Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1880-05-06
THE JACKET ACCIDENT.
Esdsavsrs % Prevent simiisr Osss
The Dimealsies % % DYER.

The inquest last evening into the
death Of James B. Matthews brought out
the fact that considerable trouble has
been experienced from hrst to last on
account Of the breaking Of axlss holding
the trunuions Of the skips in use at the
Yellow Jacket, and the further fact that
after the accident which resulted fatally
to Mr.. Matthews another trunnion gave
way similarly.
In every instance the axle Of the trun-
MON has broken. These aIlss = Two
inches in diameter and are welded to .
piece Of iron which 10 rivstsd to the body
Of the skip. The pressure upon these
trunnions IL not great. They are only
called into play when they strike the
cam. or switch, or frog. a. some call 1t.
and tilt the skip. The skips carry about
three tons Of rock and In all weigh
about four tons. They rest nearly
OF the center and are easily tilted
a. soon a. the ~fastsnings are, by the
machinery, withdrawn. The axlss oil
break whore the weld 10 made. The tes-
timony last evening showed that the
best blacksmith obtainabls makes these
Yields and that the axlss were subse.
auently placed In Q lathe anG turned
down, when any defect which might
exist near the surface would be visible.
Yet when breaks occur Il Is found that
there are defects In the iron. There
we're two In that which broke causing
Matthews death.
The Yellow Jacket Company have
long been studying how to remedy the
evil. They have thought Of using .
chain or some kind OF fastening, so that
In case OF q break similar to that OF
Monday the trunnion might be caught
M and prevented from falling down the
shaft; but the liability to complioats
matters and cause disasters was 30 great
that experiments OF that kind were
thought likely to mako matters worse
instead OF better.
Now Captain Taylor has had the aIles
made larger and has had the Welding
done at q foundry instead Of in the shop
OF the company with avisw Of Giving adj
ditional security to the work. He Is sven
trying Q device to secure the wheel In
case il breaks Of. This works well
while new and well oiled. but whether 1t
will after 1t gets rusted and dirty re-
mains to be seen.
At any rate, NO one familiar with the
endeavors used at the shalt to render
the lives OF workmen there secure can
accuse the company OF sparing either
expense or pains to attain that end.
Some Of the jury last evening were
inclined at frst to find fault because
there vas NO regular cage on at the time
Of the accident; hence, no protection
from q bonnet. The testimony, how
ever. soon satisfied them on that point.
They were lowering pumps at the Tins,
and the man who was on the cage With
Matthews swors that 1t was being done
in the usual way and that, In fact, the
irons being lowered were 30 large and
heavy that cages could not DO used In
the work. After hearing all the testi-
mony, not one Of the jury. and they
we're all intelligent men, felt inclined to
csnsurs any one on account OF the acci'
dent.
The accident OF Monday was the first
at the new shaft Of the Jacket which
resulted fatally. When Matthews died,
ths Gag was most ~sorrowfully hoistsd at
half.mast.