The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-23

there been such scene of excitement as
was witnessed here last night few min
utes after o'clock, when the fire alarm
was sounded and it was learned that the
interior of the Utica mine, the support of
the town, was on fire.
Smoke was seen issuing from the Sickle
the first load of men assembled it was as
certained that the fire had originated in a
Slope at the 800-foot level, 800 feet north of
the Sickle shaft.
AS there are three shafts, most of the
men were soon in safety, but when it was
ascertained that seven men still remained
on the 900-foot level, below the raging
flames, the excitement that prevailed on
top can only be imagined.
Superintendent Tom T. Lane headed a
rescuing party and put in bulkhead
of sufficient strength to restrain the smoke
for few minutes within the stope. The
heroic young superintendent then gave
the signal to be lowered 100 feet. The
lamps of the seven imprisoned men had
been extinguished and five minutes were
consumed in cropping their way to the skip.
When the party reached the top they were
in an exhausted and fainting condition.
but all soon reached the surface in
safety. Had Tom Lane hesitated two
minutes the men would have persisted, and
the seven miners owe their lives to his
bravery.
When it was ascertained to a certainty
that no others remained in the mine, after
the smoke and gas had begun to pour
forth in such volumes as to repel all at
tempts to descend, the mouths of the
shafts were sealed and an endeavor made
to smother the fire with steam. After this
had proved Intellectual orders were given
to food the mine. Every man in the
town volunteered his services and worked
as though his existence depended upon his
efforts.
Although the mouths of the shafts were
closed the gas found many avenues of es-
cape through assures in the ground caused
by abandoned shafts and the porous char
acter of the earth.
Thirteen hundred inches of water are
pouring into the mine. 1t is estimated it
will require 18, 000,000 gallons to reach the
Slope where the fire began, and that ninety
hours will be consumed in getting this
water to the seat of the fire, and it will
take three weeks or more to get the water
out. This is a favorable view of the situa-
ton. Many of the miners predict that a
large area of the underground workings
will be burned before the water will reach
the fire.
The loss cannot be estimated with any
degree of correctness, but assuming that
the fire is confined to radius of hundred
feet, the water and flames will probably
do damage to the amount of quarter of a
million.
1t is believed that the fire was caused by
blast which was set off just before the
men came off the o'clock shift.
Scores of employees are stationed along
the Utica Companys bitches and pipes as
a protection against any malicious inter-
ference with the water system.
In bulkhead in the Utica shaft last
night, a few feet from the surface, 10S men
were overcome by the gas. Some of them
were in serious condition, but it is now
believed all will recover. The fumes of
the rising carbonic acid gas were so in
tense last night that many families in the
neighborhood had to seek other quarters.
The Utica is the largest gold-producing
mine in the United States. 1t is said to
yield far in excess of $500, 900 per month.
Over 700'men are employed, and at least
500 of these will be thrown out of employ.
ment for six weeks or two months. Al