Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1876-12-16
our MINERS MUST nm PROTECTED.

On Tuesday last Hugh s. Mcdonald.
. miner. tainted Or the rage ~ b was
coming up from the depths Of the in-
psrial mine. toppled to one side was
crushed between the cage and the tim.
bars Of the shaft. aud the fragments OF
his body went down twelve hundred
feet, until they found a resting place Al
the bottom Of the shaft. In all prooa'
bility Mr.. Mcdonald suffered NO pain IN
MI. death. II was 80 instantaneous that
he had NO time to realize the fearful
calamity : it was so instantaneous thai
his friends and fellow. workers were only
spprissd Of 1t by a slight shaking Of The
cage. and only learned what had hap
psnsd when they reached the surface
and found their eomrade gone. But II
Hugh McDonald did not suffer in his
death, that death has caused many q
heart in this community to ache. He
vas . young man. beloved by all who
knew him ; with many friends. every
enc Of whom thoroughly respected him.
and every one Of whom mourns his IN
timely taking of Al they would the
death Of . brother.
This case 10 but one Of many which
have occurred in the last few months.
When Q miners work In done, his first
and greatest object Is 10 get to the sur
face. He rushss for the cage. and M
many crowd upon 1t as possible. II il
very seldom that less than nine are
brought up at q time. These men have
to stand upon an elevator open on all
sides. In very many OF the mines the
temperature is exceedingly high. A
man OF feeble health or OF a weak oon-
stitution 10 very liable to become faint
bsfors he leaves his work. He will
never speak Of his iaintnsss to the fore
man or his fellow-worksrs. because be
knovs II he does the impression will
gain ground that he is not DIT to work in
. mine. and no will be discharged. And
so be stsps boldly upon the cage. and
a. he goes up he encounters the fsul
and heated gases which invade nearly
every shalt. aud II he fsints and tumblss
ovsr-wsll. 1t is only one poor miner
more gone to his last home.
Some provision should DO made for
the safety Of these men. They are the
men Who have made Nevada what II In ;
the men who have built up Virginia
City and Gold Hill. They have u right
10 demand consideration. But for them
eur mines would be unproductivs, and
all business in this part Of the country
would cease. Their lives are as dear to
them and their families, rs those Of the
uillionaires who employ them. They
are the bone and sinsw Of this Stale.
and but for their brawny arms and
sturdy hearts. the State Of Nevada would
NO, be in existence to day. II there is
any class Of persons whom we are bound
to protect. and cherish. 1t is the miners;
the men who have made Nevada q pros
porous Stats. the envy Of her sister
commonwealth.
Something must be done to insure the
lives Of these men. No man should be
allowed to ascend or descend q shaft Of
any mine. unless he is thoroughly pro-
tsctsd from all danger. The cage might
Be surrounded by iron lattice work with
suitable gates u, each side. There are
numerous devices which might be sue-
gsstsd. OF course time will be lost in
applying any Of them. and the financial
theory is. that "tims is money" But
no money placed in tho scale should be
allowed to outweigh human life. The
miners Of this State must DO protected
against all accidents which are not abso-
lutely unavoidable. Who 10 the Super.
intendsnt that will take the first step in
tho mattsrr