The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1904-06-09
TWELVE KILLED IN
D|yNlnITE Blast
DAsTARDLY PLoT AGAINST NOM
UNION MINERS AT INDEPEN.
n DENcE, COT.
EXPLOSION OCCURS AT
THE RAILWAY STATION
Internal Machine Deliberately Set OF
Under Platform on Which Victims
Are standing-List Of the Dead
Several Seriously injured. Il

Under Platform on Which Victims
Are standing-List Of the Dead
Several Seriously injured.
Cripple Greek. Col, June twelve
miners were instantly killed and eight
or ten others badly injured by an TX
plosion that occurred after midnight
at the Independence station OF the
Florence & Cripple Creek railroad.
The cause OF the explosion has not
been ascertained, but apparently II
the result of a dastardly plot
against the nonunion miners on the
night! shift at the Shurtloff, Findlay
and Lost Dollar mines, who had just
finished work: and were about to re-
turn to their homes, These men had
no warning whatever Of their impend-
ing fate. !. .~.
The explosion occurred beneath the
platform on which they were stand
ing, hurting many of them high into
the air, destroying the adjoining depot
and rending q great hole in. the earth.
List Of the Victims.
Following is a list OF the dead: L. S.
Shinklin, eager; ]. H. Hartsell, 49,
Berkeley, Gus Augustine, Arthur Muhle-
son, Henry J. Haag, Eleck McLain, shift
boss, Charles E. Barber, William Delano,
E. j.. johnson, Edward Ross, E. Kelso,
Herbert Mccoy.
Mccoy was taken from the ruins alive,
but died in the Victor hospital.
Eight men. we're taken to the Victor
and Red Cross hospitals fatally in
jured. -.
Learn Cause Of Outrage.
Later detectives found the machine
which set of the dynamite under the
platform. 1t consists Of a revolver and
300 feet Of steel wire. The revolver was
placed underneath the platform close to
the powder. The other end Of the wire
was fastened to a chair leg, which was
used as a lever from the cribbings ofthe
Delmonico property. The whole district
is up in arms yer the catastrophe, and
danger of further trouble is feared. A
number Of fist-fghts have already oc-
CURED. Guns will doubtless soon be
brought into play, If conditions remain
as they are.
independence is about six miles from
this city by rail. A special train, carry
ing physicians, was dispatched to the
scene Of the explosion at four o'clock,
and the injured were taken to the
Victor hospital. Sheriff Robertson,
with deputies and police officers of both
Cripple Creek and Victor, went to In
dependence on the special train, and i'm
mediately began a careful search for
clews to the perpetrators Of the out
rage.
The train had not arrived at the In
dependence depot, but was within a
short distance of it when the explosion
occurred. About As or so miners from,
the Shureloff, Findlay and Lost Dol
lar mines had gathered at the depo:
platform and they were blown into the
air in every direction. One mans
body, cut in two, was found 100 yards
from the scene of the explosion
Seven bodies were laid out together
and the remnants of others were Sc
cured as fast as possible. On accoun'
Of the terrible nature of their wounds
Identification was difficult.
Description Of Disaster.
Charles Rector. Of the Shurtlof
mine, describes the explosion.
There were about so or 60 Of u.s.
said he, waiting for our train, which
was coming up the track q few hun
dred feet distant. A number of min
ers who had not yet reached the de
Dot were running toward it with thel
dinner buckets in hand. The trail
approached the depot at a moderate
rate, and the crowd on the platform
began to move around to secur point
Of vantage in getting aboard as 500
as the train stopped. At this momen
b great explosion occurred right unde
our feet. The impact shook the build
ings in the town and everything be
came absolutely dark. A few nc
ments later the groans Of the injure
were heard and people came runnin
from residences and stores to tn
scene. I was uninjured. The depo
platform and the surrounding object
we're rent into splinters. The wor
Of rescue was begun at once. Six bae
" wounded miners were picked up
different points near the scene an
were quickly carried to the train an
sent to Victor. The dead were foun
after much difficulty. There wal a
most total darkness in the vicinity"
Depot Entirely Destroyed.
The train was in charge OF Engine
W. w. Rush and Fireman James Gar
e who escaped unhurt. The train COZ
sisted Of two large passenger coache
and was without passengers, as this VI
the first trip Of the morning, and Ind
pendence was the first station whe
passengers were expected. It is su
posed that at least 200 pounds Of dyn
mite must have been used to produ
such an explosion. The depot was 9
tirely destroyed. The ground on viii
Il stood shows a great cash, az IT,
earthquake had torn up the country a
left this yawning cavity to remind t
neople Of a great upheaval. The Il
paet Of the explosion was felt In eve