The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-18
FIGHTING FIRE INA COAL NINE.
An Experience of one of the Forms
of Danger and Stress Which Nine
workers Are CaIIedUpOn to Meet.
From the New York Post

Wilkesbarre. Pa, July H.-1nere are few
people outside, and not so many as one
might suppose within, the coal regions who
realize the dangers with. which the min
ers have to contend in their arduous work.
Chief Of these. and the only one Of which
I will speak now. is fighting the fire in a
burning mine.
1t was my good fortune to spend a few
hours not long ago with the men who were
battling a stubborn fire in one of the larg-
est mines in northeastern Pennsylvania,
and it was an experience not readily for
gotten. l shall not take up the space it
would require to tell about the location
| and condition of the mine or the causes of
the FIRE Suffice that the fire was one which
excited the interest of all the Anthracite
mining experts, owing to its threatened
destructiYenesS-of which the outside pub
lie knew but little. It was in mine under
the center Of small city, and connected
with 1t were several other mines, which
honeycomb all the ground on which the
city stands. This meant the destruction
OF the entire city if the fire was not sub
dued. II it spread, connecting with the adj
Joining mines the supporting timbers
would be burned out, and the city would
gradually cave In, until it was all des-
troyed.
The situation was serious one for the
officials TO face, and every effort that the
experience and ingenuity of the experts
could suggest was made to control the
fire. The fight was long and stubborn
one, but after two months of hard labor
the mine was saved
1t was on an extremely cold day toward
the end Of winter when 1 reached the
mine. The division superintendent in
charge of the work laid out fannels,
overails, big rubber boots, and the regu-
lation miners cap. and clad in these we
prepared to descend. The main slope be-
ing blocked by the fire ana the fallen root,
entrance to the mine was by an airway,
not more than four feet square down
which rough track had been pult, and
on 1t small car, hardly larger than a
wheelbarrow, carried the men and sun
plies up and down. The slope was Of
about % degrees, the track rough and
uneven, ana the roof within a few inches
of our heads. Holding tight and obey
Ing the timely injunction, Keep your
heads down." we rattled-or rather seem
cd drop-down the 600 feet to the lowest
level The air was peculiarly heavy and
nauseating.
There is about per cent. of fire-damp
In it," calmly remarked the superintend-
ent, and added with equal calmness, Ten
per cent. will KILL
In the gangway, however the air was
purer, and we enjoyed the full force Of
the sweet current sent down from the
surface by the powerful fans. A tramp of
eO feet along the gangway, past several
large canvas doors, brought US to a place
on the main slope where the ascent to
the fire began, for we were a couple of
hundred feet below it. The canvas doors
confined the air current to certain limits,
and the main current was carried along
the gangway in a wooden casing to the
point where the men were at work AT
Inf ~ H.
blocked by the fire, the superintendent
informed me. with a smile, that the only
means of getting back to the surface was
by the narrow airway by which we hal
descended, and If that oaved in, we7Sut
It was not necessary for him to finish
As We walked UP the slope there was a
noticeable change in the temperature; II
grew rapidly warmer, and l began to real
ize that the 1anneIs we wore were I'M
! usually thick and heavy Up the slope
which fs at an incline of % degrees, we
walked, and soon the air was heavy with
clouds of steam, and the heat became
more and more oppressive. A turn to
the left, and small way parallel with the
slope was reached Just in time to meet
three miners who staggered past US like
drunken men.
They come from the face of the fire."
said the superintendent. On mining par
lance the face" means the front)
These men wore overalls, rubber boots
and flannel shirts open at the chest They
were half sick with the heat, and at the
turn of the slope threw themselves breath
less in corner, where other men dashed
cold water over them. At this point the
temperature was 100 degrees Fahrenheit
But this was not a circumstance to what
we soon experienced, and 1 little thought
that in a short time l should find the spot
| cool and refreshing. On we climbed stead
ily, and now frequently passed exhausted
fre-hghters and others going to relieve
| them. There were $50 men I'm this part Of
| the mine, divided into small gangs of if
teen or twenty, each gang working for ten
minutes at a time, 1t being Impossible to
| labor longer In the great heat.
The ascent soon became sleeper, and
now streams of water poured down the
cutters at each side of the slope and soon
! overlooked the tracks. At a small plat
form We met one OF the foremen. The SUI
| perlntendent shouted in his ear aud then
in mine. and we shook hands. II was i'm
possible to hear a word, owing to the
! rush of the water, and Il was difficult 20
see the lights in the other mems lamps,
so dense was the steam. The superinten-
| dent and the foremen motioned for me
| to follow, and fastened up the slope. Al
| ter them / went as best could. now STUN
bling. for the water nearly carried me Oft
my feet, now stopping for breath. until
|
| the slope was blocked by a great mass OF
| coal and rock on which dozen men we're
| directing big streams of water and from
which great clouds Of steam arose, hiss
ing.
There was none of the red glare of
| flames that / expected to see, but there
was no doubling the near presence OF the
| fire: the place was like a furnace. We
stood facing this pile for few minutes.
breathing and exhaling, II seemed to me.
/ nothing except steam. and ! wondered
| whether my throat and windDipe we're
turning a nice and delicate brown like tho
| outside OF a roast OF beef. The place was
| like q half hundred Turkish baths com
bined IN one. plucked the superlntend-
! ents sleeve when felt that to stay long
err meant death, and he led the way down
ward none too soon TO please me, for I
was pinlng for the freezing air OF the
mountain side some 600 fset above. At n
delightfully."- cool spot where the thermom-
eter marked 100 degrees, we sat on a
bench 20 recover. and when ] felt strong
enough TO speak, the superintendent in
| terrupted me.
wait awhile before YOU express an
| opinion" he said: I'VE have not been up