The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1903-03-13
JACK MlEOD'S HEROIC ACT

JhCk N LtUD D htkUlO h6l 1
M'LEop SAVED SEVERAL LIVES
NEAR FERGUSON, 3. c.
Descended the Shaft Of the Nellie L.
Mine and Brought Up the Men One
by one-Elghtsen Overcome by Gas,
Caused by slastins-other Brave
peeds-Four Men Perlshed.
Ferguson, via Arrowhead, B. G..
March 1O.-Four men are dead, two
more are under physicians care and
Jack Mcleod. who, at the peril Of his
own life. descended the shaft Of the
Nellie L. mine and brought seven
forms. one by one. to the surface. while
another brave rescuer was overcome,
Is practically uninjured after his ter
ribls 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
| ivn hot a
rences of the late afternoon are still
talked of in hushed horror by the COM
munity.
The day shift at the Nellie L. fred
it's shots and quit work at p. m. The
night shift went on at p. m. Robert
Savage went to his machine to con-
sinue drifting from the bottom of a
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 fol
nelp, saying that he was smothering.
George Groshey descended to his
rescue and succeeded in bringing hin
nearly up to the floor level. wher
Groshey became insensible. The BODY
. Of Savage dropped back down th'
winze, a distance Of about 40 feet. AL
Ian Caulder. gallant young fellow
only 20 years of age. rushed down tn
8 ladder. On reaching the bottom Of tn
( ladder he called out for help, and Pa
r Crilley, the shift boss and brother Q
t the superintendent. descended, t
i share Caulder's fate.
The men above begged with eac
:. other for the honor of risking thei
y lives to save the men below. Ba1
r clay Crilley went down and actual
l. reached his brother, but the gas drov
Q him up the level more dead than alive
g He was almost asphyxiated when b
J. struggled back to the winze head.
Brave Jack Mcleod.
!. Six men went down in the dar
=, where only death lived in the poisol
- . GUS gas when Jack Mcleod, Car
Briton miner of great experience al
:. heroism, made an attempt with rop
In the dark he stumbled across a bod
which he secured with the line al
bore to the ladder foot. The men abo'
raised poor Paddy Crilley to the lew
a Mcleod partly sustaining him step
step from the ladder.
" Six times did Mcleod ascend wi
S the body of rescued comrade al
~ six times descended to meet his ov
more than probable death.
% The sixth and last man having be-
~ carried up, Mcleod collapsed. al
~ Jack Sweeney descended to see II al
more remained in the winze botto
VI For the seventh time Mcleod had
10 go back, with John Hendricks.
'- Sweeney's rescue.
Mcleod has escaped practically U
Injured from his terrible but hero
-. experience.
ne Steps are being taken to have t
- heroism Of Jack Mcleod publicly r
w. ognized and rewarded.
No blame would appear to attach
~ he mine management, the appliance
-, equipment.
~ Among those who behaved "
bravery special mention should
made of Barclay Crilly. John
ess Sweeney and Thomas Baldwin. Ne
ely ly every man out of Is on the le
eeA above the winze was overcome by
gas ascending when the air was turf
on.
ljor LATER
his The jury empaneied to inquire
lem the cause of the death of Pati
alth Crilly, Robert Savage, Allan Cal
per- and Edward Gagnon, who lost Il
wife lives in the accident at the Nettit
ran mine, returned a verdict as follows
re- "In the case of Robert Savage, dc
rant was caused by accidental asphy
tied ton whilst in the discharge of his
1888. ties as a miner. In the cases OF
rick Crilly, Edward Gagnon and A
Calder death was caused also by
orld dental asphyxiation while endeavo
ured to rescue ROBERT savage. -
, by The jury exonerated the Great v
At ern Mining company and its empl
m to from responsibility in the matter
oats found that it was due to the G
mark amount of gases in the winze ari
anita, from the loading and firing of do
ondi. round of holes by the day shift.
orry. 80, .-,-
San Francisco, March 11.-Cal
y -