
	LARGEST COPPER MINE IN BRITISH EMPIRE IS DESTROYED
	Fire which threatened for a time to wipe out the mining town of Britannia Beach , BC, some 25 miles from Vancouver on Howe Sound, destroyed plant and property of the Howe Sound Company, valued at more than 1,500,000. No lives were lost. Only the heroic efforts of the employees, led by the general manager of the company, Mr. E. J. Donahue, saved the little city and it's population of 800 souls. A short circuit on the motor systems given as the cause of the outbreak. WORKERS DEFY DEATH Workmen defied death and though the power plant was only separated by 50 feet from the main building it was saved practically intact. So rapidly had the flames spread, aided by the oil used in the concentrating process, that the f ire-f fighters were cut off from the hydrants and hose racks within the building. Mounted on the main roof of the plant were two powerful turret nozzles, but only one of these could be put in operation as flames shooting through the roof cut off the other. Though those In charge of the one turret nozzle fought stubbornly they were finally driven from their post a few minutes before the roof crashed in. General Manager Donohue concentrated the efforts of his men, who were aided by a number of volunteers, rushed from Mill Creek and Woodfibre across Howe Sound by launch, on saving the power plant and other buildings. UNDER CONTROL SUNDAY This was only accomplished after a fight that lasted throughout Saturday night and Sunday morning at 9 p.m., the fire was under control but the the high wind that prevailed yesterday kept fanning the embers into life and necessitated the weary firefighters standing to their posts and drenching the smoldering ruins of the huge plant with water. The plant has been closed down for some months, only a scant staff being retained to keep it in repair, and during the shut-down the building, which is a mass of heavy timber, had ample time to dry out. Built on the side of a mountain, the concentrator terraces up to a height of 270 feet, and is surmounted by a large ore bunker and trestle which were also destroyed. HEAVY PRESSURE USED The power plant, which was saved, ls one of the best equipped water- power plants in the country, and operates under a head of pressure that is only exceeded by one similar plant on the continent, that being in Mexico. Water was piped to it from lakes and streams high in the mountains and reached the nozzles of the Pelton wheels under tremendous pressure. Frame dwelling houses for the employees were built in the shadow of the concentrator, had the flames reached these the efforts of the firefighters could not have saved the town, as the f ire would have spread rapidly from one light frame building to the other, the hotel, the large store, with a stock of more than $150,000, would also have been destroyed. J.Dawson of the Whalen Pulp & Paper Company at Woodfibre, across Howe Sound from Britannia Beach, arrived in the city last night after a stormy trip in the Whalen Company's launch and brought with him the report of Provincial Constable Sidney Saunders to Chief Cruick- shanks here. "It was one of the fiercest fires I ever witnessed," said Mr., Dawson. "It broke out about 8 p.m., and the, flames could be seen shooting into the sky to tremendous heights." With other employees of the Whalen Company I took the launch and hurried to give aid, reaching there at 9 p-m. "There was little we could do other than help in shifting the hose lines. The f ire burned fiercely, evidently aided by the sully of oil on the third floor where the oil-flotation separators were located. WORK HEROICALLY Only the heroic efforts of the employees under General Manager Donohue saved the power and compressor plants, the storehouse and machine shop. "I saw two men operating a hose line between the power plant and main mill and I can never tell how they stood the intense heat. They were wonderful."

LARGEST COPPER MINE IN BRITISH EMPIRE IS DESTROYED

Fire which threatened for a time to wipe out the mining town of Britannia Beach , BC, some 25 miles from Vancouver on Howe Sound, destroyed plant and property of the Howe Sound Company, valued at more than 1,500,000.

No lives were lost.

Only the heroic efforts of the employees, led by the general manager of the company, Mr. E. J. Donahue, saved the little city and it's population of 800 souls.

A short circuit on the motor systems given as the cause of the outbreak.

WORKERS DEFY DEATH

Workmen defied death and though the power plant was only separated
by 50 feet from the main building it was saved practically intact.
So rapidly had the flames spread, aided by the oil used in the
concentrating process, that the f ire-f fighters were cut off from the hydrants and hose racks within the building. Mounted on the main roof of the plant were two powerful turret nozzles, but only one of these could be put in operation as flames shooting through the roof cut off the other.

Though those In charge of the one turret nozzle fought stubbornly they were finally driven from their post a few minutes before the roof crashed in. General Manager Donohue concentrated the efforts of his men, who were aided by a number of volunteers, rushed from Mill Creek and
Woodfibre across Howe Sound by launch, on saving the power plant and other buildings.

UNDER CONTROL SUNDAY
This was only accomplished after a fight that lasted throughout Saturday night and Sunday morning at 9 p.m., the fire was under control but the the high wind that prevailed yesterday kept fanning the embers into life and necessitated the weary firefighters standing to their posts and drenching the smoldering ruins of the huge plant with water.

The plant has been closed down for some months, only a scant staff being retained to keep it in repair, and during the shut-down the building, which is a mass of heavy timber, had ample time to dry out. Built on the side of a mountain, the concentrator terraces up to a height of 270 feet, and is surmounted by a large ore bunker and trestle which were also destroyed.

HEAVY PRESSURE USED
The power plant, which was saved, ls one of the best equipped water-
power plants in the country, and operates under a head of pressure that
is only exceeded by one similar plant on the continent, that being in
Mexico. Water was piped to it from lakes and streams high in the mountains and reached the nozzles of the Pelton wheels under tremendous pressure.

Frame dwelling houses for the employees were built in the shadow
of the concentrator, had the flames reached these the efforts of the firefighters could not have saved the town, as the f ire would have spread rapidly from one light frame building to the other, the hotel, the
large store, with a stock of more than $150,000, would also have been
destroyed.

J.Dawson of the Whalen Pulp & Paper Company at Woodfibre, across
Howe Sound from Britannia Beach, arrived in the city last night after
a stormy trip in the Whalen Company's launch and brought with him
the report of Provincial Constable Sidney Saunders to Chief Cruick-
shanks here.

"It was one of the fiercest fires I ever witnessed," said Mr., Dawson.
"It broke out about 8 p.m., and the, flames could be seen shooting into the sky to tremendous heights." With other employees of the Whalen Company I took the launch and hurried to give aid, reaching there at 9 p-m.

"There was little we could do other than help in shifting the
hose lines. The f ire burned fiercely, evidently aided by the sully of oil on the third floor where the oil-flotation separators were located.

WORK HEROICALLY
Only the heroic efforts of the employees under General Manager Donohue saved the power and compressor plants, the storehouse
and machine shop.
"I saw two men operating a hose line between the power plant and
main mill and I can never tell how they stood the intense heat. They
were wonderful."