Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1895-03-19
Another Nine Horror.

spooial Correspondence OF tho Albuquerque
Citizen.
WnrrR OAKS, March Sat three
o'clock this morning FIRE broke out in
the change room It the Old Abe shaft
house, and in a few minutes the struct.
ure was a mass Of flames.
The building, which is a large and
substantial one, was completely con.
sumed, together with the wood and
smith shops. The woodwork Of the
shaft was also destroyed, part way at
least, downward. The mill escaped
damage, though less then fifty feet
away.
Eight men are imprisoned in the
mine, and there seems very slight
ground for hope that they are living,
At this hour (noon) it is not possible
TO enter the mine further then the third
level, which has been reached through
the air-shaft. At this level, smoKe
aud gases fill the drift and openings
aud lights refuse 10 burn. A current
of air is drawing down the air-shaft,
however, aud II the men succeeded in
reaching q place noutnvaded by smoke
aud gases aud walled themselves iD,
they may be safe.
II win not be possible, probably,
to get into the mine before
some time to morrow, Sunday though
the air compressOrs Of some Of the
other mines have been connected and
water has been poured into the burn
ing shaft all day
The imprisoned men are Charles
Sherrick, w. j. Williams, Frank Will
son, John Davis, Geo. Baxter are mar
r:ed. SherrIck and Williams are old
and experienced miners who have
been through dangers of the same
kind, aud are thoroughly coolheaded
and we'll acquainted with the vast
chambers and tunnels of the mine, so
Inf there was any show whatever they
have most likely found safety for all
who were below.
George WIlkerson, Coke Keith, Nike
Gallagher and Anton Hegwal were in
the mine, but escaped by the aIr-shaft,
WilkersOn was going down to work,
when the fire broke ont, standing on
the bucket. The fire drove jim Weav.
or from the hoist, and he let 90 when
the bucket was at the ninth level. II
shot down to the thirteenth level, 20C
feet below here it struck and threw
WilkersOn into the level. He was
stunned but not badly Injured, and
climbed back to the second level,
escaping through the air shaft II wa:
a miraculous escape,
The loss to the Old Abe company is
heavy, though the amount is moi
knOwni and taken in connection with
the accident to the machinery a month
ago, makes a serious setback. II viii
take several weeks 20 repair damages
as most Of the machinery hoist Is
ruined.
II. b. FERGUSON, one the the owners
of the Old Abe NINE. is in receipt o.
letters from Frank j. Lager and j. \
Wharton, giving the particulars OF the
fatal FIRE, which arc about the same a:
the report published above. Mr.
Lager says: That the disaster mus
have been caused by a lamp exploding
in the west room. as Que Of the met
who had been working In the mill re
pairing the crusher started down OF
the bucket with no intimatiOn of the
fire and before he reached level No. 8
the whole building burst out in flames
He notified the men below aud made
his escape, together with three others
who were working on level No. 10
They came 70 the surface up the ali
shaft from level No. 3, As to the prop
erty loss; The shaft house, togelheI
with all the machinery IN II, is Il tota
loss and no one knows the damage L
the interior OF the mine. The mill i
not damaged az all" Mr.. Wharton
says Ia his letter that there weTI
twelve men 10 the mine at the time
four escaped through the air shaft an'
at this honr, 3 p. NJ. Saturday, eigh
men are ia the mine. Fire was yer,
rapid IN consuming shaft house, which
is a total loss"
WHIrE OAKS, N. NJ, March 10 -TbI
worst has been realized ia the Old Abl
mine accident. BY ineessant work ai
was gotten into the mine at 5 a. N. TO
day, and By 10 o'clock men could g
down to search for bodies. The tirs
was pulled up at 1918. Three Of IN
unfOrtunates, W j. Williams, Franl
Wilson and Jerry COnnnrs, were fonnl
10 the main way nesr the third level
Williams and Connors clinging TO tn
ladders. Chas. Sherrick, John Davi
and George Baxter were overcome II
a stOpe between the third and fourtI
levels. w. b Mithell and-White hav0
not yet been located, but IL Is though
they were not warned aud died at thei
usrrNr -. mr,L. Lf.r 81. tua.1frE. lnuuI