The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-06-30
A SECOND NAN DEAD.
Anderson Dies of Injuries in
Franklin Explosion.
IT WAS DUE TO cARELEssNEss.
Coronerss Jury Finds Naked Lights
Caused the Explosion -Robinson
Victim of His Bravery.

Tire two explosions in the Franklin coal
vnsne which resulted ia the death or Pit
foreman Park Robinson and Charles An
derzon. the latter dying yesterday morn
ing at 2 O'Clock, have been thoroughly IN
vesffgated by Coroner Askam and jury
OF six men The evidence has established
clearly that the first explosion was caused
BIZ the careiessncss OF three men, one OF
whom was Charles Anderson. In going
into the mine with naked lights. in direct
violation OF the rules Of the company.
Park Robinson met a heroic death. but he
did 80 voluntarily, thus relieving the COM
pany or any blame.
The remains of Anderson viii be brought
10 this city this morning for interment.
The details of the coroner's investigation
are told in the following dispatch from the
Post TntelItgeucar correspondent:
Franklin. June -SpeciaT.-charies An
derson, who was burned ia the explosion
on Thursday. died this morning at z
O'Clock. All the others are progressing IA
yorabIy and VIII recover.
The inquest on the bodies of Park Rob
fnson and Charles Anderson was held to-
day in the Masonic hall. with the following
Jurors;
Foreman James A. Greene. James Chap
man, j. c. sackett. lack Brown. Richard
Payne and j. j. Smith.
who gave evidence to the effect that the
company was In no way responsible for
the accident, as II was the result of care
Iessness on the part of the men through
violation OF strict orders they had received
not TO go to work without safety lamps.
The evidence showed that the first explo-
sion was caused By three or the men GO
ing up the slope with naked lights. The
first man had a safety lamp in his hand
Ixz.1 fHx~t4@ L.
being lighter than the air. naturally went
20 the top; hence the safety lamp would
not show the gas.
Mine Inspector Edmunds testified that
when ne last examined the mine about
three weeks ago he found IL in better
condition than he ever saw II since he
first examined 1t, He said the air was a
little sluggish now. but Ii was owing to
the disturbance caused by the explosion.
Following was the verdict:
eve. the undersigned, coroneG's Jury
OF King county. Wash, duly empaneled
and sworn the above day and date at
Franklin. Wash. TO inquire into the cause
OF death OF p. Il. Robinson and Charles
Anderson who died June q and =, re-
epectiyely. from injuries received in the
explosion which occurred in the main
slope of the north seventh level OF the
Franklin mine. do find the following:
THAT the said explosion happened on
the afternoon OF June q, 1896, that the
first explosion was plainly due 10 the fact
that Charles Anderson. Charles John
con and William johnson entered the
slope TO go TO work on the 3 O'Clock
shift with naked lamps, without first
investigating the condition of The slope
with a safety lamp. which Is IN direct
violation or the rules of the mine. This
makes the cause of the explosion the re-
cult of the act of carelessness on the part
Of shx nh al thr. "A
rect cause Of Charles Anderson's death
was inhaling flames. The injuries re-
ceived by +. II. Robinson were the re-
suit OF tho second explosion. which sue
ceeded the first by about thirty min
utes. Said Robinson being inside fore
man, voluntarily and knowingly, at the
risk OF his own life. attempted TO put out
the fire caused by the first explosion. and
IN doing so was caught In the explosion
whieh was caused by new accumulation
OF gas being ignited by the flames, In
which he was struck across f'ie back and
left side by falling timbers. breaking his
left arm and several ribs. The direct
cause of his death was the shock re-
ceived.
I'm view OF the fact thar rhe first ex-
plosion was due 20 tho carelessness Of
the first named three men. ohe OF whom,
Charles Anderson. received injuries which
proved fatal and that the said Robinson's
injuries were due 20 his own voluntary
and brave acts In the interest of his
employers which could have been avoid
ed. we feel that the owners. operators
and managers should be exonerated from
any and all blame In the matter"
Charles Anderson's remains will he
brought to Seattle In the morning for
burial. The funeral OF J.. b. Robinson
has been postponed. awaiting the arrival
of his brother from Minneapolis.