Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1874-08-18
TERRIBLE ACCIDENT.

eSterday morning, between 3
and 4 o'clock, a terrible accident
occurred at the Belcher mine, Gold
Hill, by the bursting OF fiy-wheel,
whereby one man was killed, one
dangerously and another severely
injured. The wheel is divided into
eight segments, and was broken so
that only one half remained on the
shaft, the balance flying upward,
cut through the 10 10 plate tim
bers, broke the steam-pipe feeding
the north engine, and portion de-
molishing the roof, landed a distance
of fifty feet or more in rear of the
building. AS soon as the steam
pipe was cut, the building rapidly
filled with the escaping steam, but
the fireman, comprehending the sit
uation, shut off the supply from the
boiler. In the meantime the engin-
eer of the north engine, David Stew
art, regulating the throttle-valve,
shut off the steam from the engine,
rushed from his post to the assist
ance of his brother engineer, Rich
ard d. Bray, and doing likewise
with his engine, which was still run
ming, gave hasty glance around,
and found him lying on the floor,
with his head beneath one of the
broken sections of the wheel. 1t
was the work of an instant to release
him. He was picked up, carried
into the Office, and upon examina-
ton it was found that his skull had
been crushed by,one of the segments
of the wheel striking MIN on the
left side of the head and infiicting a
frightful cash, extending to his chin.
He never spoke, but gasped a few
times and then breahed his last.
At the time the accident occurred
there were two men on the cages,
one coming rup-Alfred Donnell, the
night boss, aud another. John
Leonard, going, down. Before the
engine could be stopped, the cages
had reached their respective destina-
great velocity above the floor of the
hoisting house to the top of the gal
lows frame, against the sheave, and
the conclusion threw him to the
floor, a distance of 80 feet. He fell
within one foot of the mouth of the
shaft, and sustained injuries that are
likely to prove fatal. His left arm
was broken at the elbow joint, his
right arm fractured near the joint,
his left leg sustained compound
fracture above the knee, and he re-
ceived a bad cash in the shape of a
horse shoe on the right side of his
head, laying the skull bare,
John Leonard s escape was miracu-
lous. He got on the thfes-decker at
the surface, and jumped iuto car
that was on the topmost deck. When
about fifty feet from the surface the
accident took place, and the cage
shot down with the velocity of the
wind. He says he thinks he was
about three seconds in going the dis
lance of eight hundred feet to the
s50-foot level Arriving there the
two lower compartments of the cage
broke through the platform and
smashed the iron chairs like so much
glass, but the third deck caught and
Leonard was saved,
An inquest was held upon the
body of the deceased in Gold Hill
yesterday forenoon, before DR..
Holmes, Coroner. The jury found
that his name was Il. d. Bray; that
he was native Of Colstoek, Eng
land, aged 81 years and 4 months,
and that he came to his death at the
Belcher mine in Gold Hill. on Au-
gust 18th, 1874. by the accidental
breaking of the hy-wheel, while he
was running the engine, piece of
which inflicted wound in his head.
Our reporter was informed that the
accident will not interfere with the
working of the mine. as the Com
pany have 4 duplicate hy-wheel on
hand, and will have it in place to-
day, when hosting ore will be re-
sumed as usual.