FIRE IN A MINE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 31, 2 March 1909, Page 2

FIRE IN A MINE.

THE OWNERS RETICENT. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Westport, Monday. Word was received in Westport last night that the Westport Coal Company's mine at Millcrton was on fife. The company refuse to give any particnlars. It appears that fire broke out yesterday' morning in the main haulage way through an old working. There is only one exit, and consequently all work stopped. It will probably be nine months before the woric is resumed. The mine employs 250 men.

FURTHER DETAILS. j PROBABLE LOSS OF THE .MINE. A SERIOUS POSITION. Wcstport, Last Night. The Wcstport News' correspondent sends the following account of the lire at Aline Creek:—"Early on Sunday morning a fireman coming through the mine met smoke in the drive. Returning outside lie reported it to Davidson, who immediately went inside to investigate and found the fire raging in the section known as the 'old east.' Messrs J. Dixon and D. Dunn, superintendent and mine manager respectively of the Wcstport Coal Company, were immediately communicated with, and thev

iirrivHt on the scene with all possib 1 : 1 despatch. A gang of men set to work and tried to reach the seat of the fire by using brattice and every means human intcligcnce could suggest, but, unfortunately, the fire gained such a hold that all efforts were in vain. Messrs Dixon, Dunn anil McCormick stood by until it was plain that the seat oi fire could not be reached. The only hope left was to stop up all entrances'to the mine and wall up the water and drainago drive, and, if possible, flood the mine. Unfortunately water is scarce, and unless rain comes soon it is possible the fire may travel above the possible available water level and make it a difficult problem to save the mine.

"To-day the Mine Creek power-house was shut down, the fan being stopped, not 1 ein£ required any longer. 'flic only work now going on is at the end near the drive going through to Mine Creek, which, it is computed, will take some ten to twelve months to complete. "Looking out while writing this, I see dray-loads of boxes and portmanteaux off down t he hill. Tt is going to he very hard for the people left here, and it is to be hoped for the sake of all concerned Unit the fire may not spread W far as to become unmanageable. "The origin of the fire is one of those thii.gs that can only lie surmised. Several theories are advanced as to the can-e. Nothing definite is known yet and may never be. The visiting directors hi" the Westporl Coal Company are up here, and it must be a trying' time to thetn to .see their property i:i stic'i a state, seeing that lately things iiaen been going very smoothly and' a fine sample of marketable coal coming out of the mine.

"I believe that the Mine Crook rope wns parted, showing that the lire must bo pretty ik-rce. The the tiro must mean to tho Woslporl Coal Company anil the district may ho guaged from the 'fact, that tlio Rraaity mines have l)oon producing 001)0 tons wooklv, and until tlio fire is subdued or a new tunnel completed, Uie output from this seetion of the mines must entirely clou*. It is understood special efforts'will bo ma(lo at the Deiraiston-Coalbrookdale section, which now produced about (>OOO tons weekly, to make up part of tha deficiency. Tlio AVestport • Stockton Company's output is also capable of considerable expansion, bo that production from the district mines will, it is hoped, not. fall very far short of tlio re-ce-.it output."