Great Falls weekly tribune., 1896-04-24
Gathered in Town.

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| Gathered in Town.
The news of the terrible mine accident
at Neihart reached this city at $3.50 a.
m. Saturday, when the train dispatch
er's Office at the depot was notified OF
the accident by the operator at Neihart,
and request was made for special
train and the services of several sur.
geons. In just one hour and three quar-
ters after the dispatch was received a
special train, bearing Drs. Ferguson and
Davis and Undertaken Cook, pulled out
of the depot in response to the summons
for help. Meantime the train from Nei-
hart to Great Falls was held at Neihart
till 8:2O a. m. to give clear track for
the special. The news of the disaster
spread rapidly over the city and many
exaggerated rumors were in circulation
till the arrival of the train from Neihart
about p. M, when authentic news of
the situation was obtainable.
About a. m. saturday, it is stated by
one of the arrivals from Neihart, Mr..
Ewalls and a number of miners desired
to send dispatch to Great Falls, sum-
moning Father Dolls to administer the
last rites of his church to several of the
injured, who were in dying condition.
They found the door of the depot locked
and no amount of knocking at the door
could rouse Agent Williams. The crowd
supposed he had gone away on some
errand and we're about to leave, when an
inquisitive and suspicious miner made
the discovery that he was inside,
stretched at his ease, and deliberately
ignoring the impatient summons of the
miners, who desired him to send the in
portant telegram. This discovery of his
heartess indifference in an hour of such
suffering SO enraged the miners that
they got truck and began to use it
as battering ram to break in
the door. This brought Agent Williams
to time and he got up and agreed tosend
the dispatch. There was some ugly talk
indulged in by the miners when this
story was circulated and at one time it
looked as though there would be
trouble over it in the heat of the general
excitement. On receipt of the dispatch
Father Dolls at once made arrangements
for special train and left for the scene
of the accident TO administer his sacred
offices to the dying.
A request was also received at head
quarters for another special train to Nei
hart to carry W. j. Clark of Helena, one
of the owners OF the mine, to Neihart
Mr., Clark arrived here on the regular
east bound train Saturday and i'm.
mediateiy afterwards his special pulled
out for Neihart
Hugh Mckenzie, one of the killed
was well known in Great Falls. He
came here last October and worked in
the snelter until the latter part Of Feb
ruary, when he went to Neihart to work
in the Broadwater mine. He was gen.
eral favorite here among the circle of his
acquaintances. He was just % years of
age HIS sister, Mre. Dan Bethune, of
this city, resides on Seventh avenue
north, near Sixteenth street, and when
the sad news was received she at once
sent telegram to Neihart, asking that
his remains be brought here for burial
The scenes in the temporary morgue,
which had been opened in vacant furni-
ture store near the depot building, were
heart rending in the extreme. Mrs.
Doran and her fatherless children were
weeping in despair, and desirous of see
ing the remains Of their protector, re.
quest which could not be granted till the
body had been put in more presentable
condition.
Considering the force of the explosion,
the bodies were not mutilated so badly
as might have been expected. That of
Frank Doran was the worst, but all his
members were intact, although badly
crushed
The theory that the sticks of powder
caught fire while Doran was trying to
thaw them is further borne out by the
alleged fact that the last man who
passed the little passageway leading
from the main tunnel to the magazine
saw Doran running for the main tunnel
as fast as he could, evidently to get away
from what he feared was a coming ex-
plosion. AS a matter of fact, Doran
must have juet about reached the mein
tunnel and another minute would have
put him in comparative safety when the
explosion came.
Dan O'Leary, one of the killed, came
here from Dwight, ILL.,, where his parents
and relatives are said to reside.
A dramatic incident is told by one of
the train men. On the train which
reached Neihart Friday night was
young man from Butte, whose name he
could not recollect. He said he was
going to visit his brother, who WAS work.
ing in the Broadwater and whom
he had not seen for eight years.
When the train reached Neihart he
learned that his brother, who was not
expecting him, had gone to the mine on
the night shift, and he concluded to wait
tn next morning before calling on him.
Next morning he found his brother lying
IN row OF corpses in the temporary
morgue.
Dr.. Sandow Of Neihart worked heroic
ally in ministering to the wounded and
suffering until the arrival Of the special
with the Great Falls physicians.
Real Estate Transfers.
Warranty Deed-John X. Csstner ct
ux. to Scandinavian M e. church of
Belt, lots Il and %, block 13, townsite of
Belt; $175.