The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-15
ERE I'M Am ASPEN MINE.
a IARsE CRrB BURNrNG IN THE 500
root LEVEL OF THE SMUGeLGk

HEauy Miners Nearly Lose Theif bAvest ~
Attempt 70 Smother the Binse-Ne haeaa-
way Vet Made In the Ensrts % susaue IT
TIE Fire May No Extipsnished ~ Steam.
ASPEN, Col, Nov. 14.-A fro that gives prom
Use TO close down every big mine In the camps
raging In the s0O-foot level OF the smugRler
mine. In one of the immense cayerns ioit from
the excavation of orc q large crio is burning.
This crib is 80 feet wide. 164 feet long, ana ovV
feet high. 1t contains many thousands OF coras
OF dry timber. AT the place whore tho nre Is
raging. and for eighty feet above II, 1t 10 file in
with waste. but the timber Is dry ana punky'
and will shoulder for many months unless
quenchod. All efforts to reach. the hre nave
proven unsuccessful. and an attempt 70 place
bulkheads in tho connection came near costing
the lives of some fifty men. Over forty OF tnese
were SO overcome by tho deadly gas that for q
time their lives were despaired OF.
The burning crib Is about thirty feet from the
Mollie Gibson and the Smuggler-Mollie con-
nection furnished q draught for the hre. Inc
Mollie Gibson people attempted to buikhead
their connections. but came near losing o num-
Der Of men. A t one timo twelve unconscious
miners were hoisted from the mine and stretched
out on the shafthouso moor. Shortly afterward
six lmore were hoisted out in only q little less
serious condition. Tho Mollie people became
panic-stricken about the time the unconscious
miners were being brought to tho surface, and
were ready to abandon the mine to Its fate.
The pumpmen as well as the miners deserted
their posts and the pumps stopped.
Hearing Of this, Master, Mechanic Alexander
Carsons OF the Smugglcr mine crawled through
the connection and started the Mollie pumps
before they werc drowned out. This heroic act
probably saved the mine. as shortly thereafter
another, attempt was made to put in the bulk
At the smuggler Manager Hallett endeavored
to bulkhoad the workings above the fire and
allow 1t to smother. This was unsuccessful.
gas in the attempt. Notwithstanding this, Mr..
Hallett remained on the ground and made
another trip Of Investigation. He ascertainsd
below to the burning crib. He assembled to the
seventhlevel, but found the air so hot that no
the cage, Immediately dropped back to the
ninth and returned to the surface. He was
seen by THE SUN correspondent shortly after
saving the mine. He replied:
There are Two possible chances. One 10 that
will force in from below; tho other that the fire
will soon consume the crib and cause q cavein
sufficiently large to smother the fire. No, there
Flooding the property will not intentionally be
resorted to. although conditions may arise thai
the F mss sSo ~ Sne bsSome S:ax rSr i thnn the air lii G ans
sink down to tho ninth level. the pumps would
then have to be abandoned"
Silver. Della g., Smugsler. .Mollie Gibson. Ar
gentnm. Juniata, Deep Shaft. Millinee and tn!
Cox Of the Mollio Gibson, in speaking Of thu
situation tonight. said that they were working
be. He gave tho impression that flooding tn.
burning workings would be necessary. Should
the disaster prove as far.reaching as 1t is gen
camp viii be seldom heard from until silvei
reaches a figure far beyond SITS present value.