The Washington times., 1922-08-28
At TEMPTS
At RESCUE:
BL OCkEO
Victims Caught a, 500 Feet Be-
low Surface in California
Shaft.
By international News Service.

JACKSON, Cal, Aug. Is
Forty-five miners are trapped
$500 feet below the surface of
the earth in the Argonaut gold
mine, where a terrific blaze is
burning at the 3,000-foot level.
Little hope is held out for the
safety of the trapped miners.
Three men came through the
fiames to safety, but the fire has
cut off the others beyond hope
of early rescue.
Days May Intervene.
The fire was discovered shortly
after midnight, when Clarence Brad
shaw and two other miners left their
companions on the 4,500foot level
and started for the surface. When
they reached the 3,000-foot level,
they found it blazing. They made
mad dash through the flames and
arrived safely at the surface.
All available help from surround-
ing mines has been. secured, but nt'
tie can be done in the way OF COIN
batting the flames, which may burn
fiercely for days.
The one hope entertained or get
ting the trapped miners out alive Is
through the Kennedy mine, which
runs parallel to the incline shaft or
the Argonaut mine.
There is a bulkhead separating the
two mines. This must be blown out,
and no man knows how much debris
will be encountered beyond the
buIkhead. 1t might require days TO
tunnel through.
The entrapped miners may not
live to be rescued in this fashion.
In fact, experienced miners today
held grave fears that they are al
ready dead.
The Argonaut and the Kennedy
mines are two of the largest and
most valuable gold mines in the
State of California.
Each mine turns out something
like a million dollars worth OF gold
ore a year.
Mining men fear that even
though the entrapped men are now
alive, efforts to rescue them may
cause their death. II the air cur:
rents are wrong, the blowing OF
the bulkhead of the Kennedy mine
will in all probability drive the
deadly fume to the point where the
men have sought safety.
Ill.fatcd History.
Both the Argonaut and Kennedy
mines have been the scenes OF bad
blazes during the past year but
in each instance there has been
no loss of life. although heavy
damage to the mines resulted.
The huge air pipes which supply
the mine pass through the same
shaft In which the flames are rag.
ing. There is only chance that
they have withstood the blazing
inferno and are still carrying fresh
air to the lower levels. The giant
fans are still going in the hope
that their air current is passing
below to the men to whom 1t Will
be salvation.
The Red Cross is on the scene
and a mine rescue crew Is rush.
ing here by automobile over noun
tain roads from Nevada City. They
will assume charge Of the meas
ures being taken to ERECT rescue
upon their arrival.
Gathered about the top of the
shaft are the frantic members OF
the families Of the forty-five en-.
trapped men.
A stream Of gas and smoke Is
pouring forth from the mine open
ine-a fairly good omen to the ex-
periencedi miners, although terrify.
ing to those who have loved ones
below. It signifies that the greater
part of the fumes are coming
above instead of spreading. below
the earth.
The Argonaut mine Is about two
miles from town. IL Is one OF the
famous mines of Amador county
which lies between Eldnrado and
Calveras counties and east Of Sac.
ramento county. II is In the heart
OF the county famous Tor it's sold
rush days.
The entire population OF this little
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