The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1903-03-14

forms, one by one, 10 the surface, while
another brave rescuer was overcome,
Is practically uninjured after his ter
rlbls experience.
Dead and injured.
The dead are: Patrick Grilley, shift
boss; Allan Caulder, Edward Gognan
and Robert Savage. The two injured
men, Nels johnson and his brother,
Known as Otto Bloom, are under ply
sicians' care and Will live.
The fatality has cost gloom over the
camp. 1t was SO unexpected and ter
rible in its effects, SO surrounded with
thrilling incidents, that the occur
rences of the late afternoon are still
talked Of in hushed horror by the COM
munity.
The day shift at the Nellie L. fired
it's shots and quit work at p. m. The
night shift went on at D. m. Robert
savage went 10 his machine 10 con
tinue drifting from the bottom Of
winze in the lower workings. This
winze appears to have been full Of
powder smoke and carbonic acid gas
When Savage reached his post, or pos
sibly before doing so, he shouted for
nelp. saying that he was smothering.
George Groshey descended to his
rescue and succeeded in bringing him
nearly up TO the floor level. when
Groshey became insensible. The body
Of Savage dropped back down the
Winze. a distance Of about 40 feet. Al
Ian Caulder. gallant young fellow,
only 20 years Of age, rushed down the
ladder. On reaching the bottom OF the
ladder he called out for help. and Pat
Crilley. the shift boss and brother OF
the superintendent, descended, TO
share Caulders fate.
The men above begged with each
other for the honor of risking their
lives to save the men below. Bar
clay Crilley went down and actually
reached his brother, but the gas drove
him up the level more dead than alive.
He was almost asphyxiated when he
struggled back to the winze head.
Brave Jack Mcleod.
Six men went down in the dark
where only death lived in the poison
Gus gas when Jack Mcleod, a Cape
Briton miner Of great experience ana
heroism, made an attempt with a rope
In the dark he stumbled across a body,
which he secured with the line ami
bore 10 the ladder foot. The men above
raised poor Paddy Crilley TO the level,
Mcleod partly sustaining him step oy
step from the ladder.
Six times did Mcleod ascend with
the body OF a rescued comrade and
six times descended to meet his own
more than probable death.
The sixth and last man having been
carried up. Mcleod collapsed, and
Jack Sweeney descended to see il any
more remained in the Wine bottom.
For the seventh time Mcleod had TO
go back, with John Hendricks, TO
Sweeney's rescue.
Mcleod has escaped practically un.
injured from his terrible but heroic
experience,
Steps are being taken to have the
heroism Of Jack Mcleod publicly rec
ognized and rewarded.
No blame would appear to attach to
he mine management the appliance Ut
equipment
Among those who behaved with
bravery special mention should be
made OF Barclay Crilly, John w.
Sweeney and Thomas Baldwin. Near
ly every man out Of Is on the level
above the winze was overcome by the
gas ascending when the air was turned
on.
Later.
The jury empaneled to inquire into
the cause of the death of Patrick
Crilly. Robert Savage, Allan Calder
and Edward Gagnon. who lost their
lives in the accident at the Nettie L.
mine, returned a verdict as follows:
In the case of Robert Savage, death
was caused by accidental asphyxia-
tion whilst in the discharge of his du-
ties as a miner. In the cases of Pat
rick Chilly, Edward Gagnon and Allan
Calder death was caused also by acct.
dental asphyxiation while endeavoring
to rescue Robert Savage"
The jury exonerated the Great West.
ern Mining company and its employees
from responsibility in the matter and
found that It was due to the extra
amount of gases in the WINE arising
from the loading and hiring of a double
- A..