The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1907-06-14
aREAr MINE FIRE OUT At LAST.
Homestake Mine Has Been AbIaxs for
Two Months.

Homestake Mine Has Been AhIaxs for
Two Months.
One OF the greatest dres that ever
occurred In a gold mine In this ooun.
try has just been overcome by the
Homestake Mining company at Lead.
For over two months the company
struggled with this fire. and it was not
until 1t had burned for thirty days
that 1t was found necessary to turn
into the mine all the available water
aud to food the scores Of miles Of I'm,
foreground 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 a sin gle fatality
and the death Of two horses has been
the only loss Of life.
On the evening Of March Is. just At
ter the night shift went On duty. the
people were startled by the ringing OF
the fire bell and in a 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 have
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 danes
we're beyond control. The great dit
fculty was caused by the forming nj
the deadly carbon dioxtde 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 delirfum.
Fire helmets were secured and with
the help OF these the little army Of
workers pushed somewhat nearer the
blaze. Brattices we're 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 yer 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 this
fight was continued for a time
through upper tunnels by means OF
small streams OF water through the
open cut, underneath which the 6re
was supposed to be located, and BY
repeated efforts on the part Of the hre
brigade to reach the blaze by the help
Of their helmets and the bratttces.
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 1t to the
1,100-foot level, and from there up, the
work of filling was accomplished IN
an Unexpectedly short time.
The space to be filled amounted to
6s, 1893, 621 cubic feet and required So.
900, 900 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
opened up for this purpose. BY
means of a nume water was brought
In through a tunnel 1t the north end,
and a great part OF the Whttewood
creek vas turned in through the Saw.
age tunnel by a flume 5000 feet long
20 inches wide and 80 inches deep.
This gave a volume of water equal
TO about $500 gallons a minute, and
this, in addition to the water the mira
makes and the additional supply
by heavy rains and SHOWS
brought the flood to the highest pos
sible point, about 80 feet on the 300
foot level by the goth of May. only
thirty-seven days from tho commence
ment- When this was accomplished
there vas no question that the fire
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 a be
reckoned very fairly. From April 3 to
April 20, only 600 out Of the 1000
stamps dropping and from April 70 to !
May 30 there was nc output whatever. |
The average monthly bullion output oi
this company is about 100000. and
hence the bullion loss for this time ap- |
$943.160. There must Be
taken into consideration also. the fact
that when the mills began work on
May 20, only $40 stamps wer drop
ping out Of the 1000. This means that
the monthly product will DO dimtn.
Ished by over onehalf while this con.
and how long that will be it 10
to say. Tho loss In bull. |
NAV. however. be placed vorv CON-