The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-07-20
DESTRUCTIVE MINE FIRE.

FIGHTING TIE PLANES THREE HUNDRED FEET
BELOW THE SURFACE or THE EARTH-Ex-
CITING SCENES AT THE ROARING BROOK COT
IIERY, SCRANTON THE FIRE STILL RAGING.
SCRANTON Pa, July 10, 1871
Tho nre in the lower vein OF the Roaring Brook
Coiiery uucs to burn furiousy despite the strcnu
Gus efforts of the workmen, who have been hghting
It day aud night since the morning Of the nth inst
when IL was first discovered Tho great depth which
IL Is located 500 leot below tho surface, renders the
task OF trying to extngush It most difficult
and hazardous one A portion OF the workings where
i. is SO firmly lodged have long since been mined out
and as the stout ''crbbng'' which suslans tho roof
succumbs 10 tho flames huge OF rock and coal
descend importing the lives Of the hardy workmcn
who are nobly endeavoring to stop the flames. From
the scribblng' the n,mes have communicated with
large heap Of tho iob''a mixture OF rock. coal and
culm-aud here they seem have irm hold Hundreds
OF tie mine employees have devoted themselves 10 the
task with diligence ana determination, ana several ol
tue brave fellows overcome by the ELECTS OF The heat
gas, havo been carried OUT OF the SHAFT IN en- On
ro s,ious condition. steady stream Of water has
been kent directed continually against the roaring hrc
winch seems rccrdc through the old workings away
from the main gangway mo men nave maze prog
ress aua are several yards beyond The point at
which the hrc first discovered They urc TIMBER
ing the ROOF with stout props behind them as they
prvceed aud the narrow spaces IN which they have
10 work make the TASK necessarily SLOW. Inc
n,c 10 intensely hot aud oppressive ana II Is impos-
.,hlc 10 20 within Twelve yhrus OF the point IN when
the Grc rs now raging The place Is rendered all the
more by the generation oil noxions gases
and The constant stream OF hot water winch Is hurled
back with cndcrs from Tie lace OF tue fames often
corcblpr the feet OF the workmcD, VINO have 10 make
freoucnt retreats Occasionally sharp explosions are
heard IKE nh irregular discharge OF muskctry These
are caused by the acumudtions OF gas and nrcdap IN
cons cradle volume AID thor contact with the fameS
Az IMPENDING PERIL
Tue greatest peril, however, feared from me iHl
ing of tIc root, which crunUics and comes down IN
mnsses AS he surface away The terrible weight
oyerhcud IL Is red, VIII completely crush down the
lnwer chambers as az the IriuUlng Ia cntiroiy
burned AWAY and In this event The sacrifice OF human
nfe while the workmcu are there would DC something
nv.fui the thItd or lower vein oil coal has been
almost worked out and the roof Tor The greater
uari Ne by thick cribbDg OF timber aud ltw
c,aI ninrs When these yield to the nancs the cnor-
mous wepnt overhead must necessarily crush down
inc ROOF ana carry destruction IA the wake oil the crash
Tbe Roarlng Brook Coicry is one OF the most val
uabIe mines in thus vcinity ana when work
inc ful lime gives employment 10 400 men
ana h,ys The shaft pcncracs three VEINS,
ann tho Two upper ones are still untouched.
I,o,scraule auaniuy Of valuable coal remains TO 10
ri IN nut of The lower vein, and II Is TO secure this
,hn1 me urprctors strueg Ing so strenuOusy 10
acue n iron, The flames before having recourse u the
.vn.ns,ve Inst expedcnt OF flooding the place. The
dames nave however been gaming strength all day,
ana n IS now feared the pumps VIII have 10 DC aDan
doncd TO locd The blazing vein
LATER-MDSicHr.
Tho fire fighters have succeedcd IN surrounding The
flames ana u expected that the IRE VIII be cxtin
rulshcd 10 lew hours