The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-17
Two Cousins Killed in the Green
Mountain Mine.
WERE RECRUITING A FUSE
1t Was Wet and While the Two Nearys
Remained to Fix Things the Other
Holes Went Off-One Was
Blown to Pieces.

Va UNI 1890
cousins. ohn ]. was killed at the
breast. but John F. lived TO be AXE
to the Sisters hospital. where he ex-
pired at moor The accident was the
result, either of carelessness on the
part of the two men or of too conscien-
tious an effort to discharge their duties
properly, as they were killed while fir
ing a round of holes and stayed to re-
cut a fuse which had refused to take,
and stayed too long.
John F.. who died at the Sisters
hospital, was conscious up TO the time
he died, and although he was not able
TO give a thoroughly connected account
of the accident, he succeeded in con-
veying the main facts to his friends.
from which a fair understanding as to
how the accident happened could be
had. 1t occurred a few minutes before
Z o'clock in the mornig when the men
were about to go off shift. They were
working in the drift of the 1.S00 level.
They had put in a round of holes and
were splitting them preparatory to fin
ishing IN their nights work. They had
about finished splitting when they came
TO a fuse which, having got wet, re-
fused to take and they stopped to cut
it again. supposing they had plenty of
time. While thus engaged. the hole
which had been spitted first, went off.
| Both men were blinded and tunne
by the blast. but were not killed, and
John F. turned to flee for his life. call
ing to his partner to follow. Before
John J. could comply and before John
+. could reach a point of safety, the
other holes followed in rapid success
sion, blowing John j. to pieces and
so seriously injuring John +. that he
died from the effects.
James Neary, a brother of John F.,
was working behind his brother and
cousin. shoveling. When they COM
menced splitting he left and went out
to the station, where he waited for
the other two men to follow, intending
to go vi in the cage with them. He
waited till after he heard the blast and
then when his relatives did not join
him., he knew some mishap must have
befallen them and went back into the
drift to see was the matter. A
few feet from the breast he stumbled
over the PROSTATE form of his brother
lying on the floor moaning. 1t took
but ar instant for James to realize
what nae happened and he ran back
to the station and gave the alarm. In
a few n other miners came to
his assistance and they went into the
drift to rescue the unfortunate miners.
They found John F.. in the same place
James had left him and alive, but John
j. was beyond assistance. His dead
body lay close up to the breast. man
gled in a terrible manner. John F.
was carried tenderly to the station and
sent TO the surface, followed soon
after by the body of his cousin. A
surgeon from the Sisters hospital was
speedily summoned, who ordered the
surviving man sent to the hospital and
after the coroner had viewed the re-
mains of John j., the body was taken
to Duggan's undertaking rooms.
AT the hospital it was found the in
Jured man could only live a short time
at best, he was so terribly injured.
PlpnnG of nI1nrf1 hnl ar- 60
In his breast and penetrated the lungs.
the left leg was sprinkled thick with
pieces OF he rock imbedded in the flesh.
an arm and the lower jaw were broken
and his eyesight was gone. He was
given every attention possible. but there
was no hope and he lay in great agony
till about noon, when he passed away.
The body was then taken to Duggan's
and laid beside that of his relative,
where hundreds of people who had
been their friends called during the day
to view the bodies.
John j. Neary was 81 years of age
and single. He had lived in Butte nine
years and was very well known and ex-
ceedingly popular.
John F. was SO years old. He had
been in Butte only about five months
and had worked at the Green Mountain
all of that time. He leaves a wife and
four children, who live at Scranton,
Pa, who were notified by telegraph.
Each of the dead men had a brother
here. but no other relatives. The re-
mains of both will be shipped to Penn
sylvania this evening.
Coroner Tremblay held an inquest at
Duggan's undertaking rooms last even
ing to investigate the accident.
John ID. ONeill. a miner at the Green
Mountain, was the first witness. He
said he went on shift at 10 minutes of
O'Clock. He went down to the 1000 and
as he reached the station heard the
danger signal and went back up 70 the
1,S00. The air was too bad at this time
to go into the drift, so he and his COM
panions waited till the air was good
and went in. John J. Neary was found
dead a few feet from the breast.
Mike Sullivan, another miner at the
Green Mountain, was with the preceding
witness. He reiterated the statements
of O'Neill. Asked how long 1t takes for
a foot of fuse used in the mine to burn.
he said about n minute. He regarded
both of the Nearys as careful men.
John Laird. shift boss at the Green
Mountain, was on top when the accident
happened and only knew what he had
been told concerning IL. He related the
circumstances of recovering the bodies
and in response TO questions said the
orders of the mine were that the men
should taxi every precaution for their
safety. 1t was customary to use from
six to seven and a half-foot primer. but
the length of the fuse used was always
left TO the judgment of the miners. 1t
ought not to be, in his judgment, a diff
cult matter to spit II holes where the
accident happened and retire TO a safe
distance. In his judgment the men had
difficulty in making a primer take and,
miscalculating their time, stayed too
long.
James Brannon. foreman at the Green
Mountain, went at once to the l.S00 level
on being notified of the accident. James
Neary was at the station with his in
jured brother, John F.. who was sent OF
top, and. as soon as the smoke cleared.