The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-30
ENGINEER BLAMED.

ENGINEER BLAMED.
Coroner's Jury Says Thomas Accident
Could Have Been Avoided.
Coroner Julien completed the in
quest last evening on the body of Will
liam II. Thomas, who was killed last
Monday by falling down the shaft of
the West Colusa as the result of the
cage being run into the sheaves. A
mass of testimony was taken, mostly
bearing upon the point as to whether
the accident was due to carelessness
on the part of the engineer, Dunn.
William Hambley was the first wit
ness introduced. He was one of the
men on the cage with Thomas when
he was killed. He said he got on
the cage at the 1000; a stop
was made at the 900 and the next stop
was in the sheaves. He recited the
circumstances of the accident as it has
been previously told. He added that
on a previous occasion while Engineer
Dunn was running the engine, the cage
was stopped at the 800 to let him off
and before he had time to get off, it
was taken away and he was thrown
in onto the station. Also on the morn
ing of the day on which Thomas was
killed, a man named Johnson had
like experience. When the cage was
going up, witness said 1t became ap-
parent they were going into the
sheaves, as the cage did not slacken
as usual at the 40. Witness partner
exclaimed before the surface was
reached that the cage was going into
the sheaves.
Richard Davies was another of the
men on the cage. He said he could
see the cage was not going to stop
at the collar as there was no slacken-
ing of the speed, and he remarked to
his companions that the cage was go
ing into the sheaves. He was of the
opinion the cage had not slowed up
very much, if any, when it struck the
platform, and he did not think the
steam had been shut off when the cage
struck.
A C. F1emming "a carpenter employed
at the West Colusa, saw the cage go
into the sheaves. He was positive the
cage was slowing up, as it Travelled be-
tween the collar and the platform, and
he called to the men to hold on. He
thought Thomas attempted to slide
down the guide post nearest him, and
striking an electric wire was thrown
over on the guard rail and into the
shaft.
Alfred Wicks, an engineer in the EN-
ploy of the Boston & Montana COM
pany, said he took charge of the sink
ing engine the day after the accident
He found it in good order and the in
dicator worked properly. He did not
think the sproeket chain could get off
the sprocket wheel unless the chain
was loose and running at a high rate
Of speed. Witness saw the sprocket
chain replaced on the wheel, and said
it was quite a difficult job. He could
not understand how the chain could
possibly have gotten off the wheel it
self This particular engine would
stop within very few feet when the
steam was shut off. He did not run
the engine by the indicator, but looked
at it between levels and was guided
by the marks on the rope in stopping.
James Hume, diamond drill man
and engineer in the employ of the Bos-
ton & Montana company, was called
to look at the indicator after the ac-
cident He saw the sprocket chain off
and helped to put it on. 1t went on
quite hard and when on was at the
proper tension to work properly.
Nicholas Williams, an engineer en-
ployed by the Boston & Montana COM
pany, said he had run the engine in
question. On one or two occasions the
sprocket chain had come off and he
was unable to tell how it happened,
but he never had any trouble from it,
as he relied more on the tags on the
rope than by the indicator. on one
occasion when the sprocket chain
came off. the indicator ran slow, but
he could not tell Just how much.
Asked his opinion as to whether there
was time to have shut off the steam
and stopped the engine while the cage
Travelled from the collar to the
sheaves, he replied: IF a mans mind
was up here in Butte or somewhere
else he would not but if he was pay
ing attention to his business he would
have plenty of time"
Witness added that when he was
hoisting men he commenced to slow
up 100 feet from the surface.
Nelson b. Hutchinson, a machinist
employed by the company, said he ex-
amined the engine a day or two be-
fore the accident. 1t was in perfect
condition. The sprocket chain was
running a little loose and he took out
number of old links and put in new
ones. Witness was present when a
test was made by running the cage to
the surface from the 900 with the chain
in the position 1t is supposed TO have
been in at the time of the accident.
The indicator lost 40 feet in running
the cage the 300 feet.
The testimony of Foreman A. A. Alb :
bot, Mine Inspector Hunter and a
number of the engineers, who were
recalled for further questioning, was
to the effect that there seemed no rea-
son why the discrepancy between the
indicator and the marks on the rope
should not have been discovered and
the engine stopped in time to avoid an
accident.
The jury returned a verdict reciting
the facts as brought out by the testi-
mony and finding that, had the en-
gineer used proper precaution the ac-
cident could have been avoided.