Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-11-25
or upon the parties giving bail in
OUENCHLESS FIRES.
COAL MINES THAT HAVE BURNED FOR NAVY
YEARS.

COAL MINES THAT HAVE BURNED FOR NAVY
YEARS.
From the Worcester Gazette.
The failure Of all the attempts to
extinguish the fire which has been
raging in the Kelley Run Colliery,
near Pottsville, Pa, for several weeks,
it is feared, will add another TO the
perpetually 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 has been burning since
1875. Lewis +. Dougherty opened
this in 1888. The upper drift of the
mine was above water level, and Il
huge fire was kept in CRATE at the
mouth Of the mine in the winter to
keep the water from freezing in the
cutters. One night in the above year
the timbers Of the drift caught fire
from the CRATE. When it was dlscov-
cred that the fire had been carried down
the air-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 burn
ing vein, although it was considered
the best coal in the region unit! 1853.
Then John McGinnis put in a slope
on the east side Of it, below water
level. lie struck the vein at a place
where the coal was so thick that two
miners could keep a large breaker
supplied. When 400 yards of gang
way had been excavated the heat from
the burning Dougherty Mine began to
bother the miners. McGinnis at
tempted to open an air-hOle. The
heat became so 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 heat became so
intense that work was abandoned.
The mine was flooded. After being
pumped out men could again work for
a few days. The mine was flooded
nine times. McGinnis finally failed,
and the mine was then abandoned.
The fire has been raging in the vein
ever since. An area of half mile in
every direction has been burned No
/ vegetation grows on the surface. In
/ places the ground has caved in, form
/ ing chasms a hundred feet deep. There
is but thin shell Of earth over the
/ pit Of fire. At night blue, sulphurous
flames issue from the crcvices in the
ground. 1t is dangerous to walk
across the spot Several persons have
mysteriously ~ disappeared in the vicin-
ity during the past twenty years. 1t
is believed that in majority of the
eases they have fallen into the burning
mine. Doughcrty, the original pro-
| prletor of the mine, attempted TO 90
across once. lie sank TO his arm-pits
| through the crust, and was only saved
/ by courageous friends who veniured to
his assistance. The stones on the
/ ground are hot, and snow never rests
/ there. Rain turns to vapor rs fast as
/ it 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 burning for twenty.
five years. 1t is believed that this
mine was set on fire by discontented
miners. Thousands Of dollars have
been expended in fruitless efforts to
extinguish the flames.
The Butler mine, near Pittston, has
been burning three years. 1t was set
on fire by party of tramps, who
/ built fire in the mine in 1877. The
| fire is in the upper drifts. 1t is con-
ined to an area of forty acres by an
immense ditch, 80 feet wide, which
was excavated between the burning
drift and connecting ones. The dig
ging of the canal cost $4,000 But
for that obstacle the fire would have
communicated to some of the most
extensive mines in the Lackawanna
Valley and subterraneous conhagra-
tion would have swept under the whole
OF West Pittston. Miners have work
ed in the lower drift of the Butler
Mine since the fire broke out, but there
are but 40 feet of rock between them
and the field of fire above. The water
that tricles through the roof is scald.
ing hot. The temperature is so high
| that the men can wear but little cloth
ing.
DURING n conversation between two
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