Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-08-30
LAST EFFORTS
T0RESCUE MEN
IN MINE FIRE
Only Hope Is by Cut
ting Through Near
by Tunnel.

Jackson. Cal, Aug. 29.-Rescue
crews, working in six-hour shifts, and
putting every iota of energy that they
can command into their work, Tuesday
night were clearing out the caved-in
tunnel leading from the Kennedy to
the Argonaut shaft. 1t is expected that
the work will take two more days at
least, but, according to state and gov
ernment experts on the scene, IT, ap-
pears to hold out the only hope for the
imprisoned men.
The rescuers have figured that the
tunnel will come below the lowest fire
level in the Arognaut. Tests for gases
are being made as they dig their way
along, in order that they shall not be
overcome by any possible escape of the
noxfous fumes from the shaft. AZ each
crew goes off shift, it is brought back
from near exhaustion by tireless Red
Cross workers who have established
headquarters in the mine blacksmith
shop and the headquarters building.
Hope for rescuing the men through
the main shaft was abandoned when 1t
was determined that the fire was gam
ing, despite heroic efforts to get it
under control. The tearing out of con-
siderable timbering at the 2,5O0 foot
level did not seem 20 impede the flames
to any great extent, according to gov
ernment experts, and the fire was lick
ing it's way toward the shaft collar
Thursday night, Irving the fighting
crews upward, inch 5y inch.
Sound Detector Used
An appliance for detecting any
sounds or signals that may be made
by the entombed miners if they are
still alive was to be put into the tunnel
Tuesday morning the fire was re-
ported raging in the depths.
Superintendent V. II. Garbarini and
those who have come to his aid re-
fuse to abandon hope. 1t is barely
possible that the miners imprisoned
in the 1900, 4,400 and 4, 800 foot levels
of the deep gold mine may have sue
ceeded in preventing the gas fumes
from the flaming timbers from pene-
trating the underground chambers
where they are working, by erecting
bulkheads.
The Muldoon shaft connects with the
main shaft of the Argonaut at the 5000
foot level. below the point where the
flames were first discovered. OF late
years the Muldoon shaft has been used
merely as an air vent. Its collar and
gallows frame are located below the
state highway north of the entrance
to Jackson. Late Monday gas began
pouring out of the Muldoon shaft, and
spreading over the landscape. Its sick
ening odor caused those who had gath
cred about the mine to watch the work
of attempted rescue to shudder with
horror.
Peter Acher, shaft foreman, who led
n crew of eight men volunteers into
the depths of the mine Monday to at
tempt to battle with the seething
flames, told the story of the battle.
The men directed their effort toward
beating the smoke back down the shaft
so as to enable them to get at the
poiut where the flames are burning.
They succeeded in reaching a point
about GO feet below the first smoke
level to the 2700 foot level. This was
stin 300 feet above the fire. Then a
500 gallon tank filled with water was
sent down the shaft to this point and
released.
AS the volume Of water was dumped
down the shaft, the smoke and gas
| boiled as Acher reached it and
seethed upward, forcing the rescue
crew back to the 2GOO foot level.
Two Methods Useu
| Two methods are being used IN the
attempt to battle with the flames.
Water is being carried down on the
skips in large tanks and is also piped
down through four inch main which
was hastily installed. This, is being
carried to the point of attack through
| two hose streams.
Hope that the entombed men may be
! still living arises from the report that
a cave-in has occurred in the mine as
result of the burning away of the
| timbering.
| Acher states that while it is i'm
possible to ascertain whether cave-ln
might result in closing the throat OF
the shaft below the point where the
| fire is burning and preventing the gas
! tCentinued ON Page Five,