The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1905-10-07
TEN KILLED
in A QUARRY
Fearful Accident AT West
pawIst Yesterday.
SLATE ROCK CAVED IN
Among The Killed Was John G.
Williams. President OF
Company.

ne, Instant death at the quarry Of
tho Vermont Slate company here "a
day, when about loo feet OF the ives,
bank cru shed dovn without wArnIng,
b irylng the victims under hundreds OF
ons ~ slate aud loose earth. Five
bodies were RECOVERED, but Il IL doubt
ful whether the Others can bc reached
before next week The dead, with the
exception Of John q. Williams. prosi.
dent and treasurer ~ the company,
are all Hungirians.
The list follows:
John e.. Williams,
stephen Banois.
John lilneiskie and Joseph lllnct
skic, brothers,
Metro Dcmsic,
John Taranco,
Joseph wasick.
Stephen Sianwlsh.
John Hobbic,
John Marques,
Tho injured:
Frazier oueen, Log crushed and
shoulder broken, AMI cut about the
head.
william Cotlbill, shoulder sprain.
ed.
Several Others had narrow escapes.
The slide occurred at $3.50 O'Clock
this morning, while the gan, was at
work In the quarry, directed by SIR
Williams and the men were caught
like rats in a trap Mr Williams was
standing near the edge 81 the bank,
while the others we're below in the pit.
He had just raised his arm to signal
TO the engineer In charge OF the hoist
Ing engine, when the bank gave way,
carrying him into the pit 70 feet be-
low.
The men 10 the quarry ran 10 all
directions, in desperate effort 10 es
cape the falling mass. Two Hungar-
ians had nearly reached safety, when
the debris overlook them. one escap.
eel with a broken shoulder, the other
being instantly killsd. Frazier Quee n
was buried TO the armpits. When the
rock went down report like cannon
shot followed, as il tore away from
the ledge behind, and five minutes
afterward there was not a sound.
The quarries OF Edwards Slater com
pany, the w II Hughes Slate company.
Norton Brothers, Rising & Nelson, Z
= Roberts, Layden Il Burdick and
Thomas Griffith, all in heimmediate vi
cinity, we're almost Immediately shut
down, the hundreds OF employees rush
ing to the scene of the accident. News
Of the catastrophe was telephoned to
this place and surrounding towns aud
the citizens, accompanied by many |
physicians, hurried to the quarry.
The rescuers were lowered into the |
quarry, one of the first to reach Mr.
Williams. body being his brother Ed
ward, who is also employed by the
company. The man was just breath
ing his last. One foot and his shout
der had been crushed, but what uh-
doubtly caused his death was a deep, |
jagged cut over the right eye, suppos- |
ed to have been made by square Of
finished slate, much of which fell with
the larger mass.
VIII n assistance reached Queen, the
man was still conscious, and was try |
ing to pull the rocks away from his |
body. He was removed to his board |
ing place and later was taken to the |
Albany hospital. One leg will have
to be amputated, but it is believed that
he will recover.
The accident is believed to have |
been due to seam in the rock, as the
ledge from which the mass of debris |
slid is perfectly smooth, Edward |
Williams stated last night that this
part of the bank had never been con-
sidered dangerous, and that either he
or his brother always stood near the
place where the latter was standing at |
the time of his death to direct the |
workmen below, and to signal the en-
gineer. He leaves widow, two chill
dren and five brothers.
John G.. Williams, the dead officer !
of the company, was AZ years of age. |
He was highly esteemed In this and |
other nearby places, his employees |
holding him in the highest respect. !
His Quarries remained open during |