Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-11-03
From Fridays Daily.
The dead.

From Fridays Daily.
The dead:
NNzIE HUSTON, residing on Ellis
avenue, killed instantly.
The injured:
Oscar Lowe, 519 South Davis street.
Fractured skull bruised about the
body, probably fatally injured.
Lloyd Buchanan, 5O6 South Ransom
street, cut about the head, ankles
sprained and bruised about the body.
Lambert Lowe, son of Oscar Lowe.
519 South Davis street, cut about the
head, left ankle injured and bruised
about the body
John Hayes, 511 Burnside street. left
ankle injured and both shoulders
bruised.
One OF the most serious mine acci-
dents that has recently occurred
around Ottumwa, happened yesterday
afternoon at 4 o'clock at the Dempster
mine, mile and half southwest of
the city. AS the result of the acci-
: dent Ktnzie Huston is dead, and Lloyd
Buchanan, John Hayes, Lambert Lowe
and Oscar Lowe are seriously injured,
the latter perhaps fatally.
The accident occurred as the men
we're being hoisted from the mine. AS
usual at the end of the days work,
each man had lighted his fuse leading
to a. charge of powder. All ran for
the cage, which was Immediately
raised. At the moment when the car
bearing the five miners reached point
half way between the bottom Of the
shaft and the opening at the top, a
terrible explosion blew the cage with
tremendous force into the wheels Of
the machinery at the top of the shaft
house.
John Hayes and Lloyd Buchanan
were thrown clear Of the cage into the
dump room, sustaining severe bruises,
while Lambert Lowe was caught and
rendered unconscious. Oscar Lowe
was caught between the upper corner
of the cage and the shaft-top rigging
against which it was lodged, and from
which perilous position he was extri-
Gated by William Dempster, owner of
\ the mine, and George Newman, an
employee. Kinzie Huston was blown
to the top of the shaft, and fell head
long back into the shaft, ninety feet
In depth, the fall killing him instantly.
Cause of the Accident.
It may never be correctly ascer-
tanned what was the origin of the ex-
plosion, but all indications point to a
windy shot, owing to the compact of
the air in the mine. The mine is a
comparatively new one and the air
shaft for it is at present under con-
! struction Whatever it was, the force
developed by the explosion was gigan-
tic in power. The descending cage,
which was within twenty feeL of the
bottom at the time of the catastrophe
was hurled entirely out of the hole and
lies, mass of wreckage, dozen feet
from the mouth Of the shaft.
AS soon as possible after the acct
dent, aid was secured for the injured
men. DR.. S. A. Spilman and DR.. A. O.
Williams and the ambulance were
summoned, and preparations were
made for moving the men to their
homes. Lambert Lowe, son of Oscar
A Lowe, residing at 519 South Davis
street; John Hayes, 511 Burnside
n street, and Lloyd Buchanan, 506 South
q Ransom street, were taken to theil
homes at once in wagon Oscar
Lowe, being more seriously injured by
gashes on the head, and fractured
skull was removed to the hospital ir
the ambulance, after receiving such
medical attention as could be giver
him at the time.
An improvised tackle was arranged
over the mouth of the shaft and low
cred by the miners, Lewis Ruff!ng. en-
gagged at the mine in digging the nj
shaft, descended the pit to recover the
remains of Kinzie Huston. 1t wa.
$50 o'clock when his body was re
moved from the shaft. 1t was after
ward removed to the Daggett under
taking parlors.
Charles Myers, a driver in the mine
had a narrow escape from being alst
in the accident. He had ascendet
with a mule on the cage before th,
one on which the five men were bein:
hoisted, and at the time of the expls
sion was in the dump room. MI
Dempster, who was driving the ho:s
which hoisted the cage at the time o
the accident, turned when the suddel
blast occurred and caught a glimps
of Huston falling headforemost dow
the shaft.
William Dempster. operator of tn
mine, resides at Alb Chester avenue
and has been engaged in operatin