Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1879-10-24
MYSTERIOUS ACCIDENT.
Thomas Kenney Falls From ths
skees ~ the Formau shaft and
10 KtlIed-His Body not yes Re-
covered.

At 8 o'clock last evening q sad and
most mysterious accident occurred at
the Forman shaft by which Thomas
Kenney lost his life.
The workmen had been engaged al
the bob station on the 300 level and Joel
Bowdsn and Kenpey started up In the
skip. In the bottom Of the skip had
been placed some short pieces Of plank
and other longer pieces had been placed
in an upright position and tied. Six
bells were then given the engineer
which means hoist very slowly--and the
skip started upwards with Bowden stand.
ing on the cross piece above the skip
aud Ksnney on the short pieces OF
plank in the skip. The ascent was very
slowly made and the skip reached Q
point 90 near the surface that the engi-
nesr's tag was visible by him when Ken.
ney said to Bowdsu ''Stop her. joe"
This was done ct once and Bowdsn
jumped down into the skip to see what
was the matter. he found Kennsy's
lantern standing there but Ksnney was
nowhere to be seen.
Bowdsn declares that ct the time Of
the accident the skip was moving very
slowly, and that there vas nc jar or jolt
or other occurrence to show that any.
thing was wrong or had struck . wall
plate. The planks were all a they were
when the skip started, and Keuney's
lantern had not been in the least dis.
turbed. The engineer declares also that
he was raising the skip very slowly In
deed, In fact just moving II along up IS
was required BY tho six bells given at
the start.
The men at the tank below heard
something whizz past, but supposed 1t
at the time to be q wedge.
As soon as the man was missed search
was made In the shaft for him. but with.
out effect. One OF his boots was found,
however, with the leg torn of above the
ankle, and O bone was discovered some
eight inches long which is supposed to
have come from his leg. There were
other indications found in tho shaft OF
the fall OF the body to the depths below.
The Forman shaft Is 1856 feet deep.
aud since the heavy flow OF water struck
on the l4th instant, there have been lao
feet Of water In the bottom. As the skip
was near the top at the time OF the acct.
dent, Ksnney must have fallen about
700 feet.
The work OF bailing the winter from
| the shaft was at oncs commenced, but ct
last accounts Kenuey's body had not
been found. Operations in this line
will continue till the water Is lowered 80
that graphing irons q BIO used, when
eudeayors to recover the body will be
mado. This may take till tomorrow
morning.
The only theory which can explain
the occurrence on the occasion OF the
accident Is that Ksnnsy either felt faint
when nearing the surface, ss Is often
the case with the most experienced
miners, and consequently fell of the
skip, or that he lost his balance while
nearing the surface and looking up and
then called out to stop the skip, but not
in time to prevent q fall. The latter Ia
the moro likely occurrence.
Superintendent Forman has Of late re-
peatedly charged the men In his employ
to take no chances. Some Of them have
persisted in going up on the bailing
tanks and he positively forbid that and
charged the men to use the empty skip
as being safer and better. He told them
to be in NO hurry and In all cases to wait
till they could make the ascent is safety.
Had these men sent up the plank trst
and then taken the skip the accident
would not have occurred.
Deceased was o man about AZ years OF
age. q native Of Ireland, aud q widower.
aud leaves q child Of seven or eight
years. two sisters and o brother in.law
10 Boston. He was we'll known about
town and was q member Of the Gold
Hill Miners Union.