, 1889-11-28
A GREAT MINE ON FIRE.
Terrible Disaster in tho Anaconda, at
Butte,

Butte.
BUTTE, Mont, Nov. ga fire caught
this morning on cross cut on q 500
foot level of the ST. Lawrence mine.
Miners who tried to drown out the
flames were driven away by the heat
and smoke. As the fire occurred be-
tween change of shifts, only few
men we're down. There was a quantity
of powder in the lower levels and, to
save the mine from disaster by explo-
sion, several men volunteered to remove
il, While engaged in doing this, four
men, named Keleher, Lyons, Murphy
and Page, were ovetcome by gas and
smoke and perished.
Other men went down to save them,
but had to leave them, having narrow
escape themselves.
The fire was communicated to the
Anaconda mine from the st. Lawrence
and the former is burning. 1t is timbered
all the way from the 500 foot level up.
The result.of the burninglof these timbers
will be q cave-in OF disastrous proper
tions.
The latest report is that there are nine
men unacconnted for, and If they are in
the mine they are undoubtedly dead by
this time. The Anaconda mines consti-
tute the greatest system of copper mines
in the world, and the capital Is estimated
at $40, 100000
BUrrE, Mont, Nov. 25.-There have
the matter of the Anaconda fire, and the
great mine remains Theoretically sealed.
There is no doubt but that a fire is
raging in millions of feet of lumber in
its bowels. Alter all the drifts and lev
els connecting it with the st. Lawrence,
had been thoroughly bulkheaded yester-
day, the mouth of the Anaconda shaft
was treated the same way.
Nothing is reliably known as TO the
loss of more lives than those reported
yesterday. Rumors are ahoat that from
nine to eleven men are in the burning
mine, and Foreman Carroll says that
there may be others entombed, but he Is
unable TO say definitely whether there
are or not.
The situation is q very serious one;
the greatest copper mine in the world
is on fire and the damage will be almost
beyond calculation 1t is said there are
5000 pounds of dynamite on the 5O0-foot
level, Should this explode q loss Of
vast extent would be inevitable.
The closing of the mines will neces.
state the closing of the Anaconda smelt
ers, throwing 5000 men out Of work ir
n,l,lwinter.
BUTTE, Mont, Noy. 26.-The shafts o.
the Anaconda and ST. Lawrence mine,
have been closed since Saturday and al
draft shut off from one to the other
After making an Investigation SATURDAY.
Superintendent Carroll descended to ths
5O0-foot level. Finding the timbers al
on fire and ~ hopeless prospect ahead
he ascended and ordered the shafts o.
both hnines closed. This had the efiec
of shutting off the draft and tended Il
smother the fire. Later II was learned
from investigation that the 800 and zoo
foot levels were seriously jeopardized
and so far as 1t could be done the drifts
were buikheaded and every precautior
taken to prevent the spread of the fire
Fearing that II would communicate tc
tho other loads, Superintendent Carroll
arranged for the introduction of hose into
the mine and proposed to fill them with
steam in hopes ofsubduing the fire. Ho.
far this may have been successful remains
to be seen, as no definite results have YET
been made visible. Mr.. Carroll believes