Salt Lake Tribune | 1904-06-24 | Page 6 | Digging Machines at the Ontario

DIGGING MACHINES AT THE ONTABIO In Throa Days the Damngo Occasioned Occa-sioned by the Firo Can Be Estimated. A LARGE gang of men In at work cleaning up the ruins of the Ontario On-tario shaflhouse, which burned down last week; but It will be three days or longer beforo tho management man-agement will be able to ascertain the condition of the machinery. It Is thought possible that some of It can be cleaned up and used again, but this will depend on the heat to which It wus subjected. Most of the machinery was purchased years ago and cost a mint 6f money. Prices have gone down ln tho meantime, andit will bo possible possi-ble to put ln a new plant as serviceable service-able as the old for a third of the cost. There was an old Cornish engine which had been In tho shafthouse for twenty-five twenty-five years, but had not been used for 3'eara past, although In good condition. Other portions of the plant purchased for special kinds of work now completed com-pleted will not have to be replaced. There are no other shafts or outlets through which work can be carried on at present, so the workings of the mine will be abandoned until a new hoisting hoist-ing plant can be erected. Fortunately, the timbering and other underground improvements have been kept up and there will be a minimum of loss from deterioration. The massive stone foun-' datlons which supported the building and machinery were not affected by the fire and will save fully half the cost of rebuilding. Park City will be a sufferer from the fire In the loss of a large number of Its wage-earning population. It is reported re-ported that fifty of the Ontario miners left early In the week for Butte City, and it Is known that several miners who were ln Salt Lake at the time of the lire are preparing to send for their families and go to Nevada or other mining mi-ning districts where work Is plentiful.