The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-18
AN INQUEST WAS HELD
Death Of Harry Maughton En-
tirely Accidental.
THE VERDICT OF THE JURY
Lost His Life From Irjuries Sustained in
the Explos on Of q Matte Furnaces
at the Butte and Boston
Srnelter.

Coroner Julien held an inquest yes
terday on the body of Harry Maugh-
ton, the smelterman who lest his life
from injuries sustained in an eSnlo-
sion OF matte furnace at the Butte &
Boston smelter at an early hour Thurs
day morning.
The witnesses examined were Arthur
M. Day, foreman OF the smelling de-
partment of the Butte G. Boston smell
ter; William II. Weed, the skinner Of
furnace No. 4, at which the explosion
occurred: Allen j. Reeves, Weeds
helper; DR.. T. J. Murray, John R.
Lloyd, John Hill, converterman, and
Charles E. Schnure. The process of
smelling and the circumstances lead
ing up to and surrounding the eXnlo-
sion were given in great detail by these
persons.
From the testimony it appears that
the metal being used was low grade
and precipitates were being run with
1t to bring up the grade. Furnace No
4 had been charged three times during
the night. and shortly after midnight
a fourth charge was put in. The cal
cine had been dropped and skinned
and was ready for the precipitates
Skinner Weed, who was in charge,
sent his helper up to dump the precipi-
tates, and he did 50. Just as they
dropped into the funace there was a
terrific explosion which blew off the
roof of the furnace and blew out the
hind quarters Of the fire-box.
Weed was thrown off his feet, as was
also Helper Reeves. who was on the
platform above. but neither was in
jured. Convertermen Lloyd and Hill
were at work at the converters a short
distance away. When they heard the
explosion they ran to the furnace. They
knew MauRhton and his partner, John
Roger, two graters, must have been
in the pit grating the furnace and ran
to where they should be- Roger had
succeeded in getting out Of the pit and
Maughton was trying to get IN the
stems. They helped him up and carried
him back where he could get good air.
Both men were cared for as we'll as
could be until the hospital AMBULANCE,
which was at once summoned, arrived.
The two men. being under the fire.
box grating. were in direct range of
the force of the explosion and were
covered with the burning coal of the
fire-box. Maughton was struck by the
bricks from that portion of the fire-box
which was blown out and had ore
leg terribly crushed. Dr. Murray stat
frightfully burned and that ne suffered
greatly from shock. He was so badly
injured that he could not possibly re
cover. and died a few hours after
reaching the hospital.
The only explanation the smeltermen
could give for the, explosion was that
the precipitates We've wet and it was
their opinion that they must have
worked down through the ealcine to
the molten metal, creating gas which
exploded The men all testified that
they were all experienced smelter-
men, that the charging of the furnace
was done in the usual way. that the
precipitates were no wetter than usual
and that for these reasons they could
not conceive how the precipitates came
to run through, as they must have
done. In their experience they had
never known such an accident to oc-
cur before.
1t appearing from the inquiry that
the explosion which caused Naugh-
toms death was wholly accidental, the
jury returned verdict to that effect.