The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-08-06
Fire i'm n Mine,


The following particulars of the FIRE in
No. colliery, in Panther Creek Valley, we
take from dispatch dated Mauch Chunk,
July 3lst: On Friday, at 1886 p. M, fire
broke out in No. Q colliery of the Lehgh
Coal and Navigation Company in Panther
Creek Valley, near Lansl"rd, this county.
1t is the largest of the company's nine COL
lieries, employing five or six bundled hands,
The fire broke out near the air shaft, and
was caused by machinist using an open
light at that place against positive orders.
He wanted to do some work OH the steam
pipes, which had dritd the woodwork until
it was as innamniablc as tinder. 1t took fire
and in few minutes the flames rushed up
the air shaft to the open air, rapidly in
creasing IN violence. The man taught the
fire until he was nearly exhausted, and
then escaped. The inside boss at once gave
the alarm and ordered the mules run out
Superintendent W. D. Zehner was promptly
on the scene, and organizing the excited
men in gangs, proceeded to brattce up the
tunnel and to stop the outlet of the air shaft,
from which h1meg were bursting to great
height. At U p M, the tunnel was closed
and the steam Of nineteen boilers turned on
the fire through a ten-inch pipe. The out
let of the air shaft was closed on Saturday
afternoon and the fire was under control.
Steam is still being poured in To smother out
the fire, and all apprehcnsons that the
nine will have TO be flooded are over.
No. 0 is not only the largest, but the most
profitable and extensively worked; of all THE
company's mines, aud its stoppsgb is
great loss to the company, as well as SER
ious calamity to Lansford, which is almost
entirely supported by it. The scene at the
outbreak Of the fire was narrowing in the
extreme. A large number of men were in
the works. aud their wives and relatives
| hurried 10 the mouth of the tunnel with the
widest cries Of distress. The mine is pro-
vided with ample means of exit, and all es.
capped, not man or mule being injured
| The workings are carried oti by means Of a
tunnel direct into the mountain and slope
| 10 the lower lift, and are Of vast extent and
| great incricacy. 1t is entirely owing to the
prompt action Of Superintendent Zehner,
zealously seconded by the foreman Of de-
partments aud bosses Of gangs, that the FIRE
| did not obtain such headway as would have
resulted in long stoppage or utter destruc-
ton of the mine. The Indications now are
that work can be resumed in a short time.
7 p. m, Sunday.-Have just returned
from the fire, The main air shaft has been
opened again to let out the sulphur, that
the men may work at the brattieiug in the
east and west gangwsys. The sulphur has
been SO bad that quits d number of men
have been overcotne. Teddy Norris OF
Summit Hill is seriously i'll. Samuel Pow
ELI the engih6er, whose neglect of orders set
fire to the mine, is almost beteft of reason
Sunday evening the sulphur cleared away
so that the men could work, and the brat
ticing of the gangways will soon be closed
and made air-tight. The fire has, in the
opinion Of experts, made no serious progress
and as soon as The gahgRay5 afe closed will
be smethered out with steam.
August 1.-The openings to the Ere al
No. 8 colliery of the Lehigh Coal and Navi
CATION Company have been again closed
and large volumes of steam are being forced
into the mine directly on the FIRE, Fhs in
dieatons so far are encouraging and the ex
peetation is that the fire win be extinguishet
in short time.