Mohave County miner., 1903-03-14
Fred Pomeroy Meets Death in Enter
prise Shaft.

denly seized by an attack OF heart fail
ure, or lost his hold on the ladders and
was precipitated to the bottom of the
shaft over one hundred feet below. At
depth Of eighty feet he went through
an open trap in a platform, his body
striking the door and closing it after
him. The unfortunate mans head was
crushed in terrible manner, the whole
force of contact with the bottom Of the
shaft evidently being on the head.
His partner, Tim Harrington, was GO
ing down the ladder below Pomeroy
and when about fifteen feet from the
surface the latter laughingly said: "If
| fall, catch me, Tim," and almost in
stantly fell backward frem the ladder.
Harrington descended to the bottom
as fast as possible and found Fred
struggling to get upon his feet. There
was small amount of water in the
bottom and his face was in the water.
Harrington raised him up and rang
for the bucket. He tied the injured
man in the bucket and ascended the
shaft with it. On the surface the in
jured man made terrible struggle to
get on his feet, but was unable to do
so. He lived one hour and fifteen
minutes and just before breathing his
last he raised both hands and pressed
them to his forehead, took a long
breath and was dead. Cal. Wilson,
who bad charge of the niue, hearing of
the injury of Pomeroy saddled his
horse aad came to town for a doctor.
The distance of twenty miles was made
in LITTLE over an hour. DR.. Ealy was
called up and within ten minutes they
we're on their way back. Fred was dead
when they arrived aud they took the
body back to kingman, where it IVES
taken in charge by the knights of
Pyihias. Ii was found that his skull
was fractured 10 three places ana be
low the right shoulder was a great
bruise, where he had evidently struck
against the trap door.
Tuesday afternoon the funeral took
place under the aus spices of the Knights
Of Pythias from the M. f. church, Rev.
Decker, "a mem Der of the order, preach.
ed the funeral sermon and his remarks
left few dry eyes in the little edifice.
A pathetic scene was the unrestrained
grief OF a great nun ber of school chill.
dren, with whom Fred had been great
fsvorite. The little church was filled
to overlooking by the friends of de-
ceased A great wreath and triangle
of flowers decorated the coffin. After
the service at the church the cortege
wended its way to the little grave yard,
where the beautiful burial service of
the order was read and all that was
mortal of Fred Pomeroy was commit
ted to the earth, there to remain until
that great day when all men shall be
called TO final judgment.
Fred A. Pomeroy was born in the
little village of Daco'o, Alameda coun-
ty, California, on the 7th day of No
mber, 1875. aud removed with his
parents to Gila Bend, 10 this territory,
when about ten years of age. After
the death of his father in 1893 he, with
his mother went to Los Angeles, where
he took business course in one of
the colleges. The following year his
mother and mem bers of the family re
turned to Gila Bend, bat it was but a
short time until the mother died, leav-
ing three boys and one girl to fight the
battles Of life alone. The brothers and
sister were sent to an aunt in Los An
geles and Fred, in company of Henry
Lang, struck out to find work. After
months of hardships they arrived in
Kingman and, having secured employ-
ment, made this place their home.
When the war with Spain broke out
Fred A. Pomeroy was one of the first
to offer his services to the government
and became member of Roosevelt's
gallant band of Rough Riders, being
a assigned to Major McClintock's divis-
ion. He was at the battle of La Guisi-
mas and San Juan Hill. After that fa-
nous battle he was several months in
the hospital suffering from yellow fe-
yer and when he returned to Kingman
nearly a year after, he was in poor
health. The people of our little town
welcomed his return with open arms
and he was made the recipient of an
ovation at the town hall that any hero
returning from the wars might we'll be