Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1905-05-24
Page Five
cave-1n at Jerome Shuts Down Plant

day at noon told of an enormous cave
 in at the United Verde mine of Je- rome, which occurred about r clock, taking with it ore, earth and rock, and destroying shaft. stOpes and all under pinning in its course to the 7OO-fOot level of that portion of the mine lying northeast from the depot By good fortune no lives were lost. the men be- low having become frightened and come to the surface shortly after II a. m., when the creaking of the tim bers warned them that a disaster might be imminent
 Authentic news as to the exact extent and damage is at late hour tonight not obtainable, but it is reported by phone from Jerome that an indefinite shut down may necessarily ensue- So far as can be learned no lives were lost Eor no one injured. all men be low having been accounted for
 The damage done to the mine, and the cave-in. were not altogether unex- pected, as ever since the heavy rams of the winter and spring. a-d the first cave-in that resulted il disastrous explosion, costing six lives. there have been signs of further trouble.
 Officials of the company have stead fly coaterdcd with the existing condi- tions. and much work in re-enforcing and strengthening timbers has beeeH done for many weeks past. For the past three days indications of cave in have been in evidence even on the surface. but not of a ,a;ure to lead to alarm.
 It was but an hour before the cat astrophe that grooming timbers below and peculiar cracking symptoms OIL the surface, led to immediate signs of trouble. This caused all the men to hurriedly leave the lower levels, and after they had reach places of safety the crash came.
 To those best acquainted with the conditions as they now exist there is no danger to be apprehended from any eave-in about the immense smelling plant to the southwest. This rests on a solid body of orc that is reported very rich, and to insure a firm base for the heavy machinery of the smelt CT this immense body of ore has been left intact. This enormous mass of machinery covers several acres of ground in all, and it's damage or loss would be practically irreparable,
 Midnight Interview
 At a few moments after 12 o'clock this morning Deputy Sheriff West Owens of Jerome was seen here by JOurnal-Miner reporter. He at once spoke of the cave in, and explained that he was on the scene when it Oe- cured; had read the reports in cir eulation here, and wished to correct some misleading statements. He said:
 ''First off, this has been made too much oft is overdrawn. There was a cave-in, and it was expected, buf the damage and the extent of the cave in are plainly Over-estimated. IL oe- cured about 75 feet from the round house, the old round house, and left a surface hole about twenty by thirty feet. Most of the surface rock and earth lay, I should say about twelve feet below where it slid from. In one spot it had forced its way perhaps thirty feet below the surface. Smoke sulphur smoke-was lazily drifting out of the erevices in the eave-in when l left.
 ''There was no slide or eave-in- on the hill. think a few loose rocks fell. probably, as a result of the first , crash, but the hill there is just as it has been. The report about the de- struction of the new shaft and engine is all wrong. It was not injured at all, and the hoist was at work when I left.
 "The engine-a switch engine hat was left on the turn table. was of and at work before left town so you nay understand the extent of the da- mage to the yard. Of course. trains .annot cross into the station until hey repair and fill in about the cave n, but I think one days work will uffiee for that part of it.
 "There are cracks in the surface all round the point of the eave-in. but hey do not seem to spread. As to the actual damage I doubt whether nyone can now estimate it. Wheth- r the slide damaged the mine to the co foot level cannot say, but when left men were going down to begin epair work.
 E'The general tone of a11 hear and