fed the boilers SO
soon as they could he reached through the near
est shaft with its connecting gangway, while every
effort was used to cut or air rom the fire without
the ventilation necessary for the
workers. But at the end OF three hours the slope
fell IN, shutting the fire in from above and dis
abling the boiler pipe below. A steam pump
worked from the mine engine was speedily SUBJ
stituted, but few hours made 1t evident that the
campaign needfu for subduing the fire was to be
both prolonged and dangerous. Plans were rap
IDLY Land and promptly carried out 10 save the en-
gine house and the pillars on the ganrway by
which the boilers were reached, as to lose THIS
way into the mine was to lose all. And the enor-
nous work was then before them OF not only con-
quering the IRE In It's present stronghold but OF
heading II on In all directions to prevent ts COM
municating through open passageways with other
workings.
Prom above slope was to be driven down for
distance OF 100 feet through tough clay, divided
into downcast and upcast to reach the fire from
the surface. fan, needed for the downcast, to
Keep back smoke and gases that the men might
fitted and at work within thirty.six hours; and IN
fifteen days from the time the slope was begun,
the old slope was reached and water poured In.
But II was necessary to cross this slope, and q
pank, "manwayn was held BY playing on y con;
pushed through In sections.
Below, "manwayS' were to be built and held
roof, 70 enable the men to hold position from
which they could bring the hose to bear upon the
csd 81 as n caused ~ S Dy the
portions OF the pillars, which fell. keeping
snsa ns masses THESE q Sws saod eTges aaS
them, the lower END end o. the planEs
securely In place, so that the men worked In heat
ranging from 100 degrees to l76 degrees and as
could rarely work for more than from three to Ave
minutes at time. Relays were ready TO bring
them ont promptly II overcome and carry them to
sclan, with three assistants and all needed rem
edies, was In attendance day and night. During
al! the terrible conflict, while there were 800 men
continually at work, but one Iiie was lost, and
broke down. AS the fans could not be stopped
moment for repairs a system OF signals was de-
vlsed and successfully carried out, TO give warn
ing instantly through all the mine II one gave
way. TINS was all the more needfu as the draught
OF air had two miles TO travel before 1t emerged,
bringing smoke and gases with II.
The severe winter rendered the campaign more
arduous. Heavy machinery, and all the lumber
and stone needed for manways and supports and.
later, for walls, were TO be brought over noun.
tain roads and carried by men into the mine. All
waters that had been available from outside were
frozen sond for three weeks; and the mine
water, which ate out the machinery with fearful
rapidity-the hose not bearing It more than one
or two days-had to be depended upon, and use d
over sometimes thrice. But probably the heaviest
work OF the of1cers through all the time was the
organizing drilling and especially the nspirtttng
OF the men In the lace OF their fearful foe.
At the close OF February the fire, save for
about 200 feet. had been securely enclosed and