The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-01-12
Captain John S. Barrett and Pump :
man John Beebe Are Suffocat.
ed Number Are Overcome
But Are Revived by PuImotor.
Night Mining Captain Lost While
Assisting in Rescue Work.
Will Flood Hartford Mine to
Prevent Spread Of Flames.
CBy J. A. Mlnnear q Co.'S wlreD

Negaunee, Mich, Jan. 12-The frs.
mine IRE Of any consequence 10 occur
on the Marquette range since the Hart
ford iir" Of two years ago, broke out in
the Negaunee mine Of the Cleveland
cliffs Iron co. last evening shortly af-
ter O'clock. causing the death OF
John S. barrett the night mining cap
tain and John Beebo. one Of the
pumpnen
\ number of the mon who entered
the mine were overcome. and IL is re-
markable that more lives were not
lost
The FIRE was still burning this after
noon but every effort was being made
10 put il out The large quantity or
smoke and gas In the workings makes
the task difficult one and ii will be
some time before il will be possible
to resume mining.
There was only one man in the mine
at the time the fire started That man
was the pumpman who was stationed
at the 6l2 level Of the No. . shaft He
noticed smoke in the shaft and tele-
phoned 10 the engine house. John
Beebe, the other pumpman was on
surface at the time, eating his lunch
and hc decided 10 90 70 his station
100 feet below that Of the other pump
man. He notified the engineer that
he would return II he found the smoke
too thick No word was heard from
him again. and he is now somewhere
in the mine a victim Of smoke
Rescue Crew Enters Mine.
y rescue crew. headed by Capt Fred
Ware entered the mine about half an
hour after Reebe. Most of the mem
tors OF the party Were equipped with
oxygen helmets ana three Of the men
went 20 the scene Of the blaze but did
not succeed in finding Beebe They
fought the flames for a while but the
oxygen was fast being used up and
they had 10 return TO the shaft
The ere was found TO be ia the sta
tiou where Beebe looked after the
pumps over 1000 feet from the main
shaft through which the rescuers en-.
tered. The rescuers had a difficult
time getting back 20 the good air one
cf them becoming exhausted and his
companions were so weak they could
not assist him. Some time after he
managed to reach the main OPENING.
but how ne got there he does not know
or remember. After the first rescue
party returned, another crew took the
helmets and set out for the fire to SEQ
what they could accomplish
Capt. Barrett Loses Life.
one of the latter party. Capt Bar
rett los, his lie. He had on a helmet
hut took it off for some unknown
reason. His cries for help were heard
nv men near the shaft and they man.
aged to reach him and get him out.
but life was extinct
Captain Ware was overcome and
had L. le taken 10 surface where \
rulmotor was used on him. Several ~
the Other men also felt the effects of
the smoke
The work underground was greatly
hampcred because OF the death of
Capt Ware
capt. Rough and Ealliott the sup
crintendent were absent from the city
and there were few men who We're
familiar with an of the workings.
which are a good many miles in ex.
tent
Expert Rescuer in Charge.
c.. s. stephenson, who lately joined
the company's safety force after eight
years OF services with the government
rescue ears. took charge Of the work
underground and has been constantly
on the scene. He has organized crews
To- construct bulkheads TO get the
water To- now 20 tho pump station,
whcrc the fire is raging, and Il is be-
heved that the Hartford mine will
be soon flooded
The men who lost their lives and
The members Of the rescue crews de-
serve great credit for their work. Capt.
Barrett lost his life trying TO save ono
Of his men who was probably already
dead. The men were eager for WORK
and had to be cautioned continually
about taking chances.
Capt. Barrett leaves wife and eight
children the oldest of which is six
teen years John Beehe was a single
man.