The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1897-11-20
FIRE STILL BURNING.
Blaze IN the Smuggler Mine Fills
Surrounding Mines with
Gas.

Aspen. Col Nov. ia fire that may
cause the closing of every big mine in the
camp is raging in the eighth level of the
! Smuggler mine.
! 1t was caused, it is supposed, by spon-
! taneOuS combustion. SO far it is confined
! TO Il large crib ana is burning at a point
/ about 500 feet below the surface.
All efforts to reach II have proved I'M
! successful. and an attempt To place bulk
/ heads III the connection came near caus-
| ing death To fifty men. Over forty of
] these We're so overcome by deadly gas
/ that for a time their lives were deSpalred
/ Of.
/ The burning crib is located about thirty
! feet from the Mollie Gibson, in which
MiWaukeeanS are largely Interested. and
! the Smusger- Mollic connection furnished
Il draught for the fire. The Mollle Cab
son managers attempted to bulkhead their
connections, but came near losing several
men. At one time twelve unconscious
miners We're hoi>ted from the mine and
( stretched out on the shafthOuse floor.
I Shortly after six more were hoisted out IN
an only slightly less serious condition.
/ A force of men is at work putting a
steam line in the eighth level. Should the
/ disaster prove rs far-reaching as 1t Is gen
orally supposed Aspen as Il mining camp,
/ it is said, will be seldom heard from until
| silver reaches Il figure far beyond It's
! present value
! The fire is burning this afternoon with
! greater force than ever and the gas IS
! penetrating, Smuggicr mountain 10 me
north with remarkable rapidity. About
! 100 men were forced to quit work ms
morning in the Della =. and Old John
| son workings. and the deadly fumes are
| still working north towards the Park
! Regent, BuShwhackcr and Alta Argent,
| with indications that all the mines on
| Smuggler mountain will soon nave to
| shut down. The putting in of hulkhcads
1 between the Molic Gibson and SmuSgler
has had the effect of changing the
! lraucht to the north In the Clark fun-
/ mel 100 feet above Smuggler shafth0uSH,
! the gas is becoming quite strong, and 1t
/ is more than probable that the workings
! will have to be abandoned this afternoon.
| The Owen Haven tunnel is also begin
ming TO feel the effect of The gas, although
| it is hoped this can be kept clear by con-
! pressed air.
! \ force of Smuggler men worked all
! night i'll an attempt to get steam line
! to the burning erin. This morning they
/ succeeded in getting within fifty feet OF
/ the burning crib and steam was turned
on shortly before noon. 1t is hoped that
! by using compressed air for driving the
/ steam forward the fire can he reached.
/ This work was carried on through the
! free silver shaft.
| Smoke and gas are rising from the
Smugglcr shaft in double the volume of
yesterday. indicating the Roadway beng
| gained by the fire. SO far the gas has
not started down and the pump station on
the ninth level still has good air. The
relief supply of water which heretofore
/ has been run into the Mollic Gibson has
been shut off and now the SmuGgler
| pumps are working to their full capacity
and throwing about 1900 gallons of water
per minute.
An attempt will be made this after
noon to recover the relief pump located
on TIE fifth level by the use of COM
pressed air The Smugglcr shaft has
been abandoned with the exception of
HOSTING the men from the ninth level to
the seventh and eighth. at which points
they are attempting To reach the FIRE.
Unless the fire is soon suhducd it is
feared that every mine on Smugglcr and
Aspen mountains will become 50 foul as
to compel Il suspension. In this event
the entire district will be flooded. II is said
/ that thirty-siX hours more will settle
this phase of the situation.