Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-30
A MINE FIRED BY GAS
That Leaked Through . Deep Fis-
sure From a Philadelphia Main.
A WAGON SMASHED TO PIECES.
The Gas Company Forced By the Owners
to Extinguish the Flames.
SCIENTIFIC THEORIES KNOCKED OUT

A fire in Mason's coal mine, about half a
mile back Of Brushton, was extinguished
last week after burning nearly three weeks
and threatening the entire coal deposit at
that place, which comprises nearly dozen
mines, of which the Mason mine is the
largest. While the damage done by the FIRE
was not very serious and ALL well that ends
well, the fire was caused in so singular a
manner and extinguished under such aus
pices as to make the case of more than pass
ing interest.
In laying its 36-inch gas main from East
Liberty to the Murrysville gas field, the
Philadelphia Natural Gas Company passed
directly over the main shaft OF the Mason
mine near Brushton. It was known to the
company's engineers that such was the case,
but the adherence to their strip Of land
upon which pipe can be laid by virtue Of
proprietary interest compelled them to pass
over the mine. Measurements had been
taken, and it was found that at least 40
feet OF supposedly solid rock lay between
the shaft and the bottom Of the gas trench,
The company's engineers made careful
examination of the lay of the land, and
satisfied themselves that there was no pos
sibility of gas leakage affecting the mine.
A LoNGsrANDING THEORY.
In common with many experts who have
studied natural gas problems, the company's
engineers have for years contended that
natural gas when freed by leakage or break
age of pipes had an upward tendency, and
thatin traversing coal property in proximity
to mines, the leaking or freed gas could not
even be drawn into mine with the aid of
the'system of air pumps which is now gen.
orally made use OF in mine ventilation. As
the Mason mine had no yentilating pump
and was separated from the pipeline by
over 40 feet of rock, it was deemed per-
fectly safe to lay the pipe, and it was ac-
cordingly DONE
Nearly month since q miner pushed a
wagon into an air chamber in the mine di-
rectly beneath the pipeline. There was a
lantern upon the front of the wagon. An
explosion took place, and the wagon was
blown to pieces. The miner was blown quite
a distance, but was not hurt very seriously.
He managed to make his way to another
level, and all the men got out safely. Fire
had been generated, however, and il was
found that it could not be easily extin-
guished.
AN INVESTIGATION MADE.
An engineer who makes speciality Of
mines, and who has studied natural gas in
connection with the matter, was called in
and asked for an opinion. He attributed
the explosion and fire to the presence of
natural gas, and laid the responsibility
upon the Philadelphia company, main
tanning that natural gas when freed
went downwards into the earth, and said he
believed it possible for natural gas to even
penetrate stone or rock. The Philadelphia
Company treated this view of the matter \
with derision, but being threatened with a
damage suit by the mine owner, made an
The pipe line was exhumed,
and crack in joint an eighth of an inch
wide and three feet long, was discovered.
As the Interior pressure in the main was so
pounds to the square inch, the Philadelphia
Company admitted the apparent marvel that
natural gas, in defiance of former theories,
could penetrate through the assures of 40 |
feet thick of rock.
The Philadelphia Company employed |
men and methods to put out the fire, and |
after much use of sulphur, soda and water.
tie fire was extinguished Had it not been |
promptly handled the entire vein Of coal |
might have been ruined, and dozen mines |
rendered worthless. The District Mine In
spector was through the mine yesterday, |
and although the interior of the mine was |
found to be of tempera5ure of over hun |
dred degrees, the flames had been quenched. |
Several pillars of coal have been destroyed,
but false work will be put in and the mine |
made thoroughly safe. The mining en-
gineer who established the hitherto derided |
theory that natural gas worked downward |
instead of upward feels that he has made a
to the popular knowledge upon
the subject