Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-12-07
THE STATE.
ANOTHER MINE HORROR.
The Calumet & HecLa Mine on Fire.
lncendiarism Suspected.
Light lives Lost.

light itves Lost.
Just one year ago on Thanksgiving day,
dead day" in the mines, the Calumet ~
Hecla mine took fire under circumstances
which pointed strongly to incendiarism. In
that fire no lives were destroyed. IL lasted
for months and entailed an immense imam
cial loss.
At o'clock on the night OF Thanksgiv
ing this year the men employed on the sew
euteenth level of No. 3 shaft found IL impos
sble to signal the surface. Almost at the
same moment the odor OF smoke was de
tected, aud the men, over 200 OF whom were
in the mine at tie time, began rush for
the surface.
Investigation speedily disclosed the fact
that the place was atire again. The captain
at once sent men 10 notify oil hands To set
out OF the mine Us quickly as they could.
or the two or three hundred men on duty
at the time all but eight escaped.
The fire was on the sixth level, and when
discovered had reached force which rem
dered its extinction impossible. The main
engine sh II is in close proximity 10 the
burning shaft, and Tor n time IL seemed
that none of the men on the lower levels
could live TO pass mp through the smoke
which soon pene rated To the main eng ne
shaft and flied it TO sutfocition One or
two of the cooler men worried their way up
to the fire | self, and at noon attempted TO
turn on the water, but the pipes had been
disconnected and no water WAS at hand.
The signal wire had also been cut.
terrible panic seized the men, but I'M
der their leaders guidance, however, they
We're piloted around the burning tunnel 10
other connections with the main engine
shaft and thence to the surface.
The scene on the surface presented an
other Of those distressing spectac,es which
go To make up the description of mine acct
dents everywhere. The cry that the mine
was on fire had reached the homes OF the
miners The wives, children and friends
of the men below soon crowded about the
shafts. They were wild with grief and
anxiety. When the smoke began TO show
at the top of the near engine shaft there
was great excitement. The miners kept
coming up, however, until it was known
that all but eight were out Of the mine.
These poor men are doomed. There is no
possible hope for them.
There can be no doubt whatever that the
fire is the work of some human tiend At
the spot where IL originated no one was
working. The dsconnecting of the water
pipes and the breaking of the signal wire
leaves no room for doubt Some man delib-
eratcly get fire TO the shaft after having
first done all in his power 10 prevent the
escape Of the men below. There is not one
iota of evidence against anyone-not even
suspicion.
The management had a standing reward
of g., 600 for the discovery Of the man who
set the fire year ago, and If human agen-
cy can discover the perpetrators OF this
deed it is openly declared that he will be
hurled headlong down the burning shaft
Whoever he may be he is fully acquainted
with the mine and its rules and operations
The former fire was nothing in terceness
as compared with this one.
There is no means Of approximating the
probable loss to the mine company. The
fire may burn for years. The effect of this
fire on the stock doubtless will be disas-
trous. There is much speculation as 10 the
results Of the fire upon the copper market
of the world. If it spreads TO other shafts
and reaches the other levels there is no
telling where or when IL will stop. Should
it be confined to the sixth level il may yet
burn for months.