The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1914-07-25
SINK SHAFT TO
RECOVER BODIES
CONFERENCE OF MINING MEN HELD
AT ALPHA LAST TUESDAY
WILL TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS
Pickands-Mather People Are Anxious
to Get Out the Bodies as Quickly
as Possible and With Safety

In response 70 an invitation from
Range Superintendent Lawrence
party OF mining men consisting of
JAS. Rough, assistant superintendent.
for the Cleveland. Cliffs Co., Alfred
Martin, superintendent for the NJ. A.
Hanna Company, Arvid Bjork, super
intendent for the Bristol Mining Co
Edward Pengilly in charge Of the
underground operations of the
Corrigan Mckinney people. e. f.
Brown, general manager for the Van
Dyke interests, Captains Bengry.
Brew, Lewis and Whitehead of the
Pickands-Mather properties, Captain
Greer Of the Carpenter, Captain Hol-
man of the Judson, Supt Perkins of
the Balkan. Supt. Dave Youngs of the
Youngs mine, Mine Inspector Jobe and
several of the mining engineers from
the different properties met at Alpha
10 look over the ground of the cave at
the Balkan and to advise as TO the
safest and best method 70 recover the
bodies.
OLIVER OFFICIALS HELP
Before the conference was completely
over with, party of Oliver Iron Min.
ing Co. officials consisting of Pres.
| Ollcott, Vice Presidents Mclean. Kerr
and Mitchell. Gen. Supt. Davidson,
Supt Eislie and others, all of whom
volunteeres their suggestions as re-
quested by Mr.. Lawrence.
In order to get an intelligent idea of
the task which confronts the Balkan
people II is necessary TO get the con-
ditions that reigned underground in
the property prior to the accident.
A drift had been run off at the
eighty FIVE foot level short distance
for pumping purposes. Below that
1 the shaft had been dropped 10 the 1870
foot level where drift was run Off TO
the south distance Of $50 feet on
this drift, short cross cuts were put In
at intervals and at the end OF each
cross cut raise was run up TO the
level above One raise was put up
about forty feet from the shaft and II
penetrated the hardpan above the ledge
and into the gravel total disancn of
40 feet before the pipe which was be.
ing carried up ahead told the worknaers
that they were near the sand Thi
raise was sealed up and the workmeu
went 10 the end of the drift, distance
of 300 feet where a second crosscut was
run off and "A raise run up. This raise
like the first one psntrated long way
into the hardpan and gravel before the
sand was reached and 10 was supposed
\ tnat the same line OF one near that
would rule between the two pints.
A third crosscut and raise was 10,
Gated about midway between the two
and when the workmen we've up but
about hale of the dista nee shown in
| the other two raises, the sand rush
came, showing that the hardpan line
was ooncave and that the raise from
which the accident emanated was
about the deepest part OF the BASIN.
/ The rush OF sand completely sealed
I up the shaft 10 distance of ten feet
above the back OF the second level aud
IL is supposed that the levels are on.
tirely sealed up.
The men caught in the trap were at
the end of the main drift from which
( the crosscuts were being run of and
close to the raise that broke through,
all of them behind the raise speaking
| ia reference 20 the main shaft
TWO METHODS CONSIDERED
Two methods were open. one 10 20
down in the shaft and clean out the
drifts distance bulk hear the main
drift cut into the ore body back Of
the affected raise, opening into the
main drift again behind IL where an.
other bulk head could be put in and
then the entire drift cleaned out
IL must be remembered that the
rush OF sand only filled the shaft 70
slight distance above the lower level
30 that the level Of the sand in the
shaft is 20 feet lower than that OF the
sand in the pit and that the workmen
in case the above method should be
followed would be menaced by the
pressure from above and another rush
of sand made possible
The other method was 20 sink a drop
shaft over tke affected raise down 70
the ledge. making the shaft large
enough TO take care Of the water, which