The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1911-03-04
He Belmont Mine Disaster
From The Tonopsh Miner of February 25


The worst disaster that has visited
this section of the State occurred this
week in the Tonopah- Belmont mine, as
the result of fire which started early
last Thursday morning in q pile of
stored lumber on the 1i66-foot level.
near the winze connecting that level
with the Ii00-foot level. Just when
the fire started is impossible to
to learn. as everything was all right
when the shift came off at $3.50 a. m, /,
bot when the day shift reported for
work few minutes before z o'clock.
there was considerable smoke coming
through the Belmont shaft, and the
men went down the mine through the
old Desert Queen shaft. 1t was i'm.
mediately seen that IL would be i'm.
possible to carry on the regular mining
operations on account Of the immense
amount of smoke in the mine. so the
men were Immediately ordered to the
surface, a small force under the super
vision of Superintendent Bradshaw
and Mine Foreman Fitzgerald remain
ing below to fight the fire. Two or
three trips we're made through the
Belmont shaft, but as the draft was
earring the smoke through that shaft,
il was soon abandoned and efforts re-
doubled through the Desert Queen
shaft.
In the faces of the drifts on the 100
and I166-foot levels the atmosphere was
practically clear. but further back and
nearer the fire the smoke and gas was
so thick that it was with difficulty that
Superintendent Bradshaw, Foreman
Fitzgerald and two or three miners
made their way to the shaft for the
purpose Of getting more help and what
ever appliances that could be found to
fight the fire. Shiftboss Frank Burke
and four other miners remaining to
build a bulkhead and do whatever they
could until reinforcements arrived.
After working their way through the
smoke and gas both Mr.. Bradshaw and
Mr.. Fitzgerald reached the surface COM
pletely overcome, and it was several
minutes before they were resuscitated.
Immediately upon gaining their senses,
In company with several miners, they
descended the shaft and made frantic
efforts to push their way through the
smoke, but the smoke and gas had in.
creased to such an extent that it was
impossible for any human being to sur
vive in it, and again they were brought
to the surface In an unconscious con-
dition. Short relay rescue parties were
Immediately formed from the hundreds
Of willing miners, who stood ready at
the mouth OF the shaft to take their
their lives in their hands in an endeavor
to rescue their fellow workers. All day
Thursday. Thursday night and Friday
morning they battled with the smoke
and gas. fighting the elements foot by
foot with compressed air and water.
until the top of the winzs leading down
from the 1000 foot level to the 1166.foot
level was reached, and finally the
rescuers succeeded in going down this
winzs TO the 100 foot level, from which
station food OF water was sent down
the winze 10 the 1166 foot level, near the
bottom of which the fire was burning
In a pile Of stored timbers.
At IL o'clock yesterday morning the
fire was practically under control. as
the smoke from the Belmont shaft had
decreased to such an extent as to allow
men to descend through it. The re-
lays Of men working underground kept
pushing forward. making frantic efforts
to locate any Of the men known to be
underground, and at about 10 o'clock
encountered the bodies of IL of the
unfortunate miners. but owing to the
large amount of gas they were forced
back before they could recognize any
Of the bodies. AS fast as possible the
gas was driven back by compressed air
and the men went to work and succeed.
cd in carrying the bodies to the station
at the shaft about IL o'clock, the un-
fortunate miners having made their
way to within short distance OF the
station, when they were evidently
overcome and fell in heap.
At 2 o'clock in the afternoon the first
cage load Of bodies was raised to the
surface, bringing up five blackened and
bruised forms. the features being so
distorted that it was extremely hard to
identify them. About 10 minutes
later another load of four bodies was
brought to the surface, followed in q
few minutes by two more bodies. max
ing II in all As fast as unloaded from
the cage the bodies were placed in
coffius aud taken to the morgue.
Among the bodies thus far recovered
was that of William Murphy. the hero.