Amador Ledger-Dispatch, 4 March 1904 — Accident at Zeila. [ARTICLE]

Accident at Zeila.

During Sunday night an unfortunate accident occurred at the Zoila mine, necessitating not only the stoppage of underground operations, but also the shutting down of the mill. The heavy rains had caused a serious increase in the volume of water to contond with, so that the two shifts of 12 hours each, were changed to three shifts of eight hours each, necessitating the employment of another engineor. R. Goldsworthy, the new engineer, was at the engine, and was hoisting water from the south compartment. The water tank was hoisted too far, and struck the timbers above the shaft with such force as to break the wire cable, and the tank, weighing 3600 pounds! went down the shaft with about 100 feet or so of rope. It foil from the top to the 850 level, striking the shaft timbers and track in various places, and doing more or less damage to both." The water tank is also damaged considerably. On account of the increase of water, the hoisting of ore had been curtailed to the extent of only being equal to mooting the actual crushing capacity of the mill. The ore in the bins was soon exhausted, and the mill has been idle since Monday morning. A ropair forco of five j men each was kept steadily at work fixing the shaft. The damage was found to be mainly below the 450 station. ' On Tuesday the shaft was got in working- order again.

Hoisting the water in the undamaged compartment was resumed during Monday. The repairs were made by Tuesday, and both tanks wore going again Tuesday night. The tank that wont down the shaft was damaged so that it had to be sont to Knight's foundry to be repaired. The water in tho shaft raised" rapidly during tho poriod of idleness, completely flooding the 1400 level. It will take all the week to drain it so as to permit work to bo resumed. Next week it is expected to resume underground operations and start the mill. The accident has involved the company in a loss of from , $500 to $1000, beside the loss in the stoppage of tho mill.