Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1903-04-17
FURTHER
DETAILS
FULL STORY OF THE PYRA.
MD DISASTER
One Man Cremated--0ther Sui
located

DlSAsTERhr lea r.mfw mfwy mfw { |
1t was a sad procession that arrived |
in Reno yesterday afternoon, wher |
the bodies of the two miners VIII |
persisted in the Pyramid Lake mine
tragedy were brought in town and
placed on slabs in the city morgue
Poor Chick as c. r. Johnson was
famiarily called. was burned beyond
Both his arms and legs were gone and
the familiar indentation in the back OF
his scull. the result of a previous ac
cident, enabled his friends to identify
him.
The body of "Backie" Short was
better preserved The flames did net
reach him and his features we're not
married
Complete details of the disaster arc
now obtainable. II has been learned
! that johnson and ShCrt We're on dut
in the Pyra mid Lake Mining and Mi,
| ling COmpany's property. They were
pumping out the main shaft. The
water had been lowered so far that in
the morning shift was to have been
put on to continue sinking the shaft.
johnson was in charge Of the b0ile
IN the shaft house that supplied the
pump and Short was experimenting
thc working Of the pump on the zoe
level
1t was custCmery that when the
pump was to be lowered the men We're
called and at least half dozen miner,
assisted in the task hut there wero
times when Mr.. Short had to have Nj!
Johnson's assistance end the two GiG
the work without calling the other
mon.
, This was evidently what haDpere
when the shaft house cougnt fire
Johnson was undoubtedly down in the
, shaft, as is evidenced by the candle
stick found by his body. He prob
ably saw the flames above him and
attempted to escape, but the smoke
:; in the shaft house was so thick that nc
: fell and was consumed by the flames
The body was lying on the face. One
:, arm had been thrown about his fore
{ head and one leg was bent under him
6 Short wore peculiar shoes and the
i rescue party tracked him. Thei:
: theory is that he attempted to climl
G out and afterwards returned to the
i bottom Of the shaft and then though
e OF the door in the upper level and thcr
:, tried again to reach that point. but h.
y fell before he got TO the door in tn,
( hundred foot level
d He was also found lying face down
= ward over little pool of water tina
:. he thought might protect him from
y the heat and gases.
e The cause Of Il e fire IS unknown
y, low there is no reason to believe tina
i the furnace was overheated
n but as tie supply of fuel was runnin
u When the miners in the bunkhous
=, saw the flames they could not say
= the building which burned with grea
e. rapidity.
:, The fire was seen at the J. & +
y, miners there hurried over and assis
T.; ed in the work of putting out the fir
which had spread downward into tn
shaft and was consuming the timber
The fire occurred at 2 O'Clock in tn
morning, but it was evening befor
the rescue party could penetrate tn
~ shaft.
;e An hour later they came up wrin;
r. ing wet and nearly suffocated On
IL OF the party was rendered unconscio,
d by the fumes They brought with thel
v. Shorts body. Restoratives were al
Id piled but he was already dead frol
G. of the heat and smoke.
u, Coroner Updike, Mr.. Norcross an
N Mr.. Cults arrived about dusk.
a An inquest was held Immediate
ii The jury found that the deceased
each came to their death in the ma
y. ner above described
I'll The coroner is endeavoring to s.
t. into communication with the relative
y of the dead men, Mr.. johnson hs
nj wife and family in Gather Utah {
it Colorado, but uD to late last mig,
oh he had not been able to hear frol
- them Nr. Short lived in cabin
e the y ctekind district before going
i'll P.-r'cid. He had a numder of a
us enhances, but no trace of his re
atives has yet been obtained.
The Pyramid Lake Mining and Mi
n. ing Company lost about $500 by tt
lis fire, but the company will loose I
&C time in erecting a new hosting worI
H. and installing new machinery M
!: Norcross was seen by Journal r
NJ porter last evening He was owe
~ come by the loss of his two faithf
gu employees, but said that he would To-
~ no time in starting up the worl
again.