The record-union., 1893-09-30
FrightfuI Disaster in a Mine at
Crystal Falls, Michigan.
GROUND UNDER THE MICHIGAMME
RIVER CAVES IN.
flooding the Working Levels In Which
Forty Eight Miners Were at Work,
Only Twenty of Whom Made Their
Escape, the Other Twenty-Eight
Meeting With Horrible Death.
sDecial to the REcoRD-UNIox.

Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
CRYSTAL FALLS (Mich.), Sept. 29.-The
Mansfield, the only producer Of Besse-
mer ore in the Crystal Falls district, 10
Gated six miles from here, caved in at
o'clock last night, burying twenty-elght
workmen and destroying six hundred
thousand dollars worth of property. The
Mansfield working levels ran directly
under the Michigamme River, and par
allel with il for several hundred feet. The
five lower levels ran parallel to the first,
the bottom being four hundred and
twenty-eight feet below the surface
water. The five upper levels were stopped
in the progress Of the work, leaving only
timbers and pillars of ore to bear the
mighty weight OF the floors above.
saThe accident is supposed to have been
caused by the giving way of timbers on
the fifth level. allowing those above to
follow, and at last the river poured in
upon the fated men. After the cave the
river bed below the mine was dry for an
hour and forty minutes.
FOrty-eight men descended the shaft
last night. Twenty escaped, and twenty
eight persisted. The bodies will never be
recovered. Most of the survivors were
at work on the bottom level, which had
not been stopped out, and conse-
Quently did not cave when the levels
above fell. The men heard the crash of
the cave, and started for the ladderway.
All but four on this level reached the
Iadderway before the torrent of water
down the shaft cut aft the avenue of
escape.
Tony Bulletto, skip tender, was stand
ing with Frank Rocko, night boss, at the
shaft Of the fourth level. They heard the
crash, and realized what was coming.
Rocko went into the drift to inform bis
men of the danger, and did not return.
Bulletto came to the surface in the skip
alone.
Andrew Sullivan, another night boss,
was on the sixth level at the time Of the
accident. He called his men to follow
him quickly. All but four men on this
level reached the ladderway in safety.
AS they assembled, however. they were
nearly su1focated, SO great was the air
pressure caused by the water pouring
down the shaft. They were able to
breathe only at each landing place, and
came to the surface more dead than alive.
Mine Inspector Roberts says his dep
uty had been employed in the mine, and
had given the work his daily attention.
He also says be visited the mine person.
ally at required intervals, and the proper
amount of timber had been placed in po-
sition by the company. 1T Is clear
demonstration said be, "that the tim
lbering system of mining cannot be en-
spIoyed IL that sort of ground. The COM
pany has taken all necessary precaution
IN the conduct of the work"
The lost miners are: Samuel Peters
(married), James Strong (married), w.
H. Pierce (married). Frank Booker, Swan
johnson, Sam Johnson, Mike Harring-
ton, AL Tarresani, Frank Johnson, Spell
timo Zodra, Pete Turey, Nicolo Fontani,
Charles Popl (narried), John Holstrom,
Bax Torurali, John Kirruppa, John
Randals, John Warner, Oscar Lundquist,
Chiric Arcanzolo, Ant Stifano, August
Colonna, Cd CONSTANT, Vigils Zodra,
Celisti Nazri.
The Marshfield was developed about
six years ago, and has been worked con-
tinually since. 1t is estimated that 20O,-
000 tons of ore was in sight when the acci-
dent occurred. To-day it is a worthless
pit, only marked by small bay caused
by the sinking from the natural bed of
the Michigamme by the cave.
The death of twenty-eight men has
marked the end OF the Mansfield mine,
for unless the river can be forced to seek
another channel this rich deposit of iron
ore can never be worked again. Eight
of the victims leave families, children
fatherless, and about half of the remain
ing supported families. What measures,
If any, can be taken to rescue the bodies
OF the dead has not yet been determined.