White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1922-07-16

for all branches CT the work required,
and the sound OF the hammer will
bring back TO many the busy days in
this district when the great mill and
smelter were in course of original
construction.
The Nevada Consolidated organiza-
lion in its entirety Is alive TO the
loss and every employe likewise ap-
preciates the situation, as result
of which all efforts are being direct
ed toward overcoming the temporary
setback In this 1t is the duty of
every citizen to do his part and assist
in every way in his power.
At the time of the conflagration
there was on hand sufficient ton
mage of direct smelling and milled
ore to keep the smeltcr running at
its present output for forty-five days.
after which the smelter will continue
to run on the direct smelling ore
from the Ruth mine.
In addition to the ore which pass
ed through the big mill en- its way to
the smelter about 400 tons of direct
smelling ore was being taken from
the Ruth mine daily. The mining Of
this ore will continue and go through
the big smelling plant at McGill just
as though the fire had not occurred.
All available unemployed miners
will be put on at the Ruth mine to
extract the high-grade ore and 100
additional miners can find immediate
employment there.
The length of time which will be
necessary to rebuild the mill will be
largely affected by the ability of the
organization to get material, but re-
duisitions are now being placed for
the vast amount of steel and other
materials necessary for reconstruc-
ton. The company will lose no time
in getting under cover and putting
the mill In operation again at the
earliest possible date, through which
Ii is hoped that the movement OF a
considerable tonnage will begin early
next year.
During the period necessarily re-
quired TO rebuild the mill steam
shovel work at the pit will be sus-
pended, but this will affect only one
crew, as the other two crews will be
put to the work OF stripping. TIE
operation of ore trains will naturally
not be necessary to the same degree
as heretofore, but all this will be
more than Offset by the large number
of men who will be put to work under
the general program of reconstruc-
ton.
In an interview with a representa-
tive OF the News General Manager c.
g. Lakenan said the employees did ex-
cellent work In fighting the fire, In
which heavy odds were naturally
against them. Every employe of the
company In McGill at the time of the
fire, whether on shift or not, was on
hand and doing their share to save
as much of the property as possible.
The mill building was constructed
of steel and concrete. the roof OF
which was double boarded and COW
cred with corrugated iron, but the
flames made such headway through
the MILL which was naturally full OF
launders and other necessary wooden
equipment. that many of the en-
ployes, particularly those in the bins,
were obliged TO hurry 10 point OF
safety.
These orebins. with a capacity OF
80, 900 tons. were constructed with
IL by IL timbers. over which were
two tracks for the accommodation OF
ore trains.
0t kiBdHilc SlTuCtuTt COlidp5Iu
within a remarkably short time after
the flames were discovered, end as
the thousands OF tons of steel, con-
crete and other material used In con-
struction collapsed the water pipes
and connections were broken, which
seriously impeded the work OF the
fire fighters.
An additional serious feature with
x.tf,t oh 4A
the extreme heat which came from
the burning structure, and this made
II difficult to fight the rapidly spread
point OF exhaustion and as the news
of the disastrous conflagration spread
through the district the Ely volunteer
fire department offered Its services.
The men made the run to McGill,
where they found the employees of tho
plant keeping the flames within
bounds so far as human effort would
permit, and all Joined hands, work.
ing like Trojans to prevent the
spreading OF the fire to other build
ings and to hold in check so far as
possible the flames, which for time
threatened to destroy the entire
plant II not the big town of McGill.
The construction of the new air
line from the power house TO tho
flotation system In the mill. a dis
tance of more than half a mile. had
advanced to the stage where sections
of the fve-foot steel pipe were strung
right into the mill and when the
building collapsed these were flat
tened out In places like the blade of
a knife. The big steel pipes now
reach right up to the door OF the old
mill During the work OF reconstruc-
tion the sections Of pipe will be
welded together and when the new
mill Is ready the big flve-foot air line
can be Immediately placed in opera
tion.
The crushing plant. which is 10
Gated approximately eighty yards In
an easterly direction from the mill,
was in grave danger but by the he
role work of the employees and all
those who gladly gave them what
ever assistance was possible the
H.