The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1880-11-20
DAILY INTELLIGENCER.
Saturday, Nov. 90. 1880.
FIRES THAT CANNOT BR
QUENCHED.

ure of all the attempts 70 extInguIsh the
fire which has been raging in the k-e-
leg ran colliery for several weeks. it 10
feared. will add smother to the perpet-
uslly burning mines that now exist in
the Pennsylvania anthracite regions-
The greatest of these is probably that
in the jugular vein, near Coal Castle.
this county. This has been burning
since 1885. Lewis 4 Dougherty opened
this vein in 1888. The upper drift OF
the mine was above water level. and .
huge FIRE was kept in crate 81 the
mouth Of the mine In winter 10 keep
the wstsr from freezing in the gntters.
One night IN the ebovs ysss the tin-'
bers of the drift caught fre from the
grats. When it vas discovered the fire
had been carried down the air hole to
the lower drifts, and vas beyond con-
troll. Two miners entered the mine.
hoping 10 recover their tools. They
never cane out The mine was aban-
doned. No effort was made 10 mine
any Of the coal near the burning vein.
although it WAS considered the best
coal in the segioE. until 1856. Then
John Mc0innis put in . Slops on the
east side Of it, below water Lowell. He
struck the vein at place where the
coal was 90 thick that tvo miners could
keep q large breaker supplied. When
400 yards Of gsngwsy had been exca-
waited. the heat from the burning
Dougherty mine began TO bother the
miners. MaGinnis attempted TO open
an air hole. The heat became 90 great
that the men were paid double wages
10 induce them TO work. They worked
entirely naked. and were relieved every
ten minutes. Finally the beat becams
10 intense that work was abandoned.
The mine was flooded. After being
pumped out, men could again work for
a few DAYS. The mine was Hooded nine
times. McGinnis finally failed. and the
mine was then sbandoned. The fire
has been raging In the vein ever since.
An area OF half mile 10 every direc-
ton has been burned. No vegetation
grows on the surface. La places the
ground he's csved IN, forming chasms q
hundred feet deep. There 10 but o
thin shell OF earth over the pit Of fire.
At night, blue. sulphurous flames issue
from the crevicss 10 the ground. IL is
dangerous to walk across the spot Sew
eral persons have mysteriously disap-
pesred 10 the vicinity during the past
90 years. It's believed that in . ma.
jority of the cases they have fallen
into the burning mine. Dougherty,
the original proprietor Of the mine,
attempted to 90 across onos. He sank
TO his srmpits through the crust, and
was only saved by COURAGEOUS friends.
who ventured to his assistance. The
stones on the ground are hot. and snow
never rests there. Rain turns 10 vapor
~ fast rs II falls on the roof OF the
burning mine. Millions Of dollars
worth Of the best quality Of coal have
been consumed by the FIRE.
The summit Hill mine, near Mauch
Chunk. has been bnrning for 25 years
1t is believed that this mine was set on
fire by Disseminated miners. Thousands
Of dollars have been expended in fruit
less efforts to oxtinguish the flames
The Butler mine. near Pittston, has
been burning three years. II was set
on Gre by a party Of tramps. who built
fire In the nine In 1877. The Are is
in the uppsr drifts. II 10 confined to sn
area Of 40 acres by an immspse ditch 40
feet wide, which was excavated be-
tween the burning drift and connecting
ones. The digging Of the canal cost
$4,000. But for thut obstacle the FIRE
would have communicated TO some of
themost extepsivs mines in the Lacka.
wanna. Valley, and asub.erransous con-
dagration would have swept under the
whole Of West Pittston. Miners have
vs-ked 10 the lower Drift Of tho Butler
: since the fire broke out. but there
are bat 40 feet OF rock between them
and the Held OF fire above. Tao wessr
that tfickles thrsegh the roof d scxld-
ing hot. Tbs tenperssare Is SO high
that tba men can wear but little cloth
ing.