The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-03-25
FIRES AT
CO1hIERIES.
The Breaker Of Lamb and DAVIS De-
StrOyed Last Night.
NO MEANS TO FIGHT THE FIRE
Engine House, Boiler House and Stable Also
Destroyed Fire Raging in the Law
renee Colliery- Shenandoah city
Colliery Boiler House Tenn
porarily Disabled by
Bursting Steam Pipe.

The breaker and adjoining buildings of the
! Mountain coliery, at Turkey Rum formerly
operated by NJ. W. Shoemaker and now
owned by ex-Councilman A. 3. Lamb and
George Davis, were totally destroyed by fire
at about l2 o'clock last night.
At the time the fire started, aud for some
time afterwards Messrs. Lamb and Davis
and James Pratt were at work down the
slope Of the colliery, repairing pump. Mr..
Lamb says they first went down the slope at
$3.50 p. m. About II o'clock Mr.. Lamb re.
turned to the surface and went iuto the
engine house to dry his clothes aud get some
tools. At l1:3O he again went down the
slope, and about an hour and half later
again started for the surface to turn on the
steam in the engine house, the repairs to the
pump having been completed. " hen he got
to the top of the slope he found the breaker
aud other buildings were almost burned
down. Many of the residents of Turkey
Run, including the Defender Hose Company
were upon the scene but powerless to dc
anything towards fighting the fire.
The breaker, engine house, boiler house
and stable were totally destroyed. The fire.
men state that they were upon the scene in
time to save the property, but they had not
sufficient hose and the nearest fire plug was
frozen.
The loss is about g. 600. with $500 in insur.
ance. The mine is a small one and the coal
Is taken from a slope sunk on a local basin of
! the seven-foot vein. The cause of the fire
has not been determined. Those first upon
the scene say it started in the engine house.
| There was a stove in this building. but
whether the fire was started by this, or by a
spark from lamp when the men passed in
and out Of the building, cannot be decided
Messrs. Lamb and Davis have not decided as
to whether they will rebuild the plant, but
they will probably do SO. The loss is a severe
one TO them.
STEAM PIPE BURSTS.
| 12-inch steam pipe in the boiler house al
the Shenandoah City coliery burst at 5:15
last evening. 1t blew out the brick wall at
the back of one set of boilers. The boiler
house was slightly damaged Several win
dows were blown out. None of the fremen
or helpers were injured. The accident
caused a stoppage of the mine pumps and
water accumulated to TIE depth of two OF
three feet on one of the gangways. Temper
airy connections were made and the water
was pumped out early this morning. Per
manent connections will be made in time fol
the colliery to start IS usual on Monday
morning.
FIRE IN THE LAWRENCE.
| Men at work in the Lawrence colliery
MahanOy Plane, last night found it difficult
to remain at their labors on account o
sulphurous smoke. They were finally
ordered out of the mine, and an in vestigatiou
! followed. 1t resulted in the discovery of a
! fire in the fourth lift. The origin is not
known. Little can be learned of the real
situation, but it was stated this afternoon that
there was raging FIRE in the mine Mine
Inspector Stein spent several hours there last
night with number of other officials, and at
seven o'clock this moraing the inspector re-
turned to the mine, aud was still there at a
late hour this afternoon. This is accepted as
an indication that the fire is a serious one.
The colliery is operated by the Lawrence
Coal Company.
Just before the HERALD went to press In
spectOr Stein returned to town and stated
that the fire is serious one. 1t was dis
covered between breasts 10 and H. East
Buck Mountain gangway, fourth
lift, The fire is supposed to be
in breasts II and Is. Men
are at work cutting hitch" in the
tunnel and will build dam for the purpose
of drowning that section of the colliery.
The tunnel referred to connects the Buck
Mountain and Skidmore veins. The pressure
of the water on the dam to be built
will be los pounds to the square inch.
| The colliery will not be thrown idle by the
flooding of the affected section. 1t was work
| ing to-day, and coal will be taken out from
the West Buck Mountain fourth lift and
upper workings.