The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-03
ANACONDA NE VS..
]. DUE TO CARELESsAEsS
~
An Inquest Held on the Body of
John Johnson.
CONTRARY TO THE RULES
The Victim of Saturdays Powder Ex-
plosion Found to Have Acted in
Violation of the Regulations
at the Tunnel

John johnson, the man who was
blown up through his own carelessness
in thawing out some giant powder at
one of the tunnels north of the city on
Saturday, died late Tuesday night. He
had been lowering between life and
death for four days. At times he
seemed to be slightly improved, but at
no time did the surgeons have any hope
of his ultimate recovery. The causes
of his death are two wounds in his
chest, which were made by the passage
of some hard substance, probably a
piece of tin can, which Johnson held
in his hand at the time the explosion
occurred, and which was blown to
fragments. 1t is thought that one of
these pieces of tin went through the
walls of his chest and into his lungs.
johnson also sustained other injuries
about the face and body, ana was alto
gether very badly hurt.
Death occurred on Tuesday night at
st. AIMS hospital, to which institution
Johnson was removed after the acct
dent. The body MdS removed to
Ehrets undertaking rooms and Coro-
ner Hardenbrook notified of the death.
The coroner empaneled the following
jury: John Hanswrth, Theodore
Ehret, Thomas Boland, David e. Mar
Ter. d. G.. Brownell and c. b. Buck. The
inquest was held yesterday morning at
10 o'clock in Judge Donoghue's court
room.
The evidence brought out at the in
quest was unimportant and contained
nothing further, so far as essential de-
tails go, than was contained in the ac-
count published in the Standard.
Frank Jones carpenter in the en-
ploy of the Anaconda company, was
the first witness. He said that he had
just come from the west end of the big
tunnel tn the east end He stand
ing about so feet south of the black
smith shop, facing the shop. He saw
Johnson with a can in his hand stand
ing at the forge. He held the can over
the forge and worked the bellows He
did not know what the can contained.
1t looked like "a can used for thawing
out powder. All at once there was an
explosion and he ran to where Johnson
lay. He picked him up and placed him
in a sitting posture. Jones was the
first one to reach Johnson.
johnson seemed to be daZed and his
face was black with powder Johnson
said soon as Jones had placed him
upon the timberS:
What was in that can?"
That was all that Jones heard him
say. Some men came up then and they
picked I'D some giant powder about
four or five feet from where johnson
had been standing. Jones did not see
johnson have any powder in his hands,
nor did he see any in the can. The can
was blown all to pieces, as was also
the forge and the fire that was in it.
Michael Garvin, the next witness,
was filing a saw at the end of the tun-
mel about so feet from the blacksmith !
shop. Garvin had a little fire and John |
son came up and asked him If he could |
use the fire. Johnson had a tin can in |
his hands, and apparently desired to !
heat some water. The witness did not |
know whether there was any powder in |
the can or not. He saw Johnson hold |
the can over the fire in the forge and /
blow up the fire with the bellows. He |
heard the explosion, but could add |
nothing to the testimony already given |
by Jones.
j. w. Hartman, one of the contrac-
tors engaged in driving the tunnel, was
also put on the stand, but his testi-
mony was practically the same as that
Of the two previous witnesses He told
Of the arrangements that We're provid-
ed by the contractors for the thawing
out of powders. He said there was a
room which was provided with a stove
and which was supposed to be used ex-
for thawin8 out powder. The
workmen had instructions to use this
room for thawing powder, and Johnson
had used the forge contrary to the
rules.
The jury after a short time spent in
elaboration returned a verdict that
me SAID JOhn Johnson came to his
1eath through thawing powder con-
-rary to the rules of the contractors.
and further, that the contractors are
axonerated from any blame in the
natter"
The remark of Johnson. as Jones ran
Up to him, What was in that cam"
would seem to indicate that Johnson
vas not aware of the fact thatfhe can
contained powder. IL is thought. how
yer. that Johnson at that time
hought there We're caps or black pow
Ter in the can, and that the explosion
vas caused by these. johnson must
ave known that there was giant pow
Ter in the can. or his action in heating
he contents of the can is hard to ex-
,lain.
Johnson was an old hand in the
handling of powder. Mr.. Jennings. one
II the contractors, said that he had
,nown Johnson for a number of wears
nd that he had always considered him |
o be very careful man. He thought
hat johnson had been handling DOW
Ter for 10 or II years, and his careless
less was a surprise to him. Nothing |
vas brought out at the inquest relative
o Johnson's condition in life. whether |
le was n married or single man. or
whether he had any relatives in this
ectiOn of the country