Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1880-11-16
Unouenchable Fires,

The failure of all the attempts to eX-
tingui IN the fire which has been raging
lii the Keely Run collicry for several
weeks, ii Is feared, will add another TO
the perpctually burning mines that now
exist in the Pennsylvania anthracite re-
gionS. The greatest of these Is prOba-
bly, TINT in the jugular vein, near Coal
Castle. This has been burning since
1885 Lewis T. Dougherty opened this
vein In 1893. The upper drift of the
mine was above water level, and huge
Are was kept at the mouth of the mine
IN winter to keep the water from frcez-
Ing IN the cutters. One night in the
above year the timber of the drift caught
fire from the CRATE. When it was dis
covered the fire had been carried down
the uir hole to the lower drifts, and was
beyond control. Two miners entered
the mine, hoping to recover their tools
They never came out. The mine was
abandoned. No effort was made to mine
any of the coal near the burning vein,
although il was considered the best coal
in the region until 1865. Then John
McGuinns put in slope on the east side
Of II, below water level. He struck the
vein Mt place where the coal was so
thick that two miners could keep large
breaker supplied, When 400 yards of
gangwgy had been eXcayatcd the heat
from the burning Doughcrly mine be-
gan to bother the miners, MCtiinnis at
tempted to open nm mir hole. The heat
became 30 great that the men were paid
double wages to induce them to work.
They worked entirely naked, and were
relieved every ten minutes. Finally the
work was abandoned. The mine was
flooded. After being pumped out men
could again work for II few days. The
mine wnS flooded nine times. MCGin-
mis- finally failed, and the mine was then
abandoned The fire has been raging IN
the mine ever since. An area Of half
mile IN every direction has been burn
ed. INCARCERATION grows on the surface,
In places the ground has caycd In forming
chasne n hundred feet deep. There Is
but Thin shell IF earth over the pit OF
iire. At night blue, sulphOrous flames
issue from the crCviccs In the ground
IL IN dangerous 10 walk across the spot
Several persons have mystcHously dis.
appeared IN the vicinity during tie pas
twenty ycnrs. II IL believed that In q
nNJOIllN VI Ndh'N lN'l INV l"lN'' INV
the burning mine. Doughcrty III,
original proprietor Of the mine, attempt
ed 10 20 ucross once. lie SANK To hli
nrmplts through the crust, and was only
myed by courageous friends VINO ven
tured 10 hts assistance. The stones OF
the ground are not, and snow never rc'll
there. Ruin turns to vOpor ~ fast ns !
falls on the roof of the burning mine
Millions of dollars worth Of the hes
quality OF coal has been consumed by
the lire.
The summit llill mine, near Maucl
Chunk, has been burning for twenty
i've years. II Il believed that this min,
was sct ON IRE by DISCONTINUED miners
Thousands Of dollars have been cNpcnd
ri IN rrultcss efforts to cXtingulsh th,
nnmra.
The Buler mine, ucaf pilHlon, ha
been burning three years. II was set OF
fire by party Of lrHmps who hullt
fire In the mine IN 1877, The lire Is II
the upppr drifls. II ~ confined To ~
area of forty acres by nn Immense dilcl
forty feet wide, which was eXcayulcd hc
tween the burning dHrl an1 connecting
ONES. The digging Of the canal eos
$4,000. But for thal,obslatlc the iir'
would have communicated 10 snmc q
the most extensive mines In the lutkn
wnnm Valley, aud Il sublcrmncous con
Migration would have swept under tn
whole of Wch plltston, Miilers hNy'
worked IN the lower drift Of the Battle
mine sinrc the ere broke out, but there
fnriy feet OF rock between them and lh,
field of Orc above, The water ina
irr,los through the rool Is scaldng hot
The ipnncrniuN IA ~ high tlat the mel
c,u wear but little clothing