Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1872-05-10
FULL INVESTIGATION DE-
MANDED.

lncluulnS Wllilauls, VINO was kiiieu
In the Yellow Jacket shaft q few days
subsequent to the great calamity, while
engaged with othors tryingto~ ascertain
whether the fire was extinguished or
not, and the extent Of tho damage,
there were thirty-nine lives lost by
that awful visitation. The shoulder
Ing fire burned among the immense
mass Of timbers In the Kentuck mine
and Immediately adjoining for nearly
two years before 1t was finally found
to have died out, but the memory Of
the fearful catastrophe still burns
deeply within the hearts Of the widowL
relatives and friends Of the victims,
and will not die out with the present
generation. Even now the unrecov-
cred bodies Of Thomas Lalty, Andrew
Reinay and Daniel O'Neil lie entombed
In the upper levels Of the kentuck
mine, whittier they had fled from the
fell destroyer, In vain endeavor to
escape through to the Yellow Jacket
shaft. Day after day bodies were re-
covered aud brought to the surface by
the adventurous miners, at tho risk
Of both life and health; and during
oil that trying time, from first to last,
the writer Of this was present almost
continually, both night and day,
watching every movement and phase
Of the calamity, and reporting thereon,
not only Geographically to the San
Francisco press, but also making q
true record of the same in the GOLD
Hill. News, recognized rs the best re-
cord. and as such universally copied
by our contemporaries. Our files are
freely open to inspection for all who
desire full and correct Information re-
garding that sad time, and u edito-'
rails OH the subject were simply the
honest deductions Of developed facts.
We were not then, are not now, and
do not propose to be, n pandsrer to the
morbid desire for sensational stories,
too painfully the characteristics Of the
general public. neither do we propose
to distort actual facts Into n semblance
Of wrong merely to crafty the too
eager wish Of anybody. At that time
there were all sorts Of sensational ru-
mora prevalent, and more so than all
the rest was one to the effect TINT the
Yellow Jacket mine was purposely
fired by the controllers Of 1t, In order
to bear the stock. This was ut first
| darkly limited at, but soon came to be
boldly and publicly discussed; and 1t
was quite common to hear men say
that they fully believed the mine was
purposely set on fire, and that 1t could
be proven, yet although this led to a
rigid investigation, not n word OF
truth could be found in the charge, and
even the testimony ELECTED at tile elab-
crate Coroner's inquest failed to estab-
lish even sensible grounds for suspicion
against anyone. In common with all
who fully aud fairly investigated the
matter, We came to the Inevitable con-
clusion that the fire was simply the re-
suit of IN accident or carelessness only
too common in u mines, both before
and since-that Il was caused by o
burning candle left sticking to one Of
the timbers. Whoever did this never
had the courage to confess, or at any
rate was never discovered, and we
we're induced to the belief that he
was among tho victims. All charges
of c%ulpabiiity in the matter were freely
Investigated at the time, and we know
personally that Mr.. Sharon pronounced
the sensational story Of some n will
fully setting the fire a malicious absur-
dity. In personal conversation with
Mr.. Jones also, he, too, pronounced
the story an impossibility, too horrible
for serious consideration.
Both gentlemen argued that there
had to be a motive inducing tho foul
decd. II It really was TO bear the
stock, 1t was 4 failure, as Yellow
Jacket stock had gone up In the face
of it-a contingency which would most
assuredly have been fully provided
against. Mr.. Jones argued that only
n rich man, or ons having powerful
controlling influence, could or would
engage in such u diabollcal specula-
ton, risking his own lie rs we'll rs
others. In order to accomplish his OBJ
ject he would haveto employ an agent,
or one Of the miners, for 1t was lmpos-
sible for him to do it himself without
detection, even IL he dared risk 1t.
He would thus place his honon reputa-
ton, life itself, directly into the hands
Of such agsnt-a thing no sane man, !
rich or poor, would dare do. The
sensational stories we have mentioned
were entertained only among the most
ignorant and u~areflectlng. or those
naturally inclined to believe popular
regardless Of actual evidence.
Since then, at various times, this
same foul charge has been flung ont on
many public occasions against the Vel
low Jacket management and the Bank
Of California, even our at present eff
cient Congressman, Kendall, doing so
In his speech at Piper's Opera House,
Virginia, during his contest with
Fitch. Its reproduction at the present
time Is simply a 4olackmailing opera.
ton on the part Of !O'Donnell. and
hubbell, rs may be clearly and Justly
inferred from the published accounts
OF III affair. Mr.. Sharon nor Mr..
Jones do not believe any moro OF it
now than they did three years AGO
and those who know both gentlemen
best personally, know either Of than
to be incapable of having u possible |
willful connection with such horrible
deed. The matter now sums up to Inst
1t Is high time TINT an end was
-. klo fo.I 49, -.