The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1886-03-13
RUN UP INTO THE SHlEVE,
4 Fatal Accident at the Ana.
cOnda Mine.
On tho Part Of tho Engineer Causes
the Death Of One Man and
Perhaps Two.

Yesterday afternoon there occurred at
the Anaconda mine one OF those horrible
accidents which too frequently take place
around hoisting works, in which one man
has already given up his life and his COM
panion will in all human probability also
die. About 2:3O o'clock head blastman
Jerry Mullen and W. J. Elmer, the station
tender at the 3OO-foot level OF the mine.
were hoisted up out ii the middle or work.
ing compartment of the shaft, and carried
on into the shieve through the carelessness
or Observation-Disclosures Of the engineer on
duty. H. B. Hassinger.
The blastman had gone down to the
1,OOO-foot level and fired a series OF holes,
in the usual manner, with an electric bat
tory, and after the smoke had cleared away
he and Mr.. Elmer we"t down to the station
and gathered up the wire attached to the
battery, placing that and all OF their other
appliances upon the upper deck OF the cage.
Mullen gave the usual signal to hoist
to the 3OO-foot level, which was
done by the engineer. and after pause oi
couple of minutes, the latter states,
the bell was again rung, indicating that the
men desired to be hoisted to the surface,
and they were started up. The dial OF the
indicator is traversed by the finger in max
ing 800 feet up or down the shaft, necessl'
tating q lap for the other 200 feet. and tho
engineer made
THE FATAL MISTAKE
of supposlng that the mon were at the 1000
foot instead OF the 800, and when he
started his machinery in motion he stopped
down to adjust lubricator. He only took
few seconds, and as he raised up to his
throttle the cage shot mp out OF the shaft
and into the shieve before he could check it.
Both men were thrown out to the floor be-
low, a distance OF about fifty feet, Mullen
striking flat upon the iron plates, while FL
mer was thrown into one Of the empty cars
standing there. The brakemen and carmen
rushed to their assistance. while
Hassinger at once left the works,
probably " fearing bobby harm at the hands
Of the miners, whom he knew would be
greatly incensed at the result OF his care
lessness.
Mullen was found to bein an unconscious
condition, while Elmer, although able to
talk, was 50 badly bruised and shaken up
that he can hardly recover. A messenger
was Immediately sent to the company y
office, only few yards away, and the
clerk in charge at once telephoned to the
city for several physicians, who arrived in
few minutes and proceeded to attend to
the injured men. It only took glance
from the experts to determine that Mullen
had only few minutes to live, and in hall
an hour after the accident he had breathed
his la t. Prior to his death. however, their
companions had removed both men into
the machine shops. where they were made
as comfortable as possible. As soon az
Mullen had died he was prepared for the
grave, and Elmer was taken to the Sisters
Hospital for treatment.
THE INJURIES RECEIVED.
An examination of Mullen g body showed
that he had been frightfulIy mangled and
crushed about the chest, while his left arm
was dislocated at the elbow and there was
a fracture OF the left wrist. His head was
very little bruised, the only evidence OF his
fall being a large black spot on the left
cheek. He had fallen 80 fat that his body
had received the full force OF the shock.
No examination OF Mullen was made un-
till he was taken to the hospital, and it
was then ascertained by DR.. johnson that
his injuries were wholly internal, and OF
the most dangerous character. His wife
was sent for, and was at his bedside du-lng
the evening.
Considerable damage was done to the
works and it took about four hours to
again put the compartment in condition
for use When the bonnet nf the cage struck
the shieve, the cable parted and the finger
OF the indicator showed that eighty feet
of rope had been taken on the reel after the
upper deck of the cage had passed the col
lar M of tho shaft and before Hassinger had
stopped the motion of engine. The bonnet
OF the cage was total wreck. and thu
guides were somewhat misplaced, but tht
safety clutches prevented it falling dow
the shaft.
THE INQUEST.
Coroner Whitford was notified as sooI
as Mullen died, and SUNNI oned jury tt
20 upon the ground and hold an inques
upon his body. Several witnesses were ex
ahmed, but the only statement OF especia
interest was that of H. B. Hassinger, tn
engineer, who has worked at the mine owe
four years. and has never before had n
accident, He testified as follows:
II was an engineer at the Anaconda min
for four years; am at present working OF
the morning shift; at 2:25 O'Clock thi
afternoon hoisted the west cage from tn
| lOOO-foot level up to the 3OO-foot on tn
proper signals; stopped down to the lu
bricators; heard three bells; which mean
to hoist men to the surface; l got in m.
proper place, and started the cage from tn
i, 900 level, as supposed, but it was from
the 3OO-foot level; after l started the en-
CINE put the cutoff on; looked up at tn
Indicator and saw the needle coming b.
the 1000 mark, aud thought nothing NOR
of it until the cage came through the chains
on,,% 0fT hn afo nd fNO
brake on; the bells were all right and 81
was the indicator; heard the three bell
ring and was sincere in the thought tha
| the cage was coming from the 100000
level: IL l had looked at the indicator
might have avoided the accident
The testimony OF the other witnesse
was simply corroboration OF the facts q
given above, showing conclusively that tn
accident was caused by the failure OF Has
singer to pay particular attention to tn
needle OH the Indicator. The jurors mad
! a careful examination OF the bell the en-
CINE, the Indicator and everything abou
the works, and found them all in first-clas
working condition. Following is their
VERDICT.
San inouisition holden at the Anacond;
mine, Silver Bow County, Montana, OF
March 10, A. D. 1886, before me, Charles
s. WhitfOrd, Coroner OF said county, upol
the body Of Jerry Mullen, there lying dead
By the jurors whose names are hereuntt
subscribed, the said jurors, upon thei
oaths, do say that the said Jerry Muller
came to his death by being thrown iron
the cage OF the west shaft Of said mine ir
consequence OF the engineer, H. B. Hassin
ger, not having observed the situation o
the cage as noted by the indicator, and w
believe that the accident would not have
occurred had the indicator registered ,OO(
instead of 500 feet. In testimony whereo
said jurors have hereto get their hands
the day and year aforesaid.
J. F. BECK. Foreman;
G. A. KELLOGG,
JOHN II. HUFFMAN.
W. L. ScoTr,
W. L. MAY,
j. r. BORDEAUX"
Mr.. Mullen was very old employe OF thu
Anaconda Company, having worked in th'
mine when the little works were put on thu
shaft down below tho present works some
twelve years ago. but subsequently left it,
employ and went to the Moulton, where HI
worked some months, then to the Alice, but
about four years ago he returned to th'