Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-11-25
BURNING FOUR YEARS.
n BiazfnR Coal Mine and q Hundred
Miners at Work In n Vein Unaer tho
Fire.

Miners at Work In n Vein Unasr tho
Fire.
recent letter from Scranton. Pa.
TO the New York Herald, says: 1t is
more than four years ago since what is
known MS the upper vein of the Butler
colliery, at Pittston, short distance
from this city, was discovered 10 be on
fre. At first it created but little alarm,
as it was thought that the fire would
exhaust itself as SOON as it had consumed
the out-croppings or exposed portions Of
the anthracite on the edges of the cave
hole in which it broke out, but it re-
quired only n short time TO show the
fallacy of this theory. 1t made rapid
headway through the worked-out por-
tions Of the colliery, where it was Ted
by wooden props and pillars of coal, and
the rush of air through the numerous
cave holes caused il 10 CLEAN and roar
like furnace. The sulphur flames
emitted through the cave holes fur
nished picturesque scene at night, and
gave the place the appearance of u
volcano. At length the company be-
came alarmed, and their alarm was in
creased by notice from the Pennsyl-
vania Coal company, whose property adj
oins the Butler colliery, aad who mott
fed the proprietors of the burning mine
that they would be held TO account for
any damage done by the spread OF the
fire. The Butler Coal company then
secured the services of Mr.. Conrad, n
practical engineer, to devise plan for
eXtinguishing the flames and preventing
the threatened disaster.
After various unsuccessful expert
ments Mr.. Conrad became convinced
that the only effective way Of ,arrcsting
the progress Of the fire was by isolation
namely, digging deep trench around
the entire area of the fire and sinking it
from the surface below the burning vein. .
The work was undertaken and carried on
at an enormous cost. In some places
the ditch had 10 be constructed rs deep
as from eighty TO 100 feet and CORE
spondingly wide. 1t was great task
At one point, owing to the great eleva-
tion, the place had 10 be tunneled
through for about 100 yards, and il was
feared even then, owing TO the rapid
progress that the fire was making in
that direction, that 1t would secure n
lodgment among the rocks and "bony"
coal overhead and cross the tunnel TO
the workings beyond. 1t is still burn
ing iiercely at this point, but it is hoped
that the fire will not extend outside the
limits OF the isolated area.
Just now the greatest danger is than
encountered by the miners who are
working the second vein. directly under
the burning mine. The heat is so in
tense that the men are compelled TO
work in these chambers almost naked,
and the sulphurous nature of the atmos-
phere has prostrated many of their
number within the last year, while sew.
eral have been compelled to quit ard
seek work elsewhere. A few months
ago the water from the roof came down
upon them boiling hot, and after Mine
Inspector Jones visited the scene he
caused a suspension of operations and
had an air shaft sunk outside the burn
ing area SOFAS 10 introduce a fresh sup
ply of air TO the workmen. But even
this is Intellectual now, owing 10 the ter
rible heat overhead, and again the SUI
phur and caloric are unbearable. Men
arc in per IF their lives every time
they fire shot, and in some places it is
impossible to blast because OF the sui
phur and great volumes Of dangerous
Rasesigenerated from above. The vein
of coal being worked at present is so in
tcnsely hot at some places as to be ur-
bearahle TO the touch, and frequently
the workmen are compelled to let the
coal lie for hours before they can land
it on the cars, owing 10 its blistering
heat. The situation is really terrible,
and even If some sudden and awful
calamity does not ensue, it will cost
many men their lives If they work there
much longer. 1t is like working in an
oven. Nothing but their extreme pow
erty could possibly induce the miners
and laborers TO accept such labor. The
coal they mine comes up hot out of the
colliery.