The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-12
Butte Department.

only work a few minutes at a time.
The men worked like giants, however.
and IL was only a short time until they
partially uncovered the body of one OF
the victims. 1t was pinned down by
the fallen timbers and as the work had
to be proceeded with very cautiously in
order to avoid further fatalities II was
$3.50 O'Clock last evening before the
body was gotten out and removed to
the surface. Although the remains
were blackened they were readily iden-
titled as those of Con Lowney. Both
arms had been blown off and every
bone In the body was broken and the
body was stripped of every vestige of
clothing and only the rubber boots
which the dead man had worn remain
ed on his feet. In taking out Lowney's
body two other blackened corpses were
partly uncovered. They are under a
weight of timbers and as the surround
Ing ground had to be caught UP for
the safety OF the workers II was not
expected that these bodies could be
taken out before early this morning.
heoris al Guesses
The finding of three bodies close to-
gether produced change in the theo-
ries that were hastily formed as to the
manner In which the accident occur
red. II was at first supposed that the
magazine had blown up, but this be-
lief was found to be untenable after
the finding of Lowney's body nearly
100 feet away from the magazine Dep
uty state Mine Inspector John III.
Miles visited the scene of the disaster
a second time, just after Lowneys
body was taken out. His opinion now
is that Lowney and Quinlan had pre-
pared their primers and were on their
way back to the shaft accompanied by
McVeigh, Dwyer and O'Rourke,
who were coming off shift, when the
powder they were carrying and which
was to be used in the shaft exploded.
Naturally IL Is all guess work with Mr..
Miles as to what set the powder off.
1T might be-" he said last evening.
that one OF the men who was carry
ing the powder also had a candle,
which fell over and touched the powder
off. Or II might be that one of the
men was smoking and that a spark
from his pipe caused the explosion"
The Death Chamber
After Mr.. Miles second visit to the
mine he made a careful drawing of the
1100-foot level which will be introduced
at the coroner's inquest. 1t shows that
there is a crosscut % feet long running
from the station to the ledge. The
drift then runs east 100 feet on the
ledge. and then there is another cross
cut 50 feet long, running south. Low
ney's body was found in this cross-cut,
known as No 2. about 100 feet from the
east drift. The powder magazine is
located at the south end of the cross
located at the south end of cross-cut
No. 2. fully S5 feet from where the first
body was found. That the body could
have been thrown So feet is out of the
question. for If 1t had there would have
been nothing left of 1t. From about the
center of cross-cut No. 2, drift runs
30 feet and into another cross-cut.
which runs north 45 feet, to the ledge.
1t was near this point that Shields,
Dwyer, McVeigh and O'Rourke were
working. Two of them were working In
the face of the cross-cut and the other
two were drifting on the ledge.
Explosives Handed Carefully.
Mr.. Miles theory is that. as these
men were coming off shift, they met
Lowney and Quinlan coming from the
and that they all proceeded
towards the station together. From 60
to so sticks of powder were used at one
round by the sinking crew, so that the
quantity of powder that exploded must
have been nearly IL not quite three
fourths of a box. The powder used was
Atlas b. X, Ia inch sticks. Lowney
and Quinlan were always regarded as
being exceptionally careful men. They
always went after the powder them
else to touch 1t while ii was being pre-
pared for the holes. When Deputy In
spector Miles first visited the mine
morning, Immediately after
the accident, he made a thorough eX-
animation of all the levels and every
place where powder is stored.
1.-The largest quantity of powder !
last evening, was three boxes, which
is not at all excessive. 1t was all at a
safe distance from where the men were |
and found that every posi- |
BILE precaution was taken for the safe |
~ of the men. found the temperature |
at the magazine OF the 400 foot level a |
little warm and ! suggested that the |
powder be moved TO a cooler place. |
O'Neill said that the |
change would be made at once. This |
was the only place where l suggested |
any change.
superintendent O'Neill stated yester- |
lay afternoon that not more than two |
boxes OF powder and one box of caps |
we're stored on the 1100-foot level, |
which. he said, was about the amount |
usually kept there. He said that he |
had recently given orders to keep no |
more than two boxes of powder on that |
IeNel anu tndl IL any extra pONueT WIS /
needed to get 1t from one of the upper |
evels. He also told of the precautions |
that had been taken on that level only |
/ few days ago, as stated above.
Con Lownty.
Lowney's body was taken in charge |
BY the coroner and removed to the /
Butte undertaking rooms in West Park |
street. Lowney was a married man. /
)ut his wife and child are not in Butte. /
some disagreement Mrs. /
Lowney left him about two months ago 1
md went back to Hancock. Mich. 1
where she is now. The child is nearly |
years old. Lowney had been in Butte
about four years, working in different \
mines. He was employed at the Green
Mountain before he Joined the force at /
he ST. Lawrence. Lowney was born
n Berhaven. County Cork. ireland, and
vas about q years old. He was a fine
y built man. He boarded with Mrs. /
)'Neill. who keeps a boarding house in