The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1910-01-19
WINS FIFTY YEAR
FIGHT WITH FIRE
Coal Worth $2,0o0,OOO,OOO
Saved by Engineer.
MANY PLANS TRIED IN VAIN.
Success Comes Finally With Building
Of Concrete Wall, Cutting OF From
Flames Main Body Of Threatened
Fuel In Gigantic "Thumb."

Of Concrete Wall, Cutting OF From
Flames Main Body Of Threatened
Fuel In Gigantic "Thumb."
In order to rave 4OO,OOO,OOO tons of
coal from a mine that had been burn
ing half a century one Of the most re-
markable operations in the history of
American engineering has just been
completed at Mauch Chunk, Pa.
The fire was discovered in the mines
on Feb. 10, 1859. During all the time
it has been raging, while two genera
tons were coming and going, it has
consumed 100000 tons of coal, esti-
mated to be worth $25, 10000.
Succeeding administrations of the
company owning the land have recog-
nized that the greatest service they
could do the company was to stop the
progress Of the flames before they
finally got into the main deposit and
destroyed all the coal.
Coal Worth Billions In Danger.
Four hundred million tons Of that
lay in danger, and this represented a
value Of $4,000, 10000.
It was a stake we'll worth playing
for and well worth exerting the last
atom Of ingenuity and spending a
fortune in cash If the advance Of the
flames could be checked.
One plan after another was tried by
engineer after engineer, but the result
vas always the same-failure and a
big outlay Of money for which no re-
turn could be shown.
In the early stages the blunder was
made of attempting to subdue the
flames with water, but this only made
the situation worse. The water COM
ing in contact with the flames pro-
duced explosions that cracked the coal
open and made new paths along which
the fire could make it's way.
Sometimes the fire would slow up a
bit. and engineers would get the idea
that they had succeeded. On one &C.
casion, indeed, it seemed to have stop
ped altogether, but just when this
hope dawned the flames broke out
afresh in still more powerful volume,
and the sacrifice Of valuable coal land
went on undated.
Gigantic "Thumb" of Coal.
Only one fortunate circumstance
came to the aid of the man who has
now finally succeeded in making the
winning fight against the fire. w. A.
Lathrop. This is the shape of the de-
post. The general shape Of the Pan
Their creek coal basin has been likened
to that of a mans hand, with the
thumb extended and the other fingers
held together. The spur that marks
the thumb extends to Summit Hill.
and at the end of the thumb the slope
was originally opened up.
The point where the fire started fifty
years ago was on the outside of the
thumb. 1t has taken fifty years for
the flames to eat up this giant thumb,
but after the accomplishment of the
job the next step of the work of dev-
astation would be to get into the
main part of the hand.
Once into the hand there would have
been nothing to stop the progress, and
4OO.OOO,OOO tons of coal must inevitably
have been sacrificed.
But there is where science, in the
person of Engineer Lathrop, came to
the rescue. In addition to being an
expert on engineering subjects Mr..
Lathrop is also the president Of the
company, and he has beer for a long
time devoting himself to study of the
subject in order to save the great coal
deposit.
He first tried in vain the plan of
'slushing holes" Long borings were
made across the spur and in advance
Of the rapidly moving flames. 1t was
difficult work, for the heat was great.
and the men who gave the battle had
to be constantly relieved.
Those 700 holes were driven down to
the water level and were then filled
with mud. the idea being to form q
barrier Of wet clay between the fire
and the main coal deposit.
sIush No Bar to Flames.
The deepest of the holes was so deep
that it took 5000 tons Of the slush to
I'LL it. But ten times that much would
have proved unavailing. The flames
went right through the slush the same
Is If it had been SO much combustible
material.
In December. 1908, the fire went
through the last of the mud d~efenses
and brought Mr.. Lathrop to the de-
cision that only n thing could save
the main coal deposit. A solid con.
crete wall must be placed ahead of the
flames.
This was to be built exactly on the
same lines as the fireproof wall that
guards a dwelling-for instance, a the.
alter.
Only in this case was presented the
enormously difficult project Of sinking
such a wall IT'S feet deep into the
earth. 1t had to be twelve feet thick
to make sure that no fame could get
through it,, and in order to make a
long enough contact to the flames.
Al-A