The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-04-23
Reported for THE GLOBE
THE BLAST AT MINEvILLE.
Prominent Men Come to Witness the I'M
roofing Of the Mine-Tho Result Of tho Ex-
nperimont not all that Could be nasirad

Editor Rufiand Globe The tosne of the
great explosion concerning which SO much
has been said of late, 10 seven miles north
west of Port Henry. TO reach it from the
latter place one has to pass over
the Lake Champlain and Moriah rail-
road up grade of over 200 feet per
mile, which makes the elevation of
Mineville about fourteen hundred
feet above the lake. The scenery is
very wild and seems all the wilder this
morning for the white covering of snow
upon the ground. There are fourteen or
fifteen mines here in all, owned by various
companies which together employ about
one thousand men. The mine which ia to |
be unroofed is the famous "Old Mine" or
"No. 81" owned by the Port Henry Iron
Ore Co., of which Mr.. j. 3. Brinsmade of |
New York. is president.
'No. 21' is an opening upon vein of |
fine magnetic ore of unknown depth and |
from two to three hundred feet in thick
ness. The ore has been taken from the |
vein for considerable distance under the |
everything rock and earth which forms the
roof, and which is supported by large pil-
lars of iron ore from 40 to so feet in
height. That there is a large quantity of
ore underneath these pillars, the company
have ascertained by boring, and it was for
the purpose of reaching this as well as for
obtaining the ore Of which the three large
pillars and roof are composed that this
great blastjwas undertaken. Work was be-
gun in this mine nearly thirty years ago
but the most of the ore has been removed
during the last fourteen years. 1t was not
until 1866 that the steam hosting machines
were introduced with which they raise 100
tons daily. Nearly 100000 cubic yards of
earth and rock have been removed during
the last four years from over the roof and
three pillars of ore which are to be blown
down. The sight in the interior of the
mine seems grand beyond description. The
wide springlng arches supported by the
massive pillars, the solid floor underneath,
and the enormous chambers as they stand
to-day are objects of great admiration, but
the manner OF descending about 800 feet
to reach the floor of the mine, as well as
the consciousness that the ore all about you
is charged with the explosive, makes one
The more direct preparation for this
blast has been going on about five weeks.
The holes, about one hundred in number,
aggregating 1 $50 feet from two to four
inches in diameter, have been drilled by
steam drills. The perfection attained in
the working of these drills is due to expert
ments which the company have been max
ing for several years. In the main pillar
which supports most of the roof there are
three holes charged to the depth of about
one hundred feet. The explosive used is
"Vlgorite," substance more manageable
than nitro-glycerine, manufactured by the
Miners Powder Co., of which Mr.. Il. S.
Beach is superintendent. About 5000
pounds of this vigorite will be used in the
blast. The entire number of holes will be
divided into three sections. Two sections
include three pillars and the roof. These
will be fired by the simultaneous action of
the two batteries stationed near the mine.
The third section is large bank of ere,
and will be exploded very SOON after the
others. One mile and fifth of insulated
wire is used in making connections between
the sections and the batteries.
mir. Geo. G.. Roe, the superintendent,
sponsibiity OF the company-S nninGg.' Gif.
G. II. Reynolds is consulting engineer and
William McGowen the head of the hands.
The work of charging the holes began this
morning and has been accomplished by
about twenty men under the supervision of
Mr.. McGowen. The company have en-
countered great difficulties in preparing the
blast, having been obliged to pump all
night for some length of time to keep the
water from the mine, and furthermore the
temperature in the interior of the pillars is
so low that some fears are entertained that
the vigorite will not all discharge. The
weather is rainy and unfavorable for the
experiment. There are quite large num-
Der of visitors already present. The STU
dents of Troy Polytechnic institute came
yesterday with Prof. Mason. A delegation
from the senior class of Middlebury col
lege has also arrived and are to spend a
few days geologizlng. A special train has
been run from Albany for the accommoda-
ton of the numerous guests invited by the
company.
THE EXPLOSION.
PoRT HENRY, April 10.
Soon after the arrival of the excursion
train, Mr.. S. II. Witherbee conducted
party of the guests TO the New Bed mine,
owned by Witherbee, Sherman & Co. This
mine, starting forty feet down from the
surface, extends off under ground for q
fifth of mile. 1t produces the famous
New Bed Bessemer ore at the rate of near
ly two hundred tons daily. After inspect
ing the splendid machinery connected with
the mine the party returned to mo. 81 ,"asit
was approaching the hour for the blast.
Soon the last car load of visitors who had
been let down into the mine was returning
and the wires were gathered up for CON
nection. The noise OF the coniecturing,
excited crowd was checked at a few min
utes past two by an announcement from
MIR. j. b. Brinemade that the explosion
would take place. He considered it ''safe"
for the people to remain during the first
discharge on the raised seats at no great dis
lance from the brink of the mine. At the
second discharge he thought it would be
prudent 'tO retire at distance" and he gave
five minutes between the discharges for
that purpose. "The first discharge will
now take place, said Mr.. Brinsmade, which
caused rapid dispersion of the crowd
around the mine. Every one waited
breathlessly q moment as he waved the
white signal. Messrs. G. II. Reynolds and
Il. Ii. Beach were at the batteries and i'm
mediately there was a loud report, simulta-
neousIy with the upheaval of large guam
tity Of rock. Numerous small fragments
were cast among portion Of the
crowd uncomfortably close, but doing
no injury. The report died away
to low growl among the caverns Of
the mine, and the crowd returned to see
what execution had been DONE They
stopped only moment, however, but hur-
ried to positions of safety for the second
discharge. 1t came in minute, apparently
sending up more fragments than the first,
then the men rushed to the mine. The
top of one pillar bad been blown down