The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-16
DEATH OF JOHN M'LEOD
Cause of the Explosion Is Not
Brought Out.
THE INQUEST CONTINUED
Andrew Usher Who Handled the Giant,
Unable to Say How 1t Caught
Fire-Was Being Thawed by
Steam-Other Evidence.

1t is generally admitted that it is a
most remarkable kind of powder that
will explode without concussion or fire
coming in contact withIt, but that is
about what the powder at the tunnel
north of the city did last Wednesday
night when the five men We're impris-
oned in the mine. AT least that is what
would appear to an ordinary man to be
the case after hearing the evidence
given at the coroner's inquest held yes
terday upon the body of John Mcleod,
the only one of the five who was killed.
M. Jennings of Butte, the man who
has the contract to drive the tunnel
through the hill, was the first Witness.
1T has been his custom to go through
all of the tunnels that are being con-
structed at about l o'clock in the morn
ing. On Thursday morning he did not
see any lights at the west end of the
tunnel and went around to the east
end, where he inquired of the gang at
work there where UlsherS men were.
He was told by the east-end men that
they had heard two shots at o'clock.
He went back to the west portal and
found the tunnel filled up with dirt.
The blacksmith shop, which stood about
20 feet from the portal, had been blown
away. He came to town and asked
Petritz, Ulshers partner in the sub
contract, where Usher was. Petritz
told him he was working on night SHIFT.
Jennings then went back and took the
Workmen from the other tunnels ana
added enough other men to make
total OF about 70. This force began dig
gng and kept at It until the men We're
found. Questioned by Jurors Jennings
said that it was about 100 feet from
where the blacksmith shop had stood TO
the face of the tunnel where the men
were working He old not know how
much powder had gone Off in the first
explosion. Whenever a box of powder
was taken from the magazine it was
l placed inside The tunnel, but il was al
ways frozen. lie did not think there
was a full box of powder
Andrew Usher, the sub-contractor
who was in charge Of the work when
the explosions occurred was then called.
He had put his men to work upon the
face of the tunnel. When it came
about time to put in charges he went to
the blacksmith shop where powder was
usually thaWed out. He put about 70
q sticks of powder in the apparatus
which was used for thawing out pow
der. This contriNance consisted OF an
empty powder can with holes cut in for
araught, and in this can was built
fire. on top of this can was placed
another tin can, with three wires
stretched across from one side to the
other about midway between the bot
tom and top of the can. Water was
poured ia the bottom and allowed 10
boil. The powder was placed upon the
Wires and was thaWed out by the
steam. A gunny sack was used to cover
the powder to confine the steam, and
over the gunny sack was placed a
board. Usher built his fire and put in
his powder and then went to sharpen
ing some tools. When he got ready to
put in his charge he picked up the can
Of powder and started into the tunnel
with 1t.
At point about so feet from the por-
tai was q sort of magazine where a box
WAS kept which contained more pow
der. On the opposite side of the tunnel
was a box containing fuse and caps.
About Il or 20 caps We're in this box.
fisher placed his can of thawed-out
powder in the middle of the car track,
which runs the length of the tunnel.
He stepped to the cap box and began
fitting cap on piece OF fuse. His
candle was about three feet from where
he stood. and he stood about eight feet
from where the can of powder was.
Suddenly he heard a sizzling noise be-
hind him and, turning around, he saw
flames coming from the powder can.
He picked 1t UP and started for the
opening. He had gone but 10 or l. feet
when he realized that he would not
have time to reach the open air, so he
set his blazing can on the ground in
the middle of the track and ran back
toward the place where his men were
at work and warned them that there
was likely to be an explosion. He
warned them TO get behind the timbers
in order to avoid the force of the con-
cussion. Soon the first explosion came.
1t put out the lights. In about min
ute later the second and heavier explo-
sion occurred. They lit the piece of
candle which they had but the smoke
was SO thick that it burned but a short
time. They then discovered that they
were shut in. Mcleod cried that they
we're all lost, and Usher told him to
take heart. They stumbled about in the
suffoeating smoke for time, and some
one said that Mike Kosno was dead.
Usher went to him and found him upon
the bank of caved-in ground. He was
apparently unconscious Usher poured
some water in his face, and then he fell
down and became unconscious or went
to sleep. He didn't know how long he
slept. The place where the men were
working was about go feet from where.
the cave occurred. He had been hand
spoke very poor English and it was
hard to get an intelligent understand
ing of what he said
Mike O'Hara said he was miner
and had gone to work at the tunnel on
Wednesday night. He and John Nc
Leod were working together on the face
of the tunnel Usher told them the
powder was afire. After the first ex-
plosion he heard more powder burning.
He asked Usher if there was more
powder. and Usher said there was more
in a box. The men then got behind
what protecting objects they could find
and waited for the second explosion.