Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-06-06
Fire still Burning in the Eesolate Cave
ef Death


Fire still Burning in the Eesolate Cave
ef Death.
GRASS VALLEY, June 5th.-This morning
a reporter went down into the Idaho mine
shaft with rescuing party. At 1880 the
bulkhead below the eight hundred-foo
level was removed, and tie cage with lights
was lowered to half way between the nine
hundred and ten hundred levels. The
cage remained at that point more than one
minute, the lights still burning Immedi-
ately party of three went on the cage to
within thirty feet of the nine hundred-foot
level and had to be koisted back in haste,
as the smoke and gas began to pour out of
the nine hundredfoot level into the main
shafts. The lights were extinguished by
the gas, and the men were in great danger.
Opening the mipe seems to have started
The IRE atresh, and the mine was ordered
70 be again closed, which was done imme-
dlately. There Is no possible chance for
any breathing thing to live in the Idaho
mine for one minute, and all hopes of res
cuing Dunstan and Ralph have been aban-
doned.
THE --LATEST PARTICULARS.
GRASS VALLEY, June 5th.-This morning
at the Idaho mine chief engineer Thomas
Dunley and engineers Richard Dunstan
and John Penba!i were on duty. At 7;30
4. n. rescuiug party consisting of fore
man John Carter, shift BOSSES Richard
Curtis, Joel Andrews and William R.
Thomas, and Joseph Rowe, Alfred Argall,
Richard Eva, William Bowden, James
James, John Martin, Joseph Harry, Cap
tain John Williams and John Oliver went
10 the bulkhead in the main shaft, below
the oO0-level, and removed the bulkhead.
AT $50 A. NJ. the cage with the lights on it,
was lowered to point halfway between the
900-level and the 1000 level. The cage
was stopped at the point for minute or so
and hoisted back to the S00-level, where
the men were stationed. 1t was found that
the lights burned at the lowest point
reached by tina cage.
Immediately William Curtis, Alfred Ar
gall and Captain Jack Williams went to
within thirty feet of the 900-foot level on
the cage and they had to Immediately ring
back, as the smoke and gas were pouring
out OF the 900-foot level. Their lights were
put out and the men were in great danger
After this, foreman Carter, shift boss
Curtiss and Captain Jack Williams came
up on top and had hurried conversation
with chief engineer DGnley, and it
was concluded to again bulkhead the
main shaft and stop the air from going into
the mine. This work was ordered to be
done and force of miners went at it i'm
mediately.
The smoke pouring out of the 9o0-foot
level into the main shaft showed that let
ting the ar into the mine had started up
the fire afresh this morning.
Captain Jack Williams, who was among
the most daring and heroic of the rescuers,
stated in the presence of the telegraph re-.
porter that if they knew exactly where to
place their hands on Thomas Dunstan
and John Ralph, the two men in the mine,
there is no possibility of reaching them at
present. The smoke and gas are now
much worse in the mine than when the
last resCuing party was driven out at ,
o'clock last Tuesday morning.
1t is the intention to fill the mine with
carbonic acid gas which will be developed
in the main shaft To do this tank is to
be placed on a platform that is in the
shaft, little below the 500 level. In the
tank quick-lime will be placed and then
sulphuric acid will be mixed in with the
lime. The carbonic acid gas OF the lime is
released or set free by the action of the
acid on the lime. Sufficient of the mater
ials will be placed in to give out gas
enough to fill the mine. When the mater
ials are put in the tank those who put it in
will get out of there in big hurry.
The mine will be closed until the new
gas has done its work. The plan is now
being carried out and the tank has been
sent down into the mine. The Messrs.
Coleman have sent for professional divers
from San Francisco and they will arrive
here in the morning. They will come
with submarine armor and 60 into the
mine and try to stop the flames.