The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1890-09-13

station on the Southern Pacific
railroad. Between twenty-five and
thirty miners ara employed, taree
at night and the balance during the
the day 1he mine boss. Francisco
Guerra, has fa1 charge of The work.
The general manager is II. ". bIais-
deli ThemaIr shaft Waich rs six boy
eight feet. is four hundred andGtty
featin depth NTH .vF>ie Ium every
fifty feet from the two hundred to
the three hundred and fifty level.
On Monday night about II O'Clock
while John Stoffela was working III
the cross-cut at the bottom of shaft,
Rumaldo Rivas and Jesus Herman
dez who were taking out ore in the
three hundred and fifty level discov-
cred that portion of the main shaft
below where they were at work, was
caving, and called out to Stoffela
to look out that the falling rock did
not injure him. Stofela however
continued at work until two o'clock
Tuesday morning and did not notice
whether the other men were at the
mine or not. Early Tuesday morning
Rivas and Hernandez were missed
and upon going down the shaftit was
found that a heavy cave had occur
red during the night and that the
fortunate men were imprisoned
IN the three hundred and fifty level.
Immediate preparations were made
D rescue the men. A two inch pipe
was driven in thirty feet and the
Imprisoned men soon made them
selves heard, saying that they were
uninjured, but very hungry and
thirsty; their wants in that direction
were soon satisfied. An experienced
force of miners soon crowded in and
after steady work of fifty six hours,
Rivas and Hernandez once again
saw the light Of day ard enjoyed
the delight of having all the good
air" they wanted. The men were
somewhat weak from the lack of
ventilation in their rock bound
prison, but so happy were they
that no word of complaint came
from their lips. Gratitude, delight
and JOY shone in their faces as they
once again stood out in the glorious
sunshine and realized tina: they
could breathe-and live
The dangerous condition of the
Cargo Muchacho mine has longl
been known to the miners who have
repeatedly and publicly stated that
it was due to the poor and frail
timbers used. All the timbers in the
mine were of cotton wood, |
and afforded but little security in
the mine. The Cargo Muchacho is
said to be a rich and dividend pay
ing property and its managers were
trying to work it as carefully as pos
sible but unfortunately purchased |
light cottonwood poles, which make
fair fre-wood but very poor timbers.
Luckily no lives were lost, but |
abe lesson taught is a serious one
and caara. soon be forgotten or
overlooked .g hose most directly |
Jesus Hernandez and R. Rivas
the -..uara who 81 ere "shut in" the |
Cargo Mucnacnv accident called at |
the SENTINEL office this morning
and stated the following facts: |
They said that they believed the
mine to be dangerous and would |
not have worked in it but their |
poverty forced them to do so.
Hernandez claims to have called |
the attention of the mine boss to
the loosening and falling of rock in
the main shaft the night of the acct
dent. He stated further that cotton
wood poles, seldom exceeding five
inches in diameter were used as
timbers and frequently the poles
were so green that the sap oozed |
from them when set in place.
Eernandez and Rivas were very
in their statement that
the accident was due entirely to the
poor quality of material used in
timbering.
The Accident; Another Account