1898 - Coalmininghistorypa.org

No. 11. EIGHTH ANTHRACITE DISTRICT. -^3r(» feet thick, and having an average pitcli of about 41 degrees.After drawing some coal out at the battery, it was found thattliere was a great deal of fire in tlie breast, and men commencedto reopen the inside manway of breast No. 23, and also to drive achute up in the centre of the pillar between breasts Nosi. 23 and24. These chutes were driven up IIG feet, and a heading was drivento No. 24, when it was found that the breast had run in the topof the vein, leaving some of the bottom coal, and that the fire hadreached that point. At the same time a cross-cut was being drivenwith all speed possible on the level above, or east plane level fromthe "Crack" vein to the Mammoth vein, at a point above the breaston fire, and a line of 4-inch pipe was being laid from the surface tothis point, so that tlie water could be put on the fire from above.The bottom of breast No. 24 was sealed as closely as possible to preventair from getting to the fire, and work on the short or westplane stopped. On September 28, the cross-cut on the east jjlanelevel, which had been driven 40 feet through slate and rock and 30feet of solid coal, with branch headings of 45 and 57 feet i-especlivelyinto the gob at the top of the No. 24 breast, had reached al»oint where it waw thought advisable to put the water on. A damhad been built on the gangway inside of the cross-cut, which wastilled from the j)ipes, and held about 210,000 gallons of water.On the above evening, after the workmen had all left themine, exce}»t those working at the fire, the sluice of the damwas opened, and the water caused to run through th(^ headings andinto the opening made in the gob at the top of No. 24 breast.After the water had run for some time, there was a slight ex-]ilosion, but no damage was done by it. The water had passedovrr considerable lire as it was scalding hot when it reached thefoot of the shaft, about one thousand yards from the bottom ofNo. 24 breast. On September 3(y fire was discovered in breastNo. 23, west plane level. On that evening the dam full of waterwas again emptied onto No. 24 breast, but this tune there was noexplosion, and the water was not as hot as it was the first time.The headings on the east or long plane level were then driven tocover the top of No. 23 breast, and on the nights of October 3, 5,fi, 7 and S, a dam full of water was let off each night. The men inthe day time, when the water was not running in,were employed atextending the headings, so as to change the course of the water asmuch as possible. During this time there had been no explosionsand the water was getting cooIcm' each time until on the eighth ofOctober its lem])erature was but slightly al)Ove the normal, andi.o heat was found in the headings which had been driven. Thiscooling process had caused the gases from the fire, which, whenheated, had risen to the highest points and out of reach, to drop