St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-11-24
BUTTE MINES AbLAzE.
Pillars Of Flame Belching
From the st. Lawrence and
Anaconda Shafts.
Two Miners Fall One Thou
sand Feet and Are Dashed
to taa n.
AS Many Mere Are in the
Earth's Bowels Beyond
Human Aid.
Thousands Of Men Likely to
Be Tnl own Olt OF EN-
ployment.
Special to the Globe.

BUTTE, Mont, Nov. 23.-During the
interval between the retiring of the
night shift at o'clock this morning
and the coming on of the day shift at
7O'clock. fire broke out in the st. Law
renee mine here. The fire was reported
to be on the 5Oo-foot level. The mine
is connected at each level with the An
aconda mine, and smoke i'm dense vol
umes arose, driven from st. Lawrence
mine into the 7O0-foOt level of the Ana
conda, and belched from the mouth of
the Anaconda shaft. Men were sent
down to endeavOr to eXtirguish the
flames, but the smoke became SO dense
and sitting that this became more diff
cult every minute. 1t sOOE became
known that several men were down in
the mine, and their comrades,
with blanched faces. called name
after name to find out
for and cages were filled with volunteers
who began the rapid descent, but in a
minute the signal to hoist was given and
the rescuers were brought to the sur
face again, almost unconscious from In
haling the sitting smoke. A half
dozen more attempts were made. but
we're unsuccessful. At last party
provided with sponges
STARTED ON THE TERRIBLE DESCENT
after last good-by to the hundreds of
persons no had gathered in the hoist
ing works. This party reached the 800
foot level where the miners had been
left. -Four of them were dragged to the
cage, but before the fifth could be
reached the rescuers were nearly stif1ed
and the signal to hoist the cage was
given. 1t was terrible ascent. The
men were so SuffOcated with smoke and
exhausted by the intense heat that they
were pOwerless to assist each other and
could scarcely retain their hold on the
cage. ryPage, known as the champion
hammer driver of Montana, and one Of
the rescued party lost his hold and fell
down to the sump on the bottom of the
shaft 1,000 feet below the surface. At
the 300-f0ot level Tim Kelieher, brake
man, fell over and was dashed to death.
Parts of his mangled remains were
found sticking to the cage when it
reached the surface. kelleher had four
times made the descent. endeavOring to
rescue his comrades. Nearly all of the
party that reached the surface were un
conscious. When the cage was fifteen
feet from the surface John Lyon top
Piled over, but was grabbed by some
one. His head was terribly smashed
and his left leg broken in two places.
1t is thought he cannot survive. As
near as can he ascerlained four
MEN ARE STILL IN THE MINE.
They are:
HARRY PAGE and TOM KELLEHER,
who fell in making the ascent
JERRY SULLIVAN. who was one of the
rescuing party, and was asphyxiated while
rescuing the others at the $40 foot station,
and could not reach the stage WHEN signal
was given.
PATRICK MURRAY, who was at the 800
foot station. but could not be rescued.
His brother Daniel was one of the
rescuing party. but did not know his
brother was in the mine until he had
returned to the surface. Besides the
four in the mine, and who are doubtless
dead, Lyons will probably die. and
dozen others are under the Doctors care
from effects of inhaling smoke. Miners
have been busy all day endeavoring to
eXtinguish the fire. The st. Lawrence
mine has been bulkheaded, and the
Anaconda mine. Also the 40 foot lead,
which is as far down as it is possible to
go. i'he draught is shut off, and it is
believe the fire will burn itself out.
These copper mines belong to the Ana
cOnda company. and are believed to be
the most valuable property in Montana.
If the fire is not extiDguished soon,
thousands of men will be out of employ
ment. Marcus Daily. manager of the
mines. is now in St. Paul.