The Butte inter mountain., 1902-09-01

possessions from going up in smoke.
The structure burned was partly in
surcd, but the amount carried was not SUI
iicicnt TO cover the total loss. The shaft
house contained two engines, one OF which
was used for hosting purposes while the
other operated the large Cornish pump,
which the company placed on the properly
in 1885, al a cost OF many thousands OF
dollars.
The heaviest loss will be on the ma
chinery. The shaft was damaged 10
a depth OF about 20 feet and might have
suffered severely had it not been bulk
headed below, to prevent the draft from
carrying the flames down.
Half Dozen Streams.
The Alice company has two stamp
mills, one containing 20 stamps and the
other 90. The latter is about 100 yards
from the former in direct line west and
Is also connected with the hosting works
by a tramway. The blaze did not get
near it. The 2o-stamper, however, is so
close to the hosting works that it was
saved only by the heroic efforts OF the fire
men. Half dozen streams were playing
OH the flames at one time, but had there
been as many more the works could not
have been saved, as the blaze had too much
of start to be headed off.
The Magma Charta mine, which belongs
to the company. is located about 200 yards
east Of the Alice shaft and is connected
with the latter by a covered tramway,
which spans deep gulch. At first the
flames from the burning building at
tempted to shoot through the tramway, but
the 6remen soon stopped them by tearing
nE tt,a In, ,tal
near the shaft house
Volunteers Render Valuable Aid.
While the fire was burning the volur-
| tcers received valuable assistance from the
| Lexington company, the Anaconda com
| pany, the Montana Ore Purchasing COM
| pany, the Butte fire department and the
mines of w. A. Clark, all of which had
representatives on the ground with ap-
I paratus and suggestions as to the best
method of controlling the conhagration
and conhning it to the shaft house. John
Gillie OF the B. & B. was there and at his
suggestion the shaft of the Alice was bulk
headed to prevent the flames from extend
ing to the timbers below the surface.
James keegan of the Mountain Consoli-
dated was on the ground with his crew OF
fire fighters, and George Lapp, chief of the
4hiasohaa company department, was on
hand with his men. They all took part i,
the fight.
Fortunately the property of the Alice
was not in operation, it having been closed
down during the slump in silver in 1893
Considerable work has been done by
lessees in the properties of the corpora
tion since then, but at no time has tn,
force been very large. AS the lessees wer'
working through other openings they will
not be interfered with to any great ex
tent
One Of the Early Plants.
The shaft-house was built about q
years ago, it being about the first erecte'
In that district. The shaft of the Alice i
1900 feet deep, but at present it is full o
water to the 7oo-foot level.
After the blaze had been extinguishe
Superintendent T. w. Buzzo, who worke
like trojan during the battle, banquete
the fremen in the office of the compan
and complimented them highly on the goo
work they performed.
Superintendent Buzzo, of the propert,
| says that the company has an extra hoist
| ing engine in the machine shop which ca
be put in place and made ready for use