The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1880-01-28
A Terrible Accident.


writing from Howland Fiat, Sierra
county, under date Of January Gosh,
gives these details ef the late accident
there. He says: During the after
noon of the l9ta Instant blast Of IL
pounds OF giant powder had been set
of in The top section Of the Bonanza
shaft, which is down l02 feet, to con-
meet with the lower section of the shaft,
which is Up 2J4 feet, the two sections
having been brought very near together,
as had been previously ascertained by
sounding. Three men were on the
ground at the month OF the shaft on the
mountain when the blast was set Oft,
but one, being sick, went home. After
waiting half an hour or so for the gas
and smoke to clear away, John A. Me
Donald, one Of the two men lett, deter
mined to 90 down the ladder, though
L. d. Davis, the other faan, strongly
urged lim not to do SO, as he Davis
had already been down part way aud
had been Obliged te retarn on account
of the gas and smoke. Regardless OF
this remonstrance Mcdonald went down
and stirred m the debris occasioned by
the blast. He Immediately signaled to
Davis to be ltoisted, but on being hoisted
crt.o.. e..A f,,il n,,4 Of 4l.a boi
tub, being irsensible as is supposed.
Davis then went down the ladder to
render assistance, bat could not endure
the gas and smoke. He assembled and
went with all haste down the mountain
to the Bonanza Company's works, half
mile distant, for help. Crowds of
men Immediately ran up the mountain
to render all the assistance in their
power. William Lucas descended the
ladder, but soon called for help as he
was fainting, taen George j.. Rolfe de-
scended, and then Antoue Brown and
d. b. Russell went down, but Russell
soon returned, bringing out with him
Brown, who was insensible, but soon
recovered Charles Hughes was now
lashed TO the hosting tub aud let down.
In the meantime air had been forced
into the shaft with pair Of bellows
and rubber hose. Hughes succeeded
in sending ont the three men, one after
another, but when raised Co the surface
they Were found to be dead. The three
were found embracing each other az tie
bottom OF the slait. Hughes now sig.
naied to be hoisted, bat when up the
shaft about fifty feet the hoissing gear
gave way and he was precipltated TO
the bottom Of the shaft, calling out
while going down, "Oh boys " several
times. j. NJ. Skinner was now let
down by rope to render assistance to
Hughes, whom he succeeded in brqug-
ing out alive, bat sadly though not fa-
tally injured, according to the opinion
of DIR. Mussey, who had been tele-
pAoned TO, aud was soon ON the ground,
Hughes has no bones broken, and is in
fair way to recover. Tie killed are
John A. Mcdonald. a native Of Nova
Scotia, aged - years; George f. Rolfe,
native OF Nova Scotia, aged D years,
and William Laras, native of Sierra |
county, Cal, aged 20 years. 1t was
about O'clock r. NJ. when the first /
man fell into the shaft, and about 8 |
o'clock p. NJ. when Hughes succeeded
in sending out the three dead bodies.
In addition to the casualties already
mentioned, a number of other men who |
went down the shaft came ont or were
brought out, in nearly an inscnsible
condition, and had to be carried home.