The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1900-07-28
DEATH "a / / rs Is !
RECENT DISASTER NEAR HIBBING
WORST on RECORD. u u
This !. True SO Far as the Minne-
sofa Region IL Concerned.
Carelessness ON the Part Of
Workmen One OF the: Main
Causes-Eleven Perish i'm the Nor
rte Twelve Years Ago.

tory Of Minnesota mining. Ten men
were killed as the result Of an explo-
sion of dynamite: !. How the accident
happened will probably never be known
for the only persons that could explain
it were victims Of the deadly shock and
hence there is no way Of ascertaining.
There have been a number Of accidents
in Minnesota mines when four or five
men have been killed at the same time.
but the Clark mine disaster holds the
horrible record up to the present.
The loss of life among the iron mines
of the Lake Superior iron ore region
would make interesting reading If the
statistics were carefully and accurate
ly complied. The greatest loss in any
single mine disaster in this region
was at the Mansfield mine at Crystal
Falls, Mich, about eight years ago.
Twenty-Five men were killed on that
occasion and their remains lie where
they were caught by an avalanche Of
earth and other material. A small
river ran over the ore body underground
and during the work Of developing the
mine huge cave-in occurred for which
the stream is said to have been respon-
sible, and the Is workmen were en-
tombed. It would have cost. many
thosuands Of dollars to have recovered
the bodies and some kind of a settle
ment was made with the relatives and
the remains were never exhumed from
their accidental graves. Work is now
progressing, however, upon that part Of
the mine and the bones may be taken
0,sA 3~I
future. 49, -.
The next most disastrous accident to
human life occurred at the Norrie about
II years ago. Eleven men persisted on
that occasion. Twelve were caught by
cave-in and but one escaped.
The real drain upon human life
among the iron mines, however, is not
in the big accidents that create a mild
sensation for a day or two, but in the
frequent small ones. There is great
number Of individual accidents but q
majority of these are of course not
fatal. One of the injuries to iron ore
miners frequently heard of is broken
back. Scalp wounds and broken limbs
are frequent occurrences. It may be
said to the credit of the iron companies,
however, that the best of hospitals and
first class surgeons are in attendance.
AS rule accidents are due to the care
lessness of the men themselves and the
dread of them haunts the mining CON-
| panies constantly. Precautions are
| taken and the men are warned but the
accidents happen just the same, There
| are cases on record here in Minnesota
where miners have been discharged be-
| cause of their careless disposition.
Fall down a. shaft is one of the com
mOnest Of occurrences in the iron mines
seems almost incredible that men
who work ever in. the presence Of dan.
ger should not be exceedingly careful
but it appears, on the contrary, with
many at least, to breed spirit Of reck.
lessness. How explosions occur is one
of the most difficult things to explain
because when one does take place
! everything goes in the air. A miners
I lamp tumbles among some of the explo.
sives, or even some of, the hot tallow
gets into a dynamite cap before it has
cooled, and then everything is off. A
part of the mine is wrecked and there
Is loss of life, the number depending
on how many men are in the vicinity.
Cave-ins are another common cause
of accidents. When one occurs and the
men get caught there is always some.
body who gets hurt. The crushing
force and smothering effects of the ma.
terial makes cave-ins much to BIZ
dreaded, even If they are not extensive