Arizona silver belt., 1883-03-17
SINGULAR CASUALTY
At the South Pioneer
 Working-Shaft.
Four Miners Preclpitated DistancI of Three Hundred Feet. and Yet Escape With Their Lives
 and but Few Injuries.

Early on Monday morning, 18th in- stant, an accident happened at the South Pioneer double-compartment working-shaft, by which four miners Tom Desmond, Harry Sparnon, John Laity and John Jenkins-were precipitated to the bottom of the shaft, a distance of three hundred feet, with the very remarkable result that none of the men were killed, and only one of them appearing to be seriously in- jured; the injuries in his case can only be called serious in the sense that they are such as will necessarily cause him much suffering and inconvenience for a time. but they do not Involve any danger of a fatal termination nor will they permanently cripple him.
 THE ACCIDENT.
 The men involved in the accident were on the morning shift, which en- ters the shaft at 2 o'clock. Through some misunderstanding the Foreman of the mine, MT. William Tucker, who was at the engine, had not given the word, but the men stepped on to the bucket. As the last man took his place the bucket suddenly started and in an instant the windlass was re- volving with fearful rapidity. Tucker sprang from his position at the engine and applied the brake, ex- erting his utmost strength and bearing all his weight upon it. To Fuckers prompt energy and self-possession the men owe their almost miraculous sal vation from terrible death, as not withstanding the velocity the bucket had attained the application of the brake greatly lessened the speed. Even with that check the bucket, with its living freight,
 DESCENDED WITH FRIGHTFuL SPEED, And struck the bottom of, the three hundred-foot shaft with great force, breaking the track, across the stump. Instantly two men who were working on the 200-foot level seized the wire rope and slid down to the assistance of their unfortunate fellow workmen-a distance of 100 feet. It was brave exploit, and we regret we have not their names. They found each of the four men conscious and already trying to help himself. They were hoisted, one at a time, and conveyed to rooms of the company near.at hand. Super intendent Comstock says that for manliness, pluck and nerve exhibited at such an exciting time, he never saw the conduct of these men excelled. He says it was remarkable. Tom Des- mond insisted on walking to the rooms, and did so with assistance. Johnny Jenkins was the worst injured appar- ently, his lower jaw-bone being frac- tured on each side about midway be- tween the chin and the large angles, and his tongue split. Even with those painful injuries and his insteps badly hurt,
 JOHNNY WAS JovIAL.
 Jenkins, Laity and Desmond were each injured in tkeir insteps-it is supposed by the strain of the sudden stoppage, as they stood with the balls of their feet on the rim of the bucket when they made their terrible descent. Dr. W. H. Cook, of Globe, was sent for, and as soon as he arrived the shattered fragments of jovial Jenkins s jaw-bone were skilfully engineered into position and fixed in place with bandages. Then the Doctor subjected the strained insteps to treatment of hot-water applications, reducing the swelling and preventing the settling of blood in the injured parts. Spar non is hurt on one of his hip bones. Superintendent Comstock speaks in very high terms of the skill displayed by Dr. Cook. Yesterday the men were all resting well and were getting get ting along in good shape. Jenkin's s is comical rooster, and he is
 THE LIFE OF THE PARTY.
 His tongue is badly swolisM and they have to feed him on the most ethereal and aesthetic diet, introducing it through a space vacated by two broken front teeth. But he can talk little and crack jokes, and he joins in the laughter his oddities provoke. He is full of nerve; but then, he is used to this sort of thing, having pre- viously been blown up by 'joint" powder, losing a favorite eye and por- ton of a finger. Tom Desmond is the genius who a few years ago rode his horse into an old shaft at the Silver King, the horse being killed and Tom coming out with few bruises. He will be around again all right, in a few days. The next leastiniured man is Sparnon, whom a local doctor there one Blackwood, who has since left the camp by "request" informed that