The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1919-10-11
CARPENTER HAD TO SUSPEND oPE-
RATIoNs FOR SEVERAL DAYS
EXPECT TO BE NORMAL SOON
Miof the Water Win be Drained OFT
Before Removal Of Debris
is Attempted

A rush of water and sand which
broke through temporary bulkhead
a, the Carpenter mine last Friday
afternoon about quitting time forced
the suspension OF mining operations
At that property and at the Monon-
ghela also until pumping facilities
could be arranged for the latter.
The men were all sent home with
the exception of a sufficient number
10 work on the water lines. The
pumps were started late Sunday af-
ternoon in the Monongahela and about
200 men have been put back to work
at that property. AS fast as the wa
ter is lowered in the Carpenter prop
srty, the work OF removing the sand
will be prosecuted and men will be
put at work each succeeding day as
places are found for them until all
is cleaned up and operations are
back to normal again. II Is thought
that about three weeks time will be
necessary with luck favoring the OPP
erations. 10 get the mine back to
where II was before the suspension
Water Caused the Trouble.
The trouble was caused by the dam
ming up OF water flow from the
Wilkinson side OF the Carpenter prop
erty which, when IL gathered suffi-
cient force broke thru the sand bar
rier and crushed the temporary bulk
head which had been put in to pro-
vide against just such an emergency.
The Carpenter is comparatively
dry mine. It's normal volume OF wa
ter Is about $50 gallons per minute
and that includes the water made by
the Monongahela openings as well as
the Carpenter There have been no
pumps In the Monongahela so far and
the Carpenter is the deeper property
and has drained II right along.
What water comes into the Car
penter workings comes in at the south
west corner OF the mine. from the
Wilkinson side. At this point the
surface is caved and Is being brought
down as fast as the ore is taken out
below. The Carpenter is worked on
the caving system through subs above
the bottom or main level. In working
back, the openings from the slopes
are bulhheaded temporarily SO as to
prevent any rush OF sand endangering
the other parts OF the mine.
Bulkhead Gave Away.
y superintendent Martin figures that
the water became damned up in the
southwest corner and accumulated a
greater pressure than has been the
case at any other time. When IL
broke thru the bulkhead, which was
or temporary nature. wasn't strong
enough 10 hold back the flow.
The run came at two separate times.
The first one broke the bulkhead, but
didn't do any material damage. AS
soon as things had quieted the tim
bermen started bulkheading again and
had the work about completed when
the second rush occurred and stopped
the work completely.
The rush was so great that II broke
many OF the air pipes and entirely
stopped the water fiow. The breaking
OF the air pipes necessitated the sus-
pension OF operations at the Monon-
eheIa until an air line could be laid
across the hill from the Carpenter
engine house and pumps installed In
the Monongaheia.
In the meantime a pump was plac-
"a back OF the cave In one OF the
subs at the Carpenter so as to take
Of the water pressure there and make
Il safe 20 work at clearing up the de-
bris In the main drift which was
choked completely about COO feet
from the shaft.
Some Hustling Done
when the rush came there we're ne
service pipes Of any kind In the Mon