The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-04-22
BUTTE NINE HORROR.
Nine Mem Roasted to Death In
the Silver Bow.
1hsss Ce0Uauiene Venture Down sAs
s~skise sAafts Hss Are rereeA -
H>tusu Witheut the Mea.

BUTTE, April 2l--lSpecdal. Tins casy -
once more the scone Of IN awful mine dis
! sstsr. The Silver Bow mine. owned By
the Butte and Boston Mining Company, IL
on Are, and nine miners have bsen Inn.
pyisonsd. with no chance for their lives.
There are two more shafts In the mine.
Fire broke out in the W0foot station OF
the No. 2 shaft. The only connections be-
tween the shafts and mine are bslow this
point. Though strenuous and heroic Of
forts have osen made 70 reach the men ct
the risk Of life In the attempt, II has been
impossible 70 communicate with them.
There 10 no hope now, and 1t u believed
that all have perished.
The FIRE started ct 8:30 this morning, no
doubt through the carelsssnsss OF some
miner In leaving candle too Close 70 the
timbers. There were only ten men in the
mine and John Kramer, the pumpmsn.
stone escaped, coming near being badly
burned. Another man could have been
saved, but he went back 70 the drift for his
partner. When they reached the shaft the
cage had gone. II grew % hot, the cage
bsing then envsioped In seething fame,
that Kramer could wait no longer in safety.
The men in the mine are:
EDwAaD PAsco..
RfcMARp ArDasws,
8AuuBL Rov8Tr,
FaAuI G.aRAnD,
RICHARD TB8nhAfA
THOMAS GRAy.
JAMss NETTo.
ANTONIO BEARD.
EVAN PRUonA
For two hours men battled with the
flames and smoke which shot up through
the shaft. The cages in the two compart-
msnt shafts were lowered. stopped and
raised 1t intervals. hoping that some be-
low might Be waiting 70 escape. but they
came up empty. For two hours water was
poured and pumped into the shaft. Tho
smoke grew denssr and drove all the men
out Of the west end of the mine and to the
surface through No. / shaft. Finally men
ventured into the shaft on the cages, but
could not get down deep. the smoke being
90 dense. A dog was then lowered to the
bottom and left there several minutes,
when the cage was raised to the surface
the animal was found to Be alive
and Joyous shout went up
from the miners. who redoubled their
efforts. Men willingly descended, but
could not remain. At the signal given,
they were hastily brought 70 the surface.
Two would go down 1t time, but when
raised to the top they were weak and ex-
hausted from bad air and smoke. Others
willingly took their rlaces, but each time
were forced to return. Though death
stared them in the face. the men did not
hesitate 20 attempt to save their comrades,
but no aid could reach them there. All
day long water was poured into the mine
and the flames continued to spread. great
volumes Of smoke issuing from the uppel
shaft. At late hour this afternoon Ill
hope Of saving the men was abandoned.
- the fire was growing worse.
Two men Who descended the shaft had {
marrow escape. The bell rope Vas burned
Close 70 the 4O0-foot level. The men barely
discovered it In time and pulled IL, elsl
the cage would have continued TO 20 down.
and - no signal could have been given
death was certain, - the cage had Just
reached the dense flames and smoke.
The loss cannot b estimated, but IL will
be heavy. Only short time ago this com
pany's smslter was destroyed by fire. and
Il has Just been rebuilt ct . cost Of $50, 600
!. The company's finances are In discour'
aging condition.