Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1907-06-13
aaxAr MINE FIRE OUT At LAST.
Homsstaks Mine Has Been Ablaxe for
Two Months.

One or the greatest AISA sA"s
occurred in a gold mine IN this coun-
TRY has Just been overcome by tne
Homestake Mining company ct Lead.
For over two months the company
struggled with this IRE. and It was MOI
until It had burned for thirty days
that It was found necessary to turn
into the mine all the available water
and to flood the scores of miles Of un'
derground workings. The most r.
markable feature in connection with
this event is that although for days
men were carried out of the mine un-
CON scious 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 tire
fire, though the shafts are full 81
water and are hundreds of feet deep,
yet there has not been a single fataiity
and the death OF two horses has been
the only loss of life.
On the evening of March Is. just NJ
ter the night shift went on duty, the
people were startled by the ringing OF
the fire bell and in few minutes the
word had been carried through Lead,
Eeadwood. and even into the outside
camps that the Homestake mine was
on are. 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 nave
ignited from the blasting out OF some
old timbers by the day shift just be-
fore they went of duty.
From the very beginning the flames
were beyond control. The great dill
ficulty was caused by the forming oi
the deadly carbon dioxide gas, whicn
made it impossible for the men to APP
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 2, after .
night Of great danger. Supt. Grier or.
dered all men out Ct the mine and tbs
fight was continued for q 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 tho blaze by the help
of their helmets and the brattices.
On April % the order to food went
forth, the last resort, and everything.
even the few mills which were stu
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
1.100-foot level, and from there up, the
work Of filing was accomplished In
an unexpectedly short time.
The space to be filled amounted to
68, 393, 621 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 a tunnel ut the north end
and great part Of the Whitewood
creek was turned in through the Saw
age tunnel by q fume $500 feet long
20 inches wide and 30. inches deep.
This gave . volume OF water equal
70 about 1900 gallons a minute, and
this, in addition to the water the mirs
makes and the additional supply
caused by heavy rains and SHOWS
brought the food to the highest pos
sible point, about 80 feet on the 300.
foot level by the 10Th Of May, only
thirty-seven days from the commence
ment When this was accomplished Ell
there was no question that the fire
was out.
It is impossible at this date to est.
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 %, only 600 out OF the 1000
stamps dropping and from April 20 to
May 80 there was no output whatever
The average monthly bullion output oi
this company Is about $4,000, and
hence the bullion loss for this time ap.
proximates $943.160. There must Be
taken into consideration also, the fact
that when the mills began work on
May 20, only 40 stamps were drop
ping out Of the 1000. This means that
the monthly product will be dimin.
ished By over onehalf while this con
tinues, and how long that win be it Is
impossible to say The loss in bull
ion may, however, be placed very con
servatively at 81 ,0OO. 900.
Tho cost Of flooding tho mine was
but little more than nominal, while thu
cost Of unwatering will include the
cost Of labor and Of fuel for operating
the skips- Definite figures are here
again Impossible for two reasons Ii
the hrst place. It IL impossible to ten