The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-26
The st. Lawrence Mine at the
Eastern End of the Line.
ITS FINE PUMPING PLANT
Hosting Ore From Every Level-A Thor
oughly Modern Equipment-Build-
ings of Brick. Iron and
Steel-New Ones.

ing been specifically noticed in earlier
issues Of the Standards mining depart
ment. This mine lies almost due east
of the Anaconda, upon the rough and
ragged hillside that overlooks the Penn
sylvania, Silver Bow and the Meader-
vile smeters.
Its hosting equipment is sort Of
combination of those of the Anaconda
and the Never Sweat. The engine is a
double Poppett valve, 30X72 direct act
ing, made by the Union Iron Works OF
San Francisco. 1t is of the same make
and power as that of the Anaconda. On
the other hand, the boiler plant is iden-
tical with that of the Never Sweat,
save that there are only five at the St.
Lawrence while the Never Sweat has
seven. They are of the Berry pattern,
upright, and each of $50 horse power,
the outer case revolving and being pro-
vided with doors through which the
tubes can be cleaned.
This mine was the first in the dis
trict to install a steel gallows frame,
which is so feet in height to the center
of the sheaves, which are 10 feet in
diameter. Here again the equipment
resembles that of the Anaconda, al
though the St. Lawrence frame is not
quite so high as the Anaconda's. The
are hung under double-deck cages. This
is a reversal of the order at the Never
Sweat, where the skips are of 10 tons
and hung above the cages. The ar
rangement at the St. Lawrence would
seem to be the safer, as an accident to
the skip hanging below the cages would
be less likely to result in injury to the
men being raised or lowered. The skipS
dump automatically into a bin at the
collar of the shaft, whence it a. loaded
into five-ton cars and hauled by horses
to the main ore dump along the line OF
the railroad over which it Is carried to
the Anaconda smelterS, as are the ores
from the other mines of this great COM
pany
AS heretofore stated by the Standard.
the st. Lawrence does the pumping for
the three mines constituting the group.
Hence its pumping machinery is of a
powerful character. The pumping en-
gines are all below ground, and are
Of the Corliss type. The first was built
by Fraser & Chalmers in 1897, but has
since been remodeled with special ref
erence to the peculiar character of the
Butte water. This pump works by
steam and lifts the water 1000 feet.
Last year the company installed three
large cross-compound Corliss pumps,
built by the Dickson company Of Scran-
ton, Pa, from designs made in Butte,
sible, and adapted to the precise work
required of them. These three pumps
are worked by compressed air. The
ends are Of bronze. The valves now i'll
use are proving in the highest degree
satisfactory. Formerly the valves last
ed from three days to a week; now
they are good for months, and are then
easily replaced and repaired. The col
umn pipes are of steel lined with lead
and wood Every 200 feet there is
brass expansion joint, so that any
length of pipe can be taken out and re-
paired or replaced by a new one, in the
space of few hours.
On the 1,000-foot level there is a rope
haulage in operation, bringing the ore
from the slopes to the station bin. The
sinking is done by an Allis double 16x30
direct acting hoist capable of reaching
depth of 1000 feet from a given point.
At present this mine is hosting nearly
900 tons of ore each day, the ore be-
ing taken from all parts of the work.
ings from the 200-foot level down to
the 1,500, which is the lowest There
are from $50 to 200 men employed. and
the mine, with its sisters of the group,
is under the immediate superintendency
of John O'Neill, Mr. McCabe being the
timekeeper.
The timbers consumed here reach the
monthly aggregate of from 450, 900 to
same as those at the Never Sweat, be-
ing double, with compete set at each
end. so that it is unnecessary to reverse
the timber. The blacksmith shop, which
is built of steel. is equipped with an
1,100-pound steam hammer of the Ben
nett, Miles & Co. type. This summer a
new rope house was built and equipped
with the latest appliances for the sew
ing of cables. 1t is mainly built of cor
rugated iron and is probably 100 feet
by 40 in size.
Among the improvements now being
made may be mentioned the new hot
water tank at the east end of the boiler
house. 1t is said to be 3Sx19 feet inside
and 10 feet deep. 1t will be used for
heating the water before it is pumped
into the boilers, the heating being done
by the exhaust steam from the engine.
This Is not an innovation, the tank
being merely substitute for the
smaller one now in use for the same
purpose.
More important than this will be the
new dry house." the foundations of
Which have been laid. This will be a
two-story brick building, steam heated
and provided with well ventilated
lockers" in which the miners can Sc
curely keep their street apparel while
on shift and hang their underground
clothing to be dried when they come
from their work. The building will be
model of convenience and provided
with everything necessary for the COM
fort of the men while making the
changes in their apparel rendered
necessary by the character of their
work.
1t need scarcely be stated that ample
tank room is provided for the saving Of
the copper that is contained in the
water from these mines. There is as
much old iron on the ground to be used
in precipitating the copper as would be
necessary to stock huge foundry.
All in all, the ST. Lawrence may be
classed as one of the greatest mines of
the Butte district. Indeed, if the Stand
ards information is correct, it is at this
time sending out more ore than any
other single mine.