The San Francisco call., 1897-08-18

smoEe were discovered issuing from the
crosscut connecting the Utica or old south
shaft with the Sickle shaft at the 800-foot
level at station number four, and the shift
at work had barely time TO make their es-
cape through the new south shaft. Gen
eral Superintendent Thomas Lane, who
was at the Calaveras Grove OF big trees
camping at the time was telegraphed for
and drove furiousiy TO Angels, a distance
of twenty Jour miles, making the trip in
one hodr and forty minutes over the rough
mountain roads.
Ali the water pipes leading into the
Utica group of mines were cut and the
water directed down the Sickle shaft, as
1t was at first decided to flood the mines
as was done two years ago. The flooding
process was continued until noon, when
all the shafts were bulkheaded in the hope
of smothering the fire if possible without
entailing the enormous expense and loss
of time necessary 10 pump out the water
and repair the damage caused by it.
An effort was made to prevent the
flames from spreading 10 the Utica shaft
and to stop the draft by caving in the
crosscut near the Utica end with gian,
powder. Five boxes of dynamite, weigh
Ing $50 pounds, were exploded at once in
the hope that the effect would be to cut off
communication between the TWO mines.
Timothy Donovan, who carried the
powder into the crosscut by way of the
old south shaft, which is now partially
caved in and abandoned, was twice almost
asphyxiated. While closing the entrance
to the old south shaft seven other men
were almost asphyxiated by escaping gas
and physician was hastily summoned.
For a long time the men were uncon-
scious, but under heroic treatment they
revived one by one and are now pro-
nounced out OF danger. They are Dennis
Cain, shift boss; Charles Davis, Lewis
Canovan, f. Raggie, Timothy Donovan
and BLACK Jack"
An eight-inch nozzle giant is kept con-
tinuousiy playing above the abandoned
shaft in an effort to drive back the escap-
Ing gas which finds Its way TO the surface
through the numerous iseures caused by
the partial cavng in of the earth.
1t is impossible to determine how the
fire started, but it is prcba BILE that it
caught from the discarded wick of q
miners lamp which fell among tim ber
saturated with coal oil. However, ii
might have been caused by spontaneous
combustion in oll-soaked wicks and car
dies deposited in the drift at the time.
Should the fire prove as serious as was
at first apprehended, it will cause enor-
nous loss not only to the company but to
the entire town of Angels, which is almost
wholly dependent upon the Utica mine
for its support. as is the surrounding coun-
try as we'll. Two years ago a fire started
in nearly the same place and under SINH
lar conditions, and after it was drowned
out it was nearly two months before the
water could be pumped from the mine and
regular operations resumed.
Merchants in Angels say they have not
vet recovered from the disastrous effects
of the former fire. The payroll of the
Utica contains the names of over 600 men,
many of whom are married. It is be-
lieyed that should the fire necessi.ate tie
closing down of the nine for consider
able time the men will be employed in
rebuilding the great f1ume which trans
ports the water from the Stanislaus River
a distance of sixty miles. The water is
used for all mechanical operations-work-
lrg the hoists, running the mills and ali
blasts, and so on. 1t has pressure of SOC
feet and 5000 miners inches.
Atl1 o'clock tonight the fire seemed to
have abated. There MAS less escaping