The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-21
Coroner's Jury Finds No Fault
With the Original Mine.
THE ROPE SIMPLY BROKE
1t Had Been Used q Short Time, Compar-
atively. and Apparently II Was in
Good Condition-There Was a
Defect In II Somewhere.

fore the inquest started the coroner
stated hat II had been suggested to
him that the Jury go up to the mine
and examine the parted cable. Mining
Inspector Hunter thought II very i'm
portant for the jury 10 examine the
rope and see the break The Jury. after
talking the matter over. concluded not
to go up 10 the mine. One OF them said
that II would be pretty dark to 20 UP
at night, and II they went up at all II
should be In the daytime. The jury
was composed OF the following: John
NJ. spargc. Phil J.. Harrington. Emo
Sheldon, p. L. Miller. George H. Lewis
and James Warhsid.
The first witness was DR.. George II.
Wells. who testified TO the mans In
juries. When he arrived he was In a
state OF profound shock. He admin
istered stimulants and waited for him
TO rally, but he died In about IN hour.
He had q complete fracture Of the
spine. He was slightly conscious before
he died but said nothing In regard 10
how he received his injury.
John c. Driecoll of 736 West Broad
way. engineer At the Original mine.
said that Rosette was taking down
tlmbers. The witness got a signal at
the 1000, and then a signal to hoist.
He hoisted, n about twenty-five
feet from the top the rope broke.
They were accustomed to examine the
rope when tarring II. but had no par
ticular time for examining the condi-
ton of the rope. There was no Jar and
no unusual speed. He had been enRi-
neer there more than nine years. There
was never any other accident before
at this mine with a man on. but II was
the third time the rope had broken
He could MT fell bnw long - ia sspca
the rope broke with him, but II was
not the same rop There are safeties
constructed with springs, and when the
rope breaks the dogs are thrown in and
catch on the guides. They always
worked all right at the Original as long
as he had been there. He could not
say why the dogs had not caught this
time. The rope was an inch rope. The
previous one had been a seven-eighths
rope.
Richard Hancock. a at the
Original mine. living at 121 Pear street,
said he wa. at the 1. 100 when Rosette
came Town with a load OF timbers. He
went with him up 10 the 1000. He knew
nothing o the accident. Every
thing was safe so far as he knew.
w. ]. Rodda OF 497 East Broadway, a
miner at the Original, was working on
the LOO when the cage came down anc
helped to get the injured nan out. He
ndu seen the TOpe CnaTStu three OF
four times since he had been working
there, which was a "a and eight
months. He could not tell how long a
rope like that would last. He consid-
cred IL a pure accident. He had hauled
by the same rope two hours before.
John Camballack of 927 East Galena
street. miner at the Original, was about
10 feet from the station when the acct
dent happened. The cage went TO the
stump. The witness went dow there
and found Rosette sitting or the cage.
He did not seem at that time to be
badly hurt. He had never noticed any
defect in the cage or cable. He con-
sidered the rope safe. He was sure
there was no mismanagement on the
part of the company. He did not think
a Jar or Jerk by the engineer would
have caused the rope to break. II was
just pure accident.
James Tonkin Of ef6 West Quartz
street, miner at the Original. was away
from the shaft at the time OF the acct
dent, but examined IL afterward. The
rop seemed in perfect condition before
the accident and the shaft was I'm per-
feet condition. II was his business TO
examine the shaft every week. He con-
sidered that every necessary p~recaution
is taken at the mine to avoid accidents.
He could not say why the dogs did not
catch In the guides. He could not tell
whether the break OF the rope was an
old break or a new one. In the top deck
OF the cage was the silver OF a guide.
A. Oaman of 72i West Quartz street.
helper of tinberman at the Original
mine. did not see the accident. but ex-
amined things and found everything
In good order. He could not tell how
often the rope was examined.
Martin Dee. engineer at the Original
said he examined the rope that morn
ing just before going of shift. and there
was nothing TO indicate any break or
anything wrong. He never a but
n other rope break and that was
just like this one-no warning what
ever The rope had been used about
Ave months. maybe longer. Some
ropes are safe for a number Of years
and others only for a few months. In
this mine he thought the rope should
have been good for a year and a halt
TO come. II had not been used half az
long as the rope on the other drum.
l.. Ehrick OF 221 West Copper street
topman al the Original, saw nothing
of the accident. He examined the rops
that morning and considered II first
class. He saw no strands broken They
ala not tar the rope that morning
They merely examined It at the drum
Fred Richards OF % East Broadway
station tender at the Original. saw
nothing Of the accident. but looked
over the hope that morning. He con.
sidered II all right.
Foreman Tom Bryant Of the Origina
mine. said the engineer told him this
cable had parted. He told the engineer
TO hoist up the skip and he went slowly
down the shaft to see II there was an,
accident. He found Rosette at the I. 100
and he told the witness he was only q
little sick at the stomach. He called
the ambulance and Rosette was taker
to the hospital. That evening they ex
amined the mine and at the 800 they
found a o guide. The witness.
thought the guide splintered n .
sudden jar broke the rope. His order.
to the engineers were to report to hin
at once In case of anything wrong will
the rope and he also gave IL much per
sonal attention. A seven-eighths rop.
broke at the Original about eight year
ago. anG since then they nay been US
ing inch rope.
Frank Hunter. mining inspector. sai'
he was notified OF the accident and ex
amined the place The accident oc