The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-07-31
7 ~. ~ NJ ss-N M. ~.
,(Contiuued from Last issue)

4 ~ y
@.s;,(Contiuued from Last issus)
Every cent that Robert Fairchild
possessed in the world was in his
pockets-two hundred dollars. After
he had paid his men for their three
days of labor, there would be exactly
twenty dollars left. But Fairchild did
not hesitate. To Farrell's Office he
went and with him to an interview,
in chambers, with the judge. Then,
the necessary permission having been
granted, he hurried back to the mine
and, into the drift, there to find the
last of the muck being. scraped away
from beneath the site of the cave-in.
Fairchild paid off. Then he turned to
the foreman.
t'''How many, Of these men are game
to take chance"
pretty near all Of EMF there's
any kind of gamble to it."
There's lot Of gamble. I've got
tust twenty dollars in my pocket
enough to pay each man one dollar
apiece for nights work If my bunch
doesn't pan out. If it does pan, the
wages are twenty dollars a day for
three days, with everybody, including
myself, working like HI! Who's
game?'
THE answer came in unison. Fair.
child, led the way to the chamber,
seized a hammer and took his place.
4 There's two-hundred.d0llar ore
back Of this foot wall if we can break
in and start a new stope," he an
nounced:4" 1T takes six-foot hole
to reach 1T, and we can have the whole
story by morning. Let's go!"
Along the great length Of the foot
wall, extending all the distance of the
big chamber, the men began their
work, five men to the drills and as
many to the sledges, as they started
their, double-jacking. Midnight came,
the first of the six-foot drills sank to
its ultimate depth. Then the second
and third and fourth; finally the fifth.
and the operation had been repeated.
The worknen hurried for the powder
house, far down the drift, by the shaft,
/. Juggling back in their pockets the vel
low, candle-like sticks Of dynamite,
:, with their waxy wrappers and their
/ gelatinous contents, together with
: fuses and caps. Crimping nippers-
J. the Inevitable accompaniment of a
miner-came forth from the pockets
of. the men. Careful tamping, then
the men took their places at the fuses.
{. ."Give the word" one Of them an
nounced crisply as he turned to Fair
child, Each Of us'll light one Of
these things, and then I say we'll run
Because this is going to be some ex-
jplosion -
1 Fairchild smiled the smile of man
(: whose heart is humping at its maxi
mum speed. Before him in the long
: line Of the foot wall were ten holes,
t"upholes," downs and "swimmers,"
attacking the hidden ore in every d.
= rectlon. Ten holes drilled six feet
, into the rock and tamped with double
= charges of dynamite. He straight
ened.
"All right, men! ReadyT'
y Ready"
: "Touch 'em orr
u The carbide lamps were held close
to the fuses for a second. Soon they
1twere all going, splitting like SO many
:, venOmous, angry serpents-but neither
Fairchild nor the miners had stopped
ito watch. They were running as hard
as possible for the shaft and for the
;! protection that distance might give. A
wait that seemed ages. Then:
"One!"
And two-and three!"
= "There goes four and five-they
went together!'
"Six-seven-eight-
:. Again wait, while they looked at
one another with vacuous eyes. A
long interval until the tenth.
., "Two went together then thought
we'd counted nine?" The foreman
stared. and Fairchild studied. Then
his face lighted.
"Eleven's right. One Of them must
have set Off the charge that Harry left
in there. All the better-it gives us
just that much more Of a chance"
Back they went along the drift tun-
mel now, coughing slightly rs the
sharp smoke of the dynamite cut their
lungs-a long Journey that seemed
as many miles instead Of feet. Then
with a shout Fairchild sprang for
ward, and went to his hands and
4 Knees. ,,f..
It was there before him-all about
Ihim-;the black. heavy masses Of lead
silver ore, a great, liedping, flve.ton
lille of 1t where it had been thrown
Gut by the tremendous force of the
explosion. 1t seemed that the whole
GREAT floor of the cavern was covered
With it, and the wOrkmen shouted with
Fairchild as they seized bits Of the
precious, black stuff and held it to the
light for closer examination.
). -"Look !" The voice of one Of them
was high and excited. "You can see
the fine streaks of silver sticking out
It's high-grade and plenty of it,"
But Fairchild. paid little attention.
He was playing in tie stuff, throwing
1T In the air and letting it fall to the
floor OF the cavern again. like a boy