Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-11-30
THE MINING DISASTER.

ii MINING DISASTER.
The latest information concerning the
loss Of life and the great destruction Of
property at the Anaconda and St
Lawrence mines will be found on the
local page of TIE MINER this morning
There has really been no discovery Of
new facts since our last edition, for soon
after the fire was discovered both mines
were Theoretically sealed as a means to
extinguish the flames and to-day steam
will be introduced to assist in the pur-
pose. Flooding will also be resorted to.
but when the situation will permit such
an examination Of the mines as will de-
velop the actual loss of life and the ex-
tent Of the property damaged is a matter
of conjecture only even with these who
are in a position to be best informed. It
is certain that five brave men have
persisted; that another will probably die,
and that the fate of four is in doubt.
That is the substance of the best infoH-
nation that can be had and the state
ment itself is almost conclusive that
nine men have persisted and that the
injuries of another will make the death
roll ten. The fact that nina men are still
missing three days after the disaster is
almost as conclusive of their death as
the finding Of their bodies in the fiery
catacombs where death and destruction
reign.
How the fire originated is widely dis
eussed, but it is probable that the mast
rigid investigation will fail to establish
whether it was the result of carelessness
or of incendiary origin. Occurring at4
the time in the morning that it did, be-
tween shifts, when underground work is
supposed to be suspended, inclinss to the
theory of incendiarism. 1t looks to the
theorist as though such a time was SCI
lected in order to avoid the destruction
IF human life, and the time of the oc-
,urrence becomes, therefore, an impE-
amt factor in the consideration of this
phase of the disaster. A matter that is
purely accidental " due to natural
'auses has no regard whatever for either
life or property, while the human mon
ter, however wicked, not DULY leaves be-
lind the unmistakable evidences of hu-
nan methods, but also of that
human dread that fills the most
desperate breast that coolly e~ontemplates
he destruction of human life. It is
rue that it often fails to stay the hand
f the murderer, but to assume that hef1
an entire stranger to Its influences
would be to deny his humanity, and to
make him an irresponsible being. Andf
gain, it is said that the fame of a
liner's candle does not possess sufficient
over to ignite heavy mining timber at
last within such time as was incideAt
, the origin in this instance. I
,atlon OF dizzy roufsfS- III aaaan qe to-. ssiiYiuIs
presence of human ieHds whose MY
lmanity should lead them to the com-p
ission of such an act as that which en- p
myers the existence or prosperity Of
eat enterprise that contributes so p
ueh to the comforts and happiness of d
untless homes; the commission of an Il
t that not only robs countless homes of II
Oh blessings, but fills them with wild u
70 and orphans whose suffefings ap- "
a. and oft in vain, to the sympathy W
d charity of a busy and selfish world. m
t such iends do exist throughout tn
OF the world, and some of them, we po
told, spread out their white wings as ex
y stand on the scaffold and soar away cit
r the battlements of heaven, where the
questions are asked, and a harp is ate
eed at their disposition, the story of a the
tn bed repentance having gone onfeou
IRE to announce their coming. fpol