Douglas Island news., 1917-04-27
OPTIMISM IS RAMPANT
 ON DOUGLAS ISLAND
Dark Clouds of diversity Which HOyered Like Death
 Pail Over Island Owing to Mine Disaster Being Dis peIIedb by Rays of Hope and Optmism--IndicatOns Are That Flooded Cavities Will Again Be Scenes of Great Activities Ready Bullion Continues to Operate

While thc sun never shonc more brightly on Douglas Island than last Sunday morning. its sciutilatiug rays failed Co penetrate the gloom which hovcrcd like a pail over our people on that occasion. The de- prcssiou of feeling was we'll founded for owing Co cave-in the previous might at about ll.3O o'clock three of thc Trcadwcl mines had been flooded by millions of gallons of water. the Trcadwcu, Mexican and .70O.
 The coye-n occurred just under The swimming tank and fire hall and both buildings sank from sight into Che yowning abyss beneath, fol- lowed by a rush ot water from the bay. Sufficient time was allowed Co notify an the men in Che three mines and aII were rescued with Che possible exception of Alex TasscI who has not since been seen altho several of thc employees insist hc was @ passenger in che cage from Che Mexican mine.
 An Che homes in the vicinity ot thc cayc-iu were vacated os speedily as possible but thus far there have been no further slides into Che cavity From examinations since made by Che company's engineers, it is not anticipated that there will be further breaks.
 The fact remains however. that three mines. those above mentioned. are out Of business for Che time be- nr. but as they contain millions Of dollars worth of ore. much oi which Is already mined and reposiug iu che stopcs. it Is confidently believed steps win Doe taken for its recovery m which event Che Trcadwcll com pauy win bc the principal loser by thc disaster. as force of men equal Co that previously employed would be necessary Co carry on thc work
 The Sunday gloom lappcd over and oucompassed Monday. when. dur ng che first hall of thc day. it looked as tho owls might soon hoot at midnight from school and church belfrys on thc Island while bats would ever and anon dart iu and out through broken windows of deserted homes.
 Hope Springs Eternal
 But ft was not for long By Mon- day afternoon optimism began Co assert itself General Manager Brad ley set the pace. True. he said little but his every look and word mdi- catcd that he had no thought of throwing up Che sponge The result was that pcssimism gave way Co op- umism and Che latter has since been increasing and spreading until at present there are those here who are confident that. in ease operations arc naugurated Co salvage the ore and machinery in the three flooded mines. there will be more activity on the Island In future than there has been in the past.
 10 is known even this early that plans are being entertained for m- auguratiug operations which win result iu the re-opcning Of the flood cd mines by the erection of cotter- dams and bulkheods and then pump ing out tho water. This would be a mighty engineering feat but the Trcadweu company is capable of big things
 One Mine Working
 The Ready Bullion mine. the only one of Che group of four not i'm volvcd in che disaster, is stiu work ing and will employ from 4OO Co 5Oo men both in and out of che mine. While thc Ready Bullion mine was connected with thc others by a tun- uol the latter is shut off by a con- crete bulkhcad, which withstood Che pressure on it Saturday night but which is now being reinforced by fifty feet more of solid concrete mak- ing it absolutely safe from flooding. The Ready Bullion is valuable pro pcrty but is not reckoned Co be as valuable as the Treadwcll
 Manager Bradley has been in com- municatiou with President Bradley daily by cable since the disaster and, while the latter is at the company's head office In San Francisco, it is probable that he will come here soon and when he does, he will likely be accompanied by engineers expori- enced in rotterdam work and with the view of arranging to take the necessary steps for rehabilitating the mines.
 Admirable Discipline
 The perfect organization which