The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1879-07-22
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81 TTENNT
A week aso last night Tim Bowen, for
many years . driver aAAbe Overland line,
camey - his death At. b bridge, on the
BIZ Hsle diver. Bcths @S0Schss &rfiyed at
Blfbwhss Station, ~ Darling at ~
o'Slbdk y night, kfser che msil echs1eed,
Bowen, driver TX she nofiai4bt6yS1Hd zach,
mounted ~ box ID rrocssd ~ n 3cufney,
but bsI6rs Ne could ST possesiicn y sths lines
the team took night ana started to run.
Having grasped two or three Of the lines the
driver turned the horses towards. the fence,
hoping to check them, but the fence instead Of
offering any serious obstacle, was swept away
like paste-board before the heavy coach
wheels. Continuing their headlong rush, the
horses made a dash for the bridge, which they
entered in such a manner that the coach went
crashing through the railing on the down-river
side. When the coach disappeared over the
edge Of the bridge the tongue snapped of, re-
leasing the leaders ono wheeler was released
by the breaking of awhifaetree, the other held
his footing until both tugs gave. way. The
horses were thus left unhurt on the bridge,
whilethe coach, making couple ofreyolutions,
fell in an upright position, resting on the hind
boot In three feet of water. Bowen was eth
er killed in the fall or drowned in the river,
since nothing was seen Of him after the acct
dent. The Deer Lodge and Butte mails were
III the hind boot, where they remained Under
water until tackle could be provided to hoist
the coach to the roadway.
Last Thursday George r. Samples, for some
years past a respected citizen Of Butte, was
instantly killed in a mining accident on the
Pipestone. Samples in company with Daniel
Curtiss was engaged in deepening an old shaft
on the Bachelor claim, belonging to G.. x.
Larabie and others. The had previously COM
planned Of bad air to Larabie, who told them
to timber the shaft securely and leave it with
out attempting to carry the work any further,
if they considered 1t unsafe. But they kept
at work. On Monday evening at quitting
time they burned a little charcoal On the bot
tom of the shaft as they were leaving for the
night. This was probably lone with the idea
that the currents produced by the heat would
purify the air, blu it was a great mistake. Up
OF going to work or Thursday morning both
men descended the shaft, but as soon as they
reached bottom Samples became strongly at.
fected by the strong air aggravated by the char
coal fumes still lingering in the shaft. He.at
once started to climb the shaft, which is forty
feet deep, butts still lacked ten feet of reaching
the top when his strength gave way and he
fell. The fall was only about thirty feet. A
smaller man might have escaped with les
than fatal injuries, but Samples, who wa!
about six feet three inches in height ant
weighed two hundred and twenty-five pounds
was SO seriously hurt in striking the shaft tim
beers in his descent, and struck with such tire
mendous force at the bottom that he neve
spoke after the fall,, dying almost instantly
In the evening of the same day the remain
were brought to Butte. wn the following da,
at 2 p. m. the funeral, with Masonic honors
took place from the Butte Lodge, Of whicI
deceased was a member in good standing. A
the time of his death Mr.. Sample was abou
IS years of age. 1t is the belief of his NOR
intimate friends that he was a native of Hin
ois, or at least that his parents are now Twin
in that State. The deceased was a sober, in
dustrious and law-abiding citizen, a man VIII
never employed in violence the great strengt
Of his giant frame. His untimely death
sincerely mourned by a large circle Of friend
who respected him in life.
Dr. ~ So 81 n