The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1877-01-13

PROPERTY. ALL ATTEMPTS TO PUT
OUT TIE FIRE UNSUCCESSFUL.
LYKENs, January 5th,--The Short
Mountain and Lykens Valley mines
which produce 10000 to zoo, 600 tons
Of coal q year have been on fire since
Monday afternoon, ard the Lykens
Valley coal company which operates
the colieries has already suffered q loss
OF several hundred thousand dollars
which promises TO be largely augment
ed. Several men who have been driven
from tho mines by the fire are engaged
day and night in efforts TO stop the
work Of destruction, but the difficulty
of reading 1t has rendered their labors
only partially successful. The first
four days they made no impression on
the fire. Appearances to-day indicate
that their work is having a beneficial
effect but the temporary check has
not relieved the people OF the fear that
all the colleries in this county may be
visited by the fire. They are connect
ed by subterranean passages, and
should an unfayorable draft ensue they
would all be in danger of destruction.
The principal efforts Of the miners are
directed toward placing distractions to
the sweep of the fire eastward, where
the Big Lick and WilliamstOwn collier
les are located, three or five miles above
this town. About thirty miners are
constantly stationed in the Lykens Val
ley slope, to properly handle the hose
through which water is being conduct
ed. The smoke is so dense in the local
ity that they are occasionally prostrated
by It's effects and drawn in cars to the
surface to be relieved by others. Two
small streams have been diverted from
their original channels and the water
conducted into the burning mines, sew
eral lines of wooden troughs carrying It
to points where it is supposed to DO
most needed. AT the mouth OF each
mine Is large slope house, into which
cars loaded with coal are ordinarily
hoisted These structures have been
disconnected with the slopes to save
them from destruction. A similar pro-
caution would have prevented the burn
ing Of large engine house and great
damage to the machinery which cost
about 100000. Between eighty and
ninety mules Ia the burning mines are
supposed to have been suffOcated, all
way of egress having been cut off by
the fi-e That no human lives have
been lost Is In great measure attribu>
table 60 the fact that the fire occurred
on a holiday when tho mines were al
most entirely deserted. There is diff
ference Of opinion as to how the fire
originated. One theory is that a spark
from miners lamp started 1t, while
another is that the heat from one of the
pumping engines in the mine was the
cause. The spark spread with remark
able rapidity, ascending to the top of
the Short Mountain Slope, nearly five
hundred yards from the supposed point
of origin, In six or seven hours. In
addition 20 the large quantity of coal
and timber consumed, much damage
must necessarily have been done to the
machinery IL the mines both by fire and
water. Should tho FIRE be brought un-
der control, which is by no means Ger
tain, it would be impossible to repair
the damage and resume mining opera
tions during the winter. About nine
hundred men were employed in the
burning mines. There aro four anthra-
cite coal mines in Dauphln county,
which employ between 2. 500 and 5000
men. The Williamstown colliery, five
miles above this place, is the largest in
the world, and produced about 240, 900
tons last year, and the year before 301,-
900 tons, The total shipments from
tho four mines last year were 800, 600
tons q decrease of l22, 900 as compar'
ed with previous year When the mines
are kept In steady operation the busl-
ness of this coal region amounts to
from $4,000, 600 TO 80, 900, 900, annual
ly. In this town from S35, 900 to $40,-
are paid to miners monthly.-Harris-
burg Daily Patriot.