Year: 1874

HOUSES DESERTED AND A WHOLE DISTRICT
THREATENED WITH DEsoLATIuN.
WILKEsBARRE, Pa, March 3.-The fire
IN the Empire and Baltimore mines is
spreading, and the roof is falling down.
LII nne excitement is intense, but not noisy.
The future none can comprehend. The
peril OF the miners and the loss TO the com
panies can hardly be realized. Over 600
men have been engaged In the shafts for
nearly two months, fighting the fire in the
Empire mines, and about as many in the
Baltimore mines, and hundreds have had
TO be carried by their comrades to the open
alr, where the doctors are waiting with re-
sGofatlves to bring them to consciousness
again. The brave men remain too long near
the fire, and the poisonous gas and suffoca-
ting steam caused by the water from the
hose upon the burning coal overpower
them, and their strength fails before fresh
men arrive at the pipes, or before they can
reach the purer air near the opening.


A few days ago the work of propping
the roof and fighting the fire on different
sides to prevent its spreading was aban-
doned, and a few men go in now by turns
to watch the condition of the fire, and keep
the front entrance well watered and pre-
served from the general ruin.


NStOAtd dClC nave UCCH UuIIicu OHGTs anu
the surface is eaving In at various places.
The houses over the burning territory have
been vacated, and the heat and smoke that
penetrate the earth give to the deserted
spot most horrifying and unearthly ap-
pearance.


These mines are about one and half
miles from the city square, and as the
burning vein t1hdeflies the whole valley,
and is so far the natural prey of the con-
sun1ing element, the people generally, as
well as the stockholders of the company
specially, are considerably exercised in
mind about the result. The miners de
stribe the heat of the fire as terrible. The
vein. is from 10 to 10 feet thick, and the
large amount of coal leftas supports when
the mining was done, and the vast num-
Der of wood props placed in the mines to
hold up the loose scales of the roof make
fire that must drive everything before it.
When once fairly kindled, the sehd coal
takes fire, and creates enough air in itself
to continue burning. The miners can tell
by long experience about when the falling
will take place The earth above them
and the coal pillars about them give a
cracking, crushing warning, and they
speedily withdraw to places of safety.


The Baltimore mines are not so danger
GUS. This company is building fire
proof wall of stone and clay around the
burning territory, and intend to conquer
it ultimately by chat means. The center
will burn out, the surface cave In, and the
surrounding coal be saved.


The fires in the Prospect mines have
been flooded and extinguished, they being
disconnected with any lower veins.


These two burning mines are owned by
two of the richest companies in the State,
and as each has large number of work
ing mines besides, this calamity will not
lessen much the gross shipment to mar
ket. The agents Of the companies and
the police assigned to the burning dis
tricts are reticent and dislike to have any
persons visiting the vicinity. Very few
care to go too near the burning if not bot
tomless pit, and still everybody coming
from there is questioned about the fire and
the men