The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-19
WAS CRUSHED TO DEATH
Nathaniel G. Powell of Deer Lodge
Meets an Untimely End.
IN THE EMERY PROPERTIES
Was Working in a Mine When Car
full of Ore Broke From the Gable
and Came Down on
Him. ...-.
Special Dispatch to the Standard.

Special Dispatch to the Standard. b.
Deer Lodge; Feb. 1S.-Nathaniel c. Pow
ell, aged 30 years, the second son of Judge
w. L. Powell of this city, met death in
frightful manner in the Emery mine, six
miles east of this city, at o'clock this
morning.
Mr.. Powell was one of the force of car
men in the Emery properties, and at the
time of the accident was working in the
SoO-foot level of the incline shaft. He had
attended a loaded car containing about Il
half ton of ore to the cable and sig
nailed the engineer to hoist and. busying
himself on the turntable of the level with
an empty car. had his back turned to the
head of the shaft, when the heavily load
ed iron carrier became unattached from
the fastening to the cable and rushed
down the steep incline and caught the I'M
fortunate man between the two cars,
crushing his life out in an instant.
The cars in the mine are furnished with
an improved safety coupling attachment
into which a ring on the end of the cable
is fitted. and when properly adjusted the
miners and other employees below the
source.
Though there was no one in the immedi-
ate vicinity of Mr.. Powell at the time of
the accident. and in consequence no eye
witness to the cause of his death, it is
the generally accepted theory that in
coupling the cable to the loaded car he
neglected to make fast the safety device
and in passing over a slight down grade
the cable, relieved of it's weight, slipped
fastening allowing n
run back to its starting point. carrying
with it a shocking death. Before becom-
ing unloosened the car had gone about
80 feet on its upward journey, yet the
grade of the incline is so steep that when
the cars found contact, with the person
of Powell between them, the momentum
| gained by the moving car was such that
| his body from his shoulders to the knees
| was crushed beyond the semblance of
anything human. From the increased
speed of the engine. caused by the release
! of the load, the engineer knew Immediate
\ lyA there WAS some accident and an inves-
| tigation was made at once by the fore
man. who. with the assistance of two min
ers from the drift adjoining the 300 level
removed the, remains, to the surface,
where an inquest was held this afternoon
under the direction, of Justice Emerson.
acting coroner, but atta late hour the
jury had not returned to Deer Lodge and
their finding is not yet known. ~
Frank Hunter of Butte. deputy state
mine Inspector, arrived in Deer Lodge
this evening and will visit the mine to-
morrow for a full investigation as3to the
cause of the accident. n "a.
Nathaniel c. Powell, the victim of so
unnatural a death. was born near Cal
houn. Henry county, Missouri, March 16,
1870, and resided in the place of his birth
until sthe summer of 1890, when with his
| parents and family he came to Montana,
| making a home on the farm of his aunt,
| Mrs Phil e. Evans, west of this place,
for one year, going to California early in
1891, residing in Silverton until 1893, when
| he again returned to Montana, and has
Esince made Deer Lodge his home follow
ing mining pursuits for greater part OF
| the time He was a young man possessed
| of all the good qualities that go to make
| up the nobleness of the gentleman, and
| his friends in this city are numbered to
| the full extent of his acquaintance.
Funeral arrangements have not been
perfected as yet, but the interment will
| probably be on Monday afternoon next,
and will be held from the Methodist
| church, with which denomination de-
| ceased was closely affiliated.