FIGHT AGAINST A MINE FIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 72, 24 March 1906, Page 3

FIGHT AGAINST A MINE FIRE.

i an_noN at broken* hill. EOU__S_S OP .VIES - AFFECTED. BROKEN HILL. March 16. Baa is no improvement in the Proletary fire. The fan in Dickenson _t tos reversed last night, to allow -Siren attacking the fire to go into _ upper levels at various points of Kiition. This had the effect of blowiffittfigas down into the workings, and M _1. have gone in there since the ____ shift knocked off, at mid-

_ Delprat says that he expects to »sMe to put men into Block 13 this —moon. The gas is much -worse than g before, and is coming up strongly ~i-DeJpra_- _reeft, fie principal working aft of the mine. Messrs. Darling and _ecke, directors, arrived this morning, i_ were on the mine shortly after nine t'_— Mr. Delprat is anxious, but ej. that the position is unaltered. _c Junction North shaft has been Essled, and last evening the cage was at down, with your correspondent, to S Mow the 70ft level. The cage there Eight on a projecting batten, which has pliably split owing to the shrinkage 6a the shaft being wet. The lantern ns laid below the cage, and showed Sat for some distance lower "down no ks_ had been done to the shaft. Xo sort will be made at present to repair ■ shaft, as the cage is required for Js men working the crosscut into tht JWaon. The water is in the shaft to «800 ft. level, giving a depth of 350 ft. cannot be used till they areg_i The rumour circulated that the *& had collapsed is utterly devoid of fskb'on. Mr. Palmer, manager, says W all is secure. The Junction fire "is «« anotildering. fe is no questioning the fact that a arthe fire has got ahead of the of the management. The paeak started at 150 ft north of Mc-,Ws-shaft, and is now known to *ejai_frate_ 100 ft south of the shaft SJro points of Meßryde's shaft, and sj? ? f i<; tie &re has gone downwards the shaft and winzes. The **% seems to be to get close to the fire to act directly on it. little is knowri of the actual profire, and less about the pro- ■« ontcome of the fight being waged . Without doubt it" is the .disaster of the kind the *??_fe yet had to face. The in 810w Wo down Dickenson's aU °V operations to be coniEjT above thp fire - Prepara- _ _f!r being made to erect a brick m i 650 ft level north of Ic - «_&* to block off smoke from g Parts of the mine. All day smoke from Stewart shaft. 'Of-?** states that the situation gejX: X unaltered. No men have Soc_ w- robabl . v non e to-morrow. -Oflfr ! 13 keepin - the fan S oin S at W_g- ' and takin - all precauthe entrance of gas to ath e .w derin ? re ™in* of the fire ! -<_v are 3U to be c-om-the tT " uater eul ' tains r P m!rp d down through 25f? ~° m t,K ' 4!;,,fl Ipv*l. which are ""C _?*". As SOOn : ' s the c r oss" T etk " Xorth is com ' sitt *l and Jun Mion drive will be nf W,nze P' lit down through t_ fi r k ' wl,kh is directly | °rt_rea_7 "Si* °' ! to the seat of Hj'S, " c season that the S,mft is bein S u? ed to now _ e „ S that Mcl ntvre's shaft depended on in case of and lu ecke, seen tot5 U view of the 'is W are satis fied the manm the most capable 3 _ 6r all that eou i d 1» 1 the belief «--* all -NlSr_ pds confi uing tne fire fe b^S area - Ever y — _ _ rward to tnat end. S^Mgt a yareleav- hatthe ¥t?^iin^ oWledge that matt * rs aM? ? ecapable hands than S_ wl! ° f last **fiij Fogresi of the fire iiad