The two mines were *connected* along one heading, yes. But shared ventilation? As in: one fan and one big open continuous system for both mines?
No.
Mine #6 was the elder mine, opening in October of 1899. It had its own ventilation system and an 8′ x 11′ Capell fan for years before #8 came along.
Mine #8 had an independent system from its start in 1904 along with a much larger 22′ x 8′ Ripley fan.
Both mines had designated airways for ventilation of “bad air” as well as “good air” ventilation for the working areas and haul ways. The two systems were connected along one heading for several practical reasons, including the ability to be “shared” should it become necessary. This heading was called “F Face” in #6 mine and “No. 8 North Face” in #8 mine.
Evidence for these separate systems has always been in plain sight in contemporary photos and reports. But perhaps like some of the first outside reporters on the scene back in 1907, most are just not familiar with these types of workings in this type of place and get a little confused by what they see or read.
Perfectly understandable. Let’s try to remedy that by getting everybody a little more oriented.
#6 Mine
Below is a “bird’s eye” ground plan of #6 mine entry in 1907. You can see the #6 fan house to the left of the portal and trestle. It is connected to the dedicated airways which take “good air” in for the workers as well as vent out the “bad air” from the workings.
Below is a picture taken likely within the first 48 hours of the disaster. Using the ground plan above, locate the green arrow indicating the location of #6 portal. If you were standing around the tip of that green arrow and looked in the direction which the arrow points, the image below is what you would have seen in 1907.
Let’s try that again, but from another perspective. Using the same map above, locate the orange arrow indicating #6 trestle. If you were standing at the tip of that orange arrow on that section of the #6 trestle and looked towards the #6 portal, the image below is what you would have seen within a few hours after the disaster in 1907.
Practically no damage was done to the entrance of No. 6 mine, and there is very little evidence on the surface to indicate an underground disaster. The top of the air-shaft to which the No. 6 fan was connected
was blown in the air, but no damage was done to the fan or engine. Thirty-four minutes after the explosion, this door had been repaired and fan was in regular operation. – Mines and Minerals, Vol. 28, pg 279
#8 Mine
Below is another “bird’s eye” ground plan, this time of #8 mine entry. Unfortunately, most every available copy of a ground plan for this mine has the location of the fan and boiler houses either covered or missing due to low quality copies. This map is from Mines and Minerals Vol. 28 and though it is a ground plan from around a year prior to the disaster, it is the only one which does not cover the location of the fan and boiler houses with the title “No. 8 Mine”.
Just like we did above with #6, locate the red arrow that indicates the #8 Fan & Boiler Houses on the map of #8 above. If you were standing at the tip of that red arrow, looking in the direction which the arrow points, the image below is what you would have seen a few hours after the disaster in 1907. Note the missing fan plates on the top left side of #8 fan.
One last time, here is another perspective. On the map above, locate the orange arrow which indicates the #8 trestle and the green arrow pointing at the #8 portal. If you were standing on the #8 trestle near the tip of the orange arrow and looked in the direction of the #8 portal, this “enhanced” wide shot from Mines and Minerals Vol. 28 is the overwhelming view you would have had that day.
The No. 8 slope and manway were completely wrecked at the mouth…The 22’x8′ steel fan with steel casings and concrete roof was completely wrecked…Part of one of the fan plates was blown across the river.” – Mines and Minerals, Vol. 28, pg 278-279
Hopefully you are a little more mentally and visually familiar with 2 separate mines now. And that they very clearly each had their own independent fans and ventilation systems from the start which were more than adequate for the spaces they served.
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