The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-09-30
Timbers and Pillars Gave Way, Letting
Loose Tons of Ore and Rock Oh
the Unsuspecting Toilers.
WATER ADDS TO THE HORROR
The Shafts and Levels Filled from
the River Michigamme,
Which Broke Through When the Nine
Caved In and Sealed the Fate of
All the Men Below.

CRYSTAL FALLS, Mioh.. Sept %. "A mine
casualty without parallel in the anpsls of
the mining industry of Michigan occurred
at the Mansfield shafto. the oply producer
of Bessemer ore in the Crystal Falls min
ing district. It's located Six miles from
this city. Ate o'clock last night the mine
caved IN from the top to the bottom. bury
ing twenty eight wOrkmen. and entailing q
loss of 100000.
The Mansfield shafts are located on the
west bank of the Michigamme river, and
the working levels of the mine ran directly
under the stream and parallel with II for a
distance of several hundred feet. The first
Lowell was thirty-five feet below the bottom
of the river, and the lower levels, five in
number. ran parable, TO the first.
The bottom one was 42S feet below
the surface of tho water. The five
upper levels had been sloped out III the
progress of the work. leaving only timbers
and pillars of ore TO bear the mighty weight
of the floors OF ore above. The accident is
supposed to have been caused by the Civ
ing way of the timbers on the fifth level,
allowing those above to follow. and at
last the river to pour upon the fated men.
After the collapse the river bed below the
mine was dry for an hour and forty min
utes.
Forty-eight men descended the shaft last
night. OF this number twenty escaped.
and twenty eight found watery graves.
Their bodies will never be recovered. Most
of the survivors were at work on the bot
tom level, which had not yet been sloped
out. and. consequently. did not cave in
when the levels above fell. The men heard
the crash. and started for the ladder
way. All but four on this level reached the
ladder-way before the torrent Of water
down the shaft cut off the only evenue of
escape. Tony Bulletoni. the skip tender.
was standing with Frank Rocco. q night
boss, at the shaft on the fourth level. They
heard the crash and realized what was
coming. Rocco went into the drift TO in
form his men of their danger. but did not
return. Bulletoni came to the surface in
the skin alone. Andrew Sullivan. another
night boss or foreman. was on the sixth
level. at the time of the accident. He
realized his danger and called 20 his men
to follow him quickly. Ali out four men
on this level reached che Underway in
safety. As they assembled. however. they
were nearly suifocsted by the water pour
ing down the shaft. so great was the air
pressure. They were able to breathe only
as each landing placed was reached, and
came to the surface more dead than alive.
Mine Inspector Roberts states that his
deputy was employe ed in the mine and gave
the work daily attention. He also saws he
visited the mine personally at the required
intervals and that the proper amount of
timber had been place in position by the
company. lit is only a clear demonstra-
t,on." said he, that the timbering system
of mining cannot be en- ployed in that sort
of ground. The company has taken all
necessary precautions in the conduct of the
unrk q The ininara lost ara.