Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1907-06-13
GREAT NINE FIRE our AT LAST.
Homestake Mine Has Been Anlaze for
TWO Months.

Homestake Mine Has Seen Anlaze for
Two months.
One Of the greatest fires that ever
occurred In gold mine in this coun-
try has Just been overcome by the
Homestake Mining company at Lead.
For over two months the company
struggled with this fire, and 1t was not
until it had burned for thirty days
that it was found necessary to turn
into the mine all the available water
and to food the scores OF miles OF III.
derground workings. The most re-
markable feature in connection with
this event is that although for days
men were carried out of the mine un-
conscious from the effects Of the dead,
ly gas, though cave-ins occurred and
redhot rock was mined from the
slopes in the hope Of getting at the
fire, though the shafts are full Of
water and are hundreds Of feet deep,
yet there has not been single fatality
and the death Of two horses has been
the only loss of life.
On the evening Of March Is. Just If.
ter the night shift went on duty. the
people we're startled by the ringing Of
the fire bell and In few minutes tho
word had been carried through Lead,
Deadwood, and even into the outside
camps that the Homestake mine was
on fire. The blaze started on the
ninth floor Of the 600-foot level, and
consequently was very near the 500
foot level. 1t was supposed to have
ignited from the blasting out OF soma
old timbers by the day shift just be-
fore they went off duty.
From the very beginning the flames
we're beyond control. The great diff
ficulty was caused by the forming nj
the deadly carbon dioxide gas, which
made it impossible for the men to ap-
proach near the fire and which over
came them by the dozens, so that they
were carried out either unconscious
or raving in delirium.
Fire helmets were secured and with
the help of these the little army OF
workers pushed somewhat nearer the
blaze Brattices were built and follow
ing along one side with compressed
air and water the fighters made an.
other attack upon the blaze. Steam
was turned In, water was sent down
through the open cut with the hope
that It. might reach the infected spot,
tunnels were reopened and entrance
to the burning Slopes sought In this
way. All was useless.
On the morning Of April g. after q
night Of great danger, Supt. Grier or
dered all men out OF the mine and the
fight was continued for time
through upper tunnels by means Of
small streams Of water through the
open cut, underneath which the FIRE
was supposed to be located and by
repeated efforts on the part Of the fire
brigade to reach the blaze by the help
of their helmets and the brattices.
On April % the order to flood went
forth, the last resort, and everything.
even the few mills which were still
operating, were closed. The work.
ings of the mine are 1850 feet deep
and there are over 100 miles of under
ground channels. The natural flow
Of water into the mine filled It to the
1,100foot level, and from there up, the
work of filling was accomplished In
an unexpectedly short time.
The space to be filled amounted to
6S 1882 cubic feet and required 570,-
100000 gallons of water In order to
effect this flooding, water was turned
in through the Ellison shaft, the open
cut, and even the old Lincoln shaft
was opened up for this purpose. BY
means Of flume water was brought
In through tunnel at the north end,
creek was turned III through the Saw
age tunnel by hume 5000 feet long.
20 inches wide and 80 inches deep.
This gave a volume of water equal
to about $500 gallons minute, and
this, in addition to the water the mirs
makes and the additional supply
caused by heavy rains and SHOWS,
brought the flood to the highest pos
sible point, about 80 feet on tho 300
foot level by the 10Th of May, only
thirty-seven days from the commence
ment- When this was accomplished
there was no question that the fire
was out
1t is impossible at this date to esti
mate the actual loss to the COMPANY
The greatest item, Of course, comes IN
the loss of product, which can be
reckoned very fairly. From April to
April p, only 600 out Of the 1000
stamps dropping and from April % to
May 30 there was no output whatever.
The average monthly bullion output Of
this company is about $4,000, and
hence the bullion loss for this time ap-
proxinates $94s,160 There must be
taken into consideration also, the fact
that when the mills began work on
May 29,. only $40 stamps were drop.
ping out Of the 1000. This means that
the monthly product Will be dimtn.
ished by over one-half while this con.
tinues. and how long that will be it is
impossible to say. The loss In bull.
ion may, however, be- placed very con.
servatively at s1,00o,0OO
I