The Philipsburg mail., 1896-09-11
OUT With A MAD RUSH
The Waters of the Great i-Metallit
Drain Tunnel.
CONNECTION WAS SUCCESSFUL
The Important Work About Finished
and the Water Down to the
Tunnel Level.

/. Monday morning about 4 o'clock our
people were startled by the shrill
shrek of the whistle of the hoist near
the Bi-Metallic mill. The first
thought was fire, but Oh further inves-
tigation the alarm proved to be caused
by the connection being made in the
Bi-Metallic drain tunnel and to warn
the people to look out.
The task of making connection was
accomplished after numerous attempts
being made during the past week. On
last Monday morning q large quantity
of powder was placed in the face and
discharged and the desired end was ac-
complished The water came out with
mad rush and washed everything
before it, Tailings were strewn along
the entire distance from the mill down
to Flint creek and in several cases
houses in Parkerville were flooded.
Work on this tunnel was commenced
in January, 1894, but was suspended
for about twelve months, when it was
again resumed. The cost is said to
be in the neighborhood of 5000, 000
The tunnel was made to drain the BIZ
Metallic mine to the 1000-foot level
aud the Granite Mountain mine to the
14OO-f foot level. The amount Of water
in these properties is variously esti-
mated at from $4,000, 900 to 100, ,000,-
900 gallons. From the mouth of the
tunnel to the shaft of the Bi-Metallic
mine is 5000 feet. 1t was expected
that considerable trouble would be en-
countered in taking out the last few
feet Of the tunnel and Burleigh drills
were employed to drive several holes.
These were charged with giant pow
der and set off The result was that
the end nearest the shaft was blow II
out and the water came through the
holes.
Great credit is certainly due E. H.
Wilson, of the firm of Wilson & Gillie,
engineers of Butte. for the able man
ner in which his part of the work was
done. Considering the hazardous ma
ture of such an undertaking, on ac-
count of the great pressure of the
water, it is remarkable that not the
slightest accident occurred.
The water during the past week has
been running out at the rate OF about
} 900 inches per minute. as near as can
: be estimated by practical men, Judging
!, from the pressure from above. Ever
, this large amount of water running
] out only lowered it about 80 feet il
: the past week, which made the man.
. agement desirous of creating larger
aperture which was done Monday
r morning about o'clock. Three Bur
, leigh drill holes had been put in
= pointing toward one another, ant
' about 200 pounds of giant did tht
: work.
y Paul A. Fusz and Foreman James
U Willoughby We're the last to leave thu
face of the tunnel after the fuse ha(
f been ignited, and the gentlemen bare
= ly got out in time. The big blast go
e in it's work and almost Immediately
IL torrent of water rushed ont the moutl
n of the tunnel and went dashing dow
e the canyon. No one was hurt, and j
e is believed the damage done to proper
II ty in Parkerville, a Philipsburg su
;. burb. is but slight, other than littl
!. discontinue and inconvenience to tn
e residents in that burg.
J. The aperture made was larger thai
10 intended, though as no serious damag
5 was done it is just as well that
or should have been so. About 45 feet c
l. the timbering at the mouth of the tul
l. mel was washed out by the force of tn
r. torrent and quite big opening is tn
T. result. This can, of course, be rem
u edied without great deal of expens'
and the damage is very slight as con
10 80 pared with the outlay that would ha'
an been necessary had pumping been r
I'd sorted to for the purpose of relievi1
ly the mines of water.
=, The water is now about down to tt
be tunnel level, and it will be safe
ed men to enter and work the openil
ICE down to the floor of the tunnel Th
10 10 will continue the flow for some lit
I'D time yet, after which the pumps W
le- be set at work and the water will
Ter pumped to the tunnel, which w
prove a great saving over raising it
the mouth of the shaft.
Considerable will have to be do
ne in the way of repairs, as the action
ll- the water in the shaft is bound to ha
ns. caused more or less damage, thou
Ire from what can be learned it will
IN bo ony moro than WAC axnectod