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

AcRFs OF ANTHRACITE IN FLAMES HOW THE
THE FIRE THE WORK OF wAIF--A COSTLY
PIECE OF ENGINEERING FOR THE BUTLER
COAL coMPANx-A GRE,T DANGER AvgRrED.
PirTsrox Pa, July 81, 1878.
Passengers on The Length and Susqucnanna road,
little 10 the southeast OF this Town, arc frequently
puzzled TO see issuing from the earth through num-
ter OF cracks ana cave holes numerous wreaths OF
smoke. These are accompanied by oppressive clouds
OF sulphur that impress the visitor who ta-ries IN
their vicinity most ioreioIy with fdea OF the
isrocity OF the nro which rs raging In tho
mine beneath. This craterike aud costly
curiosity has lodged itself IN the fourteen
foot vein Of tine Butler Coal Works, where
1t has been burning for more than .
year, and where despite the efforts Of the most OK
perIcnced engineers II threatens to continue for
some limo 10 come. Its hsadway has boon oblained
In The old workings Of the Butler coal mine, and the
fire ted by the pillars wooden props and the work
used In supporting the roof
AS is well known to every ono vcrsed lp coal min
ing nearly orethird OF the solid anthracite left
standing 10 keep up ths roof ANA protect the work.
men. THIS il ~ which. iaDned by the currents that
rush through the old chambers, makes ii impossible
10 extinsuisn the flames ny the steam prIncple 50
successfully employed In the OF the Empire
snaft a. Wiikesbarrs, while ths elevated location ot
the workings, which are situated ~ hillside sew.
introducing wafer with sny degree OF success IN I'M
possibility
Rreat danger be succcssiny conbated Is to sur
round the nre ny an Immense cut, sufficiently deep
anu isolate 1t IRON otner ana more valuable
worxiDgs Wttn TINS OBJECT IN view Mr. y. +. Conrad
whose plans ne company accepted 10 preference 10
many others submitted 70 them cummenced 10 make
survey VI the locality on the 10Th OF December last
wnh view OF comprshending the limits Of ths
burning spot At that lime, auu Also allow Tor tue ad
diional area likely cvmprehcnded IN ihe scope
Of the IRE bsore tnS work oil surrounding u could DO
s % os. 90
l5.n Of last January, aud showed az that time that
~ was discovered, hsd extended 70 hitsSa acres. He
discovered that IN all oth~r directions TIE flames were
conIrOutcu by natural bsrriers which would eventually
chock their progress excspiing on the southwest and
south where they were sweeping forward rapidly
win nothing 10 hinder their 6nal contact win the
.loss Of the Delaware ana Hudson Canal Company,
we'll several lesser works. I've parties VINO
CON- CSn Co comuany ina. "a case Of sss NE rsss
ing their mines they would look TO the
Butter Company Tor Naturalization lsr say
loss that mighl be sustained. tins iact made
douuy important that tho destructive element snouu
be cnecxed AZ early ana effectively as possbir. Ac-
SOU OF engineer Conrad 4th OF February with
iorcs oi $50 men, VINO WORKED III relays night and
day.
some idea vi me maguituae vi The Work may be OBJ
tanned from inc fact that Tins immense caI winch
strikes suriace down through Tue rock over
hanging the and through the vein Itself 10
toe cay Deasa.n, being liaca on eacn slde Win
soiiu wall oil ses ~ tnickness Il 10 COLI
structed she shape Of horse shoe, anu owing 10
tue yietdlng nature oil khe earth IN some portions
tue surface ths lax LAS Oeeh nerculcsh
one from tue Ocginuing. IL Is now approaching Its
completion, and Is a spieadid ieAt oi engineering.
nav ins up Tor nidaUe barrier against Lie proy-
roos OF q IRE that Coui not lSii carry IT'S under
grouuu ction tnrougnous an important portion
Of the Wyom coai Geld As Il is, NO less tDan 100
scrss nm oek 70 The seeming element,
is estimated that nearly halt mIliion Ions 0t coul
nave consuuisd much OF which, we're u not ior
lue Ire, could have Oesfp recovered by the system
knowu in MINING parishce an ''ropUing pillars" or
laknu out The support inc roof curing tue
nrsl process. OF mining Thus Is Dat mere uagateis
No pared with ,uc total loss involved ~ ING work
Of isoIuIing ,hs flames
The WORK or wAIF.
This destructive hIe owes lis origin TO an outcast
named Maggie T00ie, who Ia tne spriug VI 1871 having
no oLner pace OF shelter, made her nome IN an sbah
doued tuuuol or 'drii," leading 70 the m,us Here
sne was visited during tue evenings BY humber Of
Io,ows wnV tho place sort vi rendezvous, anu
cysuluai.y became KNOWN - The "iunnsi GaDg." Al
,ast sus suddenly disappeared. and 1t was iouDd that
,he nre vocn sue mad 70 keep warm uDd do her cook
ing hsa exlenasd 20 What 10 known Us tne ''goo" Or
rsIasc IRON there 10 tho WOODWORK and coal pill
lars used IN keepi.g up the rooL
PICTURE OF DhsoLAfIoS.
The APPEARANCE oil ths surface vi Tue burning minc
presents a Wisrd picture oil desoiation. Vegetation
mas wnnersd And numerous ''cAve holes"
SEE, marking Out tus patu Of the IRE. From these
the and sulphur Issue IN sl'nng voiumes, Civ
iuu some luipJ iaol vi Vcsuvian sceUe showing
now hei ccy lire must Dc raging Ia The mine
nssih ~ u aeptn may iees Mius Inspector Jones,
one oil Ine experienced men In ms section, gAvo
II as Vie opiu.oa mat one Of the resuls winch
AK ely 10 the hre had ~ MOI Oceu cSnbasa by
some sach plan as that OF Nc. Cenr.d, Was mat oi
pensiraliug through tue woiks oil Lns Pennsy wanna
Coal pany ''ana consequently usasr The town OF
piItstsn, 50 that IL wni oo seen We nave virtually
bceu standing Inc verge OIL volcano aud Greater
ca,ami,y than the burning oil TIE Buter mine HAS
been averieo.