El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-07-30
CAS- EXPLOSIONS
TO Be PREVENTED
Copper Queen Takes Steps
to Safeguard Miners in
Underground Workings.

Bisbee, Ariz. July 3O.-The Copper
Queen company has concluded an ex-
haustive investigation of the cause for
the gas that appeared in the HOlbrOOk
shaft, resulting in the overcoming of
a number of miners At first it was
thought that a new fire had started in
the shaft, but investigation proved that
the gases were generated and came
from the old fires of several years
ago, when the interior of the mine
was on fire for more than a month.
The investigation shows that the release
and escape of the gases came about
through a movement of the ground
Bulkheading has since been carried on
extensively and has effectually shut
off the inflow of gas
Additional expense has been taken in
steps to remove the danger in the fU-
ture and to provide greater facilities
for whatever trouble of the sort may
occur in the mines One step in this
direction during the week was the
cleaning of ground at a central 10
cation to the various shafts for the
erection of a building in which will be
placed all the helmets and other de-
vices used in case of gas, of which the
company has a large supply. In the
new central location all of these aids
Will be quickly available to any of the
shafts. For a long time there has
been no trouble from gas in any of
the actively operating mines in the
district and the full equipment and
convenient location of the necessary
rescue apparatus is now believed to
place the danger from gas at a mini
To Oil FIOtatiOn Process
Oil flotatiOn for the separating of
values from concentrating ores is a
new process that will probably be
Copper Queen of its concentration in
the district. Experiments with the
flOtatiOn system have been attended
with excellent results at a number of
large concentratOrs and there is every
reason to believe that the system
would be a success here. The system
is patented and was discovered in
England 4 large cut in both the cost
of installation and operating expenses
of a concentrating plant is claimed by
use of the new method.
While present actively employed
concentration equipment makes it pos
sible to handle ore averaging less than
one percent copper count, the new
process is claimed to make even ore
mercial product If this be proven.
the vast amount of low grade copper
ore on the surface of the district will
mean that Bisbee has store house
that is practically inexhaustable. An
other feature here is that practically
all the low grade is on the surface and
the Introduction of the new system
will mean the speedy realization OF
the prediction of mining men that ex-
tensive steam shovel operations will
soon be carried on in the district This
method is by far the cheapest of any
known mining method.
Commonwealth Extension Work.
]. Williams. Of the Commonwealth
extension, has returned from the prop
erty and reports that the work at the
mine continues without a hitch and
that superintendent Lem Stallings is
continuing the record shaft drilling
The shaft is now down more than $50
feet and it is expected that the 400
foot level will be reached early in Au-
a 4 is
put in and extensive drifting to the
east and west viii be undertaken Ship
ments can be expected before the end
of so days. All the stock has been
taken off the market showing that
the company considers that it has an
excellent proposition
New shipper in District.
new shipper has been added to the
Warren district This is the Higgins
Leasing company, which has consigned
its first car to the FL PasO smelter.
The company controls the old Higgins
shaft, from which a large quantity of
ore was taken some time ago. The
lease is for Is months and there is
every indication that this will be ma
terially extended The lease is owned
by local mining men, who financed
the project themselves. no stock being
put on the market The mine is prin-
cipaly known for its high values in
lead-silYer ores, which are being
treated by the Ell Paso smelter, the
Douglas smelter taking only copper
ores The ore at present is being taken
from one main drift, which is rapidly
being pushed. but later more drifts will
be opened up. Development work by
the Uncle Sam claim and the Shattuck
have amply demonstrated that the Hig-
gins is surrounded by large lead-silver
deposits and the indications are that
the mine is the very heart of the body.
The shipments will be steadily in
creased
Small Leasers Active.
Small leasers continue to open up
more and more territory of both the
large companies and on individual