The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1877-12-27
The First fatat Accident Which Has
Occurred at tine Coal Shaft
in Eight Years.

Yesterday morning, about half past nine
O'Clock, one of those terrible and heartrend-
sng accidents which causes a thrill of horror,
occurred near the end Of the first west entry
in the coal shaft, seven hundred feet below
the surface OF the ground. 1t seems that n
miner named David Jones, and his two sons
William, Is years Of age, and Benjamin, aged
nine, were working in a room in what Is
known the fourth north entry in the
first west" and had just completed their task
Of mining" and were getting ready
to ..Duggy," or prepare their
coal for hosting to-day, there being no hois-
ting yesterday, on account OF some changes
being made in the cables attached 10 the
cages They had intended after getting their
coal ready TO do some ''brushing,n which il
taking away "A part OF the slate roof ia order
to make the rooms Larger. While they We're
starting out from the room to the entry
the elder boy William heard "A noise above
him where the .'rUoi' n:td not been properly
umbered- and gave The alarm mat the top
was falling in. He had scarcely spoken when
huge masses o. the SLATE and earth began To-
fall. Seeing his Little brother benjamin in
danger, and IN the act Of getting caught,
he rushed forward and pushed him a. far
posSibl from the falling matter i'm front
of him and tried to follow, but he too
late The mass came laundering down up
on him, and his father who WAS outside was
compelled 10 witness the terrible weight
go crushing down on the body Of his son.
the weight Of only the edge of the fall, but ii
was sufficient 10 force him down, with
his face in such a position as to cause
him II be suffOcated before any
thing could be done TO Release him.
The noise OF the tall attracted "A coloTed man
named Hopkins, who was working near by,
and he, together with Mr.. Jones, after hard
work, got the body out as soon as possible.
Meanwhile the pit boss Mr.. John Neeler. Mr..
VIM. johnson and Mr.. Evan Evans, arrived,
and aided a. best they could. Mr.. Evans was
the first 10 discover that tie heroic boy MAS
dead.
The younger boy, Benjamin. was found to be
Ireity badly bruised about the face, having
an ugly cut on the right sIde of the upper iip
and one OF his shoulders considerably huTt,
though not serious y, by the falling slate. The
dead body Of the brother who had lost
his life in trying To sale him WAS
conveyed 10 the top and Dr. Sinks was sent for.
On the arrival of the doctor IL was found thai
no bones were broken, although after the
body had been taken to the house where the
three had been staying, at 80, North Third
street, and washed, several bruises were
found on the back and a
deep cut ON the chm running toward the
right side OF the jaw. Neither Of these iniu-
rltS however, were sufficient To have pro-
yesterday afternoon, and was this morning
placed ON board the Missouri
Pacific train which left at 2:i5,
and started for New Cambria Mo- wher,.
his mother resides, accompanied by Mr.. Thos |
Parry and the little br ,ther who narrowly |
missed being killed. The father of the de- |
irll NtNutItldA dlltIntoh 1DI nome. 10 l
be the first To arrive with the sad tidings OF |
the fatal accident.
The officers of the shaft did everything in |
their power for NJ. Jones; Mr.. John T.. Carr, /
especially. The latter paid all the expenses /
attending the proper arrangement ofthe body |
for shipment, and, with the consent of the /
detailed the escort 10 accompany
ii home. Mr.. Jones and his two boys had |
only been at work here about two months,
and were getting ready to send for the re-
mainder OF the family. The young man vino /
"A "a
er, and "A great help to his father. The latter
feels his loss keenly, and has the sympathy
Df the entire force of miners, who all stopped
work yesterday out Of respect for the de-
ceased.