The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-07-23
A BURNING NINE.

ACRFs OF ANTHRACITE IN FLAMES HOW THE
DEsrRucTIvE ELEMENT WIS SURROUNDED
THE FIRE THE WORK OF wAIr--A COSTLY
PIECE OF ENGINEERING FOR THE BUTLER
COAL coMPANy--A GRE,r DANGER AvgRrED.
PiTrsrox, Pa, July 81, 1878
Passengers The Lenigh and Susquensnns road,
little TO the southeast OF this town. are frequently
puzzled 10 issuing from the earth through num-
Ter oil cracks and cave holes numerous wreaths OF
smoke. These arc accompanied by oppressive clouds
of sulphur that impress the visitor who tarres IN
their vicinity most iore,Oiy with ides OF tho
isrocty OF the 6ro which raging In tho
mine beneath. This crater-iike aud costly
curiosity has lodged itself the fourteen
foot vein OF the Butler Coal Works, where
It has been burning for more than .
year, and where despite The efforts OF the most ex-
porlcnced engineers 1t threatens to continue for
some time 10 come. Its hsadway has been Obtained
In The old workings OF inc Butler coal mine and the
Gre ted by the pillars, wooden props and the work
used In supporting the roof
AS is well known to every versed IN coal min.
Ing, nearly ore-third OF the solid anthracite left
standing 10 keep up The roof and protect the work.
men. THIS il Is which, laSned by the currents that
rush tnrough the old chambers, makes ii impossible
10 extasuisn the harnes Wy the steam principle 80
successfully employed 10 the OF the Empire
snsn ~ wiikesbarrs. while ths elevated location OF
tns workings, which ara situated IN hillside sew.
introducing water with sny degree Of success IN m
Feasibility.
Tue only practical way, therefore, ~ which TINS
sreat danger successfully conbated IS TO sur
rSuna The nre ny an Immense cut, suicleni!y deep
wVrxiDgs. Win tins object IN view Mr. q. r. Conrad,
whose plans Inc company accepted 10 Preference TO
many others submitted 70 them. cominenced 10 make
y the locality Lie 10Th OF December last,
with . view Of cornprshending the limits Of LIE
di,iouai area likely 10 ps hended IN the scope
VI the nrc before ns work OF surrounding could Do
Sy.px' "a, sisa IN the eompany's oIsce on tns
l5.n Of lat January and snowed az that time that
tho IRE from hrcS acres in ihe May prsceding when
!. discovered, extended 70 fifteen acres. He
discovered that IN all OLer directions TIE flames were
conirontou BY natural bsrrsrs which would eventually
south, where they were sweeping forward rapidly,
with nothing 10 hinder their hna contact Win the
.Ds.. Of .ns Dslswars ana Hudson Canal Company, AZ
we'll A. several lesser works. I've parties who
own tue threatened properly notified the Butler
Coal Company tina. In case Of tue ire reach
ing their mines they would look TO the
Butter Company Tor decentralization Ter any
loss that mighl be sustained. anu tins iactmadc u
douu.y important that the destructive element snoum
DO checked AZ early ana cilecuvey as possible. Ac-
coralogy Inc Gu. was commenced under The supsrvl-
siou OF engineer Coirad the 4ih OF February wth
iorcs ot 400 men, VINO worked III relays night and
day.
some idea vi me magntoae Vi the Work may DO OBJ
tanned IRON TACT that this immense cat winch
IRON tive surace down through the rock over
hanging inc ana Through Tie VEN Itself TO
Toe cay bsasatn, ~ being iiuea on eacn sIuo Win
soiia wan q ..oa: SIX .ses .n.s ines con
The yIedipg nature Of the earth IN some portions
o. tue surface the task las Dsen u nercuesn
from I've Ocgnuing IL ID now approaching It's
completion, and splendid feat VI engineering,
havins up ior midauis barrer against The proy
rues oil nre that coui not tan carry rs under
or destrVCtiOn tufOugnouS important portion
Of the Wyomn NJ coa 9elu As IL ie, NO less tnan loU
acres have succumosA 70 he seeihiny element, aud IT
10 estimated that yearly halt U mon Ions Vi coal
nave construed, msSn OF whicn, were II mol ior
IA. me- could have Oesfp recovered by the system
KNOWN in mining parshce an "robUing pillars" or
FAX ug out The support tho ROOF auring the
nrsl process OF mining TINS Is out mere Dagatciis
compared with ,nc total i0ss invoivcd ~ Inc work
oil isoiating The flames.
rnE WORK or A wAiF.
This obstructive nIe owes its origin TO an outcast
named Maggie Iooie, who II tne sprny o 1877, having
no pace Of shstsr made her nome IN an a6ah-
aousd iuuueI or "driit" lesainy 10 HE niue Here
sne was visled during tue evenings BY u number VI
Ie,tows wnv place = SORT vi rendezvous, Sad
evsu,uay became known - the 'iunns tang" Al
iast .s suaaeniy disappeared. and II ioaud
tue ore she mad ~ Keep warm and do her cook
ing hsa cxtouasd 20 What 10 Known as tne "goD" Or
rsiasc. from there 10 Tho WOODWORK anu coal Pill
lars used IN kcep.g ny thc rooL
PICTURE DksoLAHoS.
The APPEARANCE oil tus surface vi Tue burning mino
presents wisrd picture oil association. Vegetation
nss vunersd and numerous 'cAvo hoes'' DOT Tue MIL
see, making Out Tue patu OF the IRE. From these
smoke and sulphur Issue In sln.ng volumes, CIV
iuu some faint iaoa vi Vcsuvan scoUe aaa showing
now he coly Inc lire must bs raging Ia the mine
meath ~ n ueptn v. hty tees Aius Inspector jones'
one OF Tue experienced lhis section, gave
Il as u 10 opiu.ou Of the rcsul,s winch was
ksIy 10 attend the ire, had not been cSnba by
some sucn plan AS thai oi M CInrsd, was That VI
peuslratug through tns w0iKs oil Ins Penns, wanna
Cosi Coinp any ''ana conssqacaty uadsr The town Of
Pnlslsn," 50 that il wii W seen We nave virtually
bcea standing Inc verge o volcano aud Greater
ca.amiiy tnan the burning oil tns Butter mine has
been avsrtsd.