The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-04-18
LIVE NEWS OF
WEST SCRANTON
Clearing Up the Debris About the Scene
of the Oxford Fire.
PROBABILITIES OF REBUILDING
There Is an Impression That the Coal
That Remains in the Mine viii Be
Taken Out Through Other Open
ings--SmalI Fire in the Residence
of John Thomas, of North Bromley
-Ayenue-.rwo Largely Attended
Funerals.

Saturday morning a large force of
men were put at work cleaning away
the charred debris which remains after
the disastrous burning of the oxford
breaker, on Tenth street, early last
Friday morning. The men are in
charge of outside Foreman w. B.
Thornton. The purpose is to get the
loose stuff out of the way 80 as to get
at the large quantities of marketable
coal which the breaker pockets" con-
tanned at the time of the fire.
Temporary pockets will be erected
and the coal stored therein to guard
against loss and as a protection from
the weather. AS quickly as possible
the coal will be disposed of. Further
than the above work, nothing is be-
ing done just now Later, however, the
timbers in the shaft such as the bunt-
ings, carriage guides, etc, wherever
burned below the mouth of the shaft
will be taken out and replaced. The
column pipes of the big pump in sew
eral instances will need attention
Though the oxford workings are
known as "wet" in mining parlance,
no difficulty has ensued thus far in
handling the water. The secondary
steam plant, situated north of the de-
stroyed breaker and some distance
away, escaped injury of any moment
and all the steam required at present
| is at hand.
Naturally the above work is neces-
sary at this time, but the serious ques-
| ton which ConfTonts the officials and
| men who We're employed in the mines
| and breaker is that of rebuilding. The
| men are anxiOusly awaiting an answer
| to this question. and thus far moth
| ing has been given out by any Of
! fetal connected with the company
| which would in any manner answer the
! question.
So far as the necessity OF rebuilding
| is concerned as regards the getting out
of the coal, other arrangements are
| possible. There is coal enough to mine
for years to come, and of course will
not be abandoned. But these workings
are accessible by several openings from
adjacent workings, all belonging to and
| operated by the Delaware, Lackawanna
and Western company. For instance
| the Hyde Park mine workings are con
nected with the oxford in the bis
vein; the Central mines, in the Clarl
vein, and the Bellevue, in the rocl
vein. Either of the first two are prac
ticable for usage in hauling the Goa
out by these workings now. But ther'
Is no breaker at the Central shaft, th
coal from these workings being takei
to the Sloan breaker. And, too, Meth
er the Sloan or Central mines are be
ing operated owing to sinking opera
tions going on in both shafts to opel
up the Clark vein.
At the Bellevue connection in tn
rock vein it is not so practicable a
this vein is worked out in the OK
ford mines and abandoned. Still
could be adapted easily to a use of thi
kind. All three connections would en-
tail considerable expenditure to us
them
AS was stated in the report of tn
fire. the large 'vashery' breaker ad
joining the other breaker, was also de
stroyed. This plant was erected abou
three years ago at great expense an
was used in getting what good ther
was in the culm coming from the otht
breaker, this being usually waste. |
order to keep the "washery" supple
an endless chain with scoops attache
was used to draw the Culm already d,
posted in a huge dump" near by dul
ing the course of years previous to II
erection Of the "washery."
This dump divided into two parts !
South Luzerne street. covered approx
mately about twenty acres, and on
, about seven acres have been cleart
! thus far. There are possibly two re;
l sons why the "washery" may be r.
= built. The culm can still be utiliz,
=, and would go to waste otherwise al
, the land thus uncovered could be p'
on the market. Ninth and OXfol
streets could be extended through
Luzerne and Meridian streets respe
lively and thus big and valuable in
prOvement made.
The sinking of a shaft and erecti,
Of a COlliery upon a piece of proper
a situated opposite the South Steel mil
thus far not operated on, may aga
~ come for consideration. There W
j. some talk Of such a thing a few yea
Z ago, and now that there is some dou
,r as to the rebuilding of the OXfo
. breaker attention may revert to Il
. latter idea.