Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-12-11
THE mines ARE OPENED
Both the ST. Lawrence and
Anaconda UnseaIed and
Explorations Made.
Efforts to Reach the Station
Where Several Bodies Are
Supposed to Be.
From sundass paily.

Az was announced in yesterdays MINES,
Che Anaconda and st. Lawrence mines,
which were sealed fourteen days ago on &C.
count Of FIRE having been discovered on the
s0Olfoot level OF the st. Lawrence, were
opened up yesterday morning. The old
discovery shaft which is ai-out 100 yards
southwest Of the main shaft, was the first
one opened. This shaft connects with the
50O-foot level Of the Anaconda. Forty
feet below the mouth Of the main shaft q
tunnel from the south side cuts the shaft.
Il is through this tunnel that the ore is
taken to the bin instead OF being hoisted
to the surface. It is at this point too.
that the main shaft was sealed with plank.
sacks and fine dirt. The work OF removing
this stnff began early in the morning and
lasted until about 9 o'clock, q few minutes
after which time q large black dog was
placed in a box made of Stats and sent
down on the cage to the 800-foot level.
After an interval Of ten minutes the cage
was hoisted to the 4O-foot station, when
10 was found that the animal was in the
throes of death ard died within a minute
after reaching the station. Fifteen minutes
later another dog was lowered to the 800
foot station, and after remaing there ten
minutes he was taken out more dead THAI
alive. Contact with the fresh air, however,
soon reviv, d him. There was no smoke in
the mine after it was opened, and under
the rays of the electric light at the lower
workings the water in the bottom OF the
shaft was plainly visible from the 40.foot
~ pos. Vi .ys ..fs
While the tests were being made at the
Anaconda, workmen were busily engaged
removing the covering from the st. Law.
renee shaft, which had also been sealed at
the same distance below the mouth as that
at the Anaconda. This work was flushed
about IL o'clock, and the task OF removing
the bulk heads from the different levels
then began. The first one removed was
that at the 1OO-foot, which was accom-.
plished without difficulty. Then it q de-
cided to 20 deeper, and an attempt was
made to do 80, but the gas was so
strong that the men were forced to re-
turn to the surface. Three dogs were
then secured and sent down one at q time
mails came out slightly a~sphyxiated, but
,oon recovered, while the thirl one
umped out OF the box none the worse for
his decent. The cages were then run up
sndd down the shaft at a rapid rate OF
'peed for nearly an hour for tine purpose OF
a draft add blowing out the gas.
This wa between 2 n 3 O'Clock in the
Another dog was then sent |
Iowa, and when he was hoisted to the sur
ace and found to be as risky as before,
Paddy Kane. the foreman, accompanied
y the shift boss AID another, sig
liied their willingness to aga at
empt to go down to the 600 and remove
he bulk head. Icy got on the cage and
7ere lowered to the loo, where they sig
allied the engineer to lower them TO the
100. At each 100 feet thereafter he cage
'ould stop until the signal for lowering
1ould be given. These signals would be
wen, when it as found that it was safe
o proceed. When the 600 was reached the
1en began to remove the bulkhead from
ne level, but they could not remain in the
zine any great lei 9Th of time. At
ae NOUN or the shuft~-~H
lief corps was on hand
by changing crews OF three every few
linutes the bulkhead was soon removed.
fter which all hands were hoisted to the
lrface. About half an hour after this
ulkhead had been removed, several men
emit down and found that the air was
sitting better. but they did not attempt to
,tsr the level. They then went to the sur {
.ce, q at the expiration OF another half
Dur they went down again and entered 1
10 level. which they found closed with rock Z,
n a mimi .unf trn6Gn Tho a.~k ---- l..
70 originated. This rock had been let ,
own by the clearing out O. the ore sbutcs Z
I'd timbers between the 500 and 6OO.foot |
vels. There was not q great deal of it-s
st enough to cl .se the passage and pre- i
the circulation OF air. The work OF I
moving this rock a begun without /
lay, and in less than half an hour there. t
ter air was circulating freely from one il
inc to the other. ..-.T v
this writing, 10 o'clock D. H., it is {
armed that twelve or fifteen men are K
'rking their way from the St. Lawrence b
the Anaconda on the 6OO-foot level of 4
9 former. This 600 foot level OF the St. b
Iwrence is the 800 OF the Anaconda, the a
% ON which the bodies Of at least two OF Il
men who lost their lives two weeks ago q
? known to be; and before The MINER al
aches it's readers this morning the bodies h
those Two brave men, who sacrificed I'll
sir lives in their endeavcr to save others, 81
probably have been removed and n
ought to the surface. t1
1t the mouth of the Anaconda shaft fr
am and gas continue to belch forth. b
owlng plainly that the current of air II
m the st. Lawrence eide is doing it's at
OF clearing the mine and levels of the &C
and foul air which have accumulated O,
rein during the time the mine was closed. b,
70 yet it is impossible to tell how much I'll
mage has been done to the mine by the til
!, but it is thought that it is not great. 81
one main thing now being done is the ds
away OF the fallen debris in the III
in order that the bodies of the men 81,