Evening journal., 1898-05-24
THE DEEPEST NINE SHAFT.

One day in the latter part Of March |
so quietly that il was not known save
10 employees for several days, the great
est mining shaft in the world went into
commission.
After mine years Of incessant labor
and expenditure Of over two and a half
millions OF dollars in cash, the Red
Jacket shaft OF the Calumet and Heo.a
Is now an integral part Of that great
copper mime.
The Red Jacket shaft Is vertical, all
other shafts OF the Calumet and Hecla
following the dip Of the .ode, Thirty
seven and a half degrees 10 the west
of northwest IL was started in 1889,
immediately after the last Of The three
great fires occurring underground in
the older Workings OF the mime, Whicn
did damage Of more than a million
dollars. Work has been continued
upon 1t might and day. IL Is 4,9OO feet
in depuh-but $50 feet less than fun
statute mhe-and compared with 1t
the deep silver mines OF The Comstcck
lode i'm Nevada or the wonderful
mines Cf Austria, worked for many
centuries past, are but shallow pits IL
contains six compartments, each equal
in size to am ordinary mining shaft,
IOuI AL MIAAn tAlt AhN0 ARA AAN.+t'N'-'9
rock and lowering timber One shaft
is utilized for the ladderways and uhe
sixth amid last compartment carries the
wires, water and compressed air
The underground workings OF uhe
shaft are laid cut with mathematical
accuracy. Uhe undertaking course OF
the copper bearing lode allowing The
work to be planned thousands of feet
aIhead OF the miners picks. The great
pumps which free THE mines OF water
are necessarily operated inlterdhange-
alb,y by Impressed air and electric
ity. The power drills which eat the
holes for dynamite carmidges age run
by compressed aid alone, and there are
moie than 300 OF these drills, each do
ing the work eli a dozen men, working
both day and might I'm the Calumet ana
Hec,a mine.
The use OF compressed air is great
boon to tihe miners as The heat would
be unhearable but for it's cooling ef-
focte. Air parts with much of its hea.t
under COMPRESSION ana when liberated
rubs surrounding objects of their heat.
With n rock temperature of 81 6-lO de-
grees Fahrenheit at the 1900 foot level
uhe cooling eifects of the air from the
drills is most grateful.
Besides the heat, miners in the de-p
shaft haVe another serious obstacle to
contend with. The waiter teaching
Through the copper strata gradually nc
quires an acid tone. which is very
marked at considerable depths, and
miners working three-quarters OF o
mile or more below the sunlight must
protect head and hands from the
water. which gives rise to serious blls-
ters. and eventually to ulcers THAT eat
to The bone if allowed to come in free
contact with the skin. But for the
danlgor from the water the miners
would strip TO the waist at their work,
as is done in many coal mines
There is a complete telephone system
underground; also a fire alarm system.
Waiter pipes run Through every DRIFT
and cross cut, with hose at convenient
stations There are also fire doors, by
which any portion OF the mine may
be quickly Isolated and fire smother
ed before it has spread far. Owing 100
the treacherOus nature OF the conglo-
merato rock in WHICH the copper ls
found almost incredible quantities oi
heavy timber are required to shore the
ground safely. In the newer openings
1his timber is damp and burns with
NlIIGullNs fUul 10 AAAh AAAAAANAf t1AON 49, ~
er the upper workings are drained dry
and the old timbering becomes like tin
o der. Eternal vigilance lis THE price OF
immunity from fire in a -big mine
The dangers OF a mine fire were Illus
treated in September, 1895 at the Os-
ceola mine, only a mile from the Rec
Jacket SHAFT, when thirty miners wen,
suffocated by the gases from frs
more than a quarter of a mile be.ON
thenE
Many as are the marvels OF this grea
flhaft itseM, they are duplicated by uh'
wonders upon surface. Rising over uh
mouth OF the shaft lis a gigantic stee
structure 100 feet Square and 40 Zee
hlgh. In this shaft house are the grea
rock Breakers and grizzlies. Masse
of flinty rock OF a ton or more in slz
are started through the CruShers anV
come out in a few moments as pebble
and chunks OF a size suited to TIM
steam stamps ait the mills, five mills
distant where THE daily product OF th
mine. some 5000 tons OF conglomerat
rock, is crushed to sand under the 81
gantic blows of more than a score C
steam stamps.
Near the shaft house are the bOilar
and engine houses beautiful building
OF selected Lake Superior red stone,
material so rich and costly that ii vie
with The finest granite in price. Withi
the first named buildings are ten grea
boilers, each CT 900 horse pOwer,whil
the lofty engine house, within roor
more than 100 feet square houses th
finest stationary engine ever built
monster made Of steel and p0lishe
brass, almost sentient in its rasOnse
the slightest touch OF the master d
recting It's work, who, at the touch (
lever and the turn Of wheel, exert
it's 5000 horse power ais he Wills.
Persons who are disagreeably affes
ed,by the speed of an express elevate
in a modern sky seraper would sin
appalled, at THE mere sight OF the fou
cages plying noiselessly up and dow
the mile shaft A speed Of eight (