Amador ledger., 1906-12-21
FALLS 23OO FEET.
E. MolognOni Steps into Oneida
Shaft, and is Mangled to Pieces

One OF the most horrible accidents
that we have been called upon to
Chr onicle in the annals OF mining in
this county, occurred at the Oneida
mine, early Tuesday morning, caus-
ing the instant death of Eugene
Molognoni. How the victim came to
make the mistake that led to his
death is matter of conjecture. He
was an experienced miner, and had
worked at the Oneida mine for two
years and five months.
Molognoni lived with his brother,
Fortunate Molognoni, at the old
Pernollet place, about a mile from the
mine. He was employed as car man
at the 2200 level, between the winze
and the main shaft. Before leaving
home on the previous evening, he
complained of not feeling we'll, and
told his brother when he started for
the mine, that if he did not feel
better he would not go to work.
Reaching the mine, however, he did
not mention that he was sick, and
went to work as usual. His partner
was Agostino Biasotti, and to him
during the working SHIFT he COM
planned of sickness, He was told to
take 1t easy, that be would make up
for his shortcomings.
Shortly after 3 o'clock he got on
the skip with ten or twelve others.
He was riding on the top of the skip,
On the southeast corner, and ascend
ing the north compartments the
down air compartment. Reaching the
surface, he stepped backwards, at the
same time letting go the cable he was
holding. He thereby unwittingIy
stepped squarely into the chasm of the
south compartment, falling to the
sump, distance of 2300 feet. His
body struck the timbers of the shaft
in its awful plunge, and was literally
torn to fragments.
His partner was standing close
beside him when he took the fearful
plunge. He did not see him make
the mistep, but head the dinner
bucket. which he carried in the dis
engaged hand, strike the first set of
timbers, and remarked. "My partner
gone down."
The body was mangled in a shock
ing manner. Deceased was a man of
170 OF $50 pounds weight, and the
trunk when recovered from the
bottom, was probably less than 70
pound weight. Portion of the body
were scattered over the shaft timbers,
and recovered IN candle boxes. 1t
was the most shockngly mangled body
that coroner Huberty had ever met
with in his experience as coroner and
undertaken. The remains we're simply
sewn up in a canvas. There was no
possibility of Joining them to resemble
a human frame.
The dinner bucket struck wall
plate short distance from the sur
face. and tipped its contents of lunch
on the timbers. The bucket went
down. The lunch indicated that the
contents of the pail we're intact that
the deceased had not partaken thereof,
no doubt on account of his not feel
ing we'll.
His watch was found at the 1900
station. The glass face was broken,
otherwise 1t was not badly battered.
line hands marked 3:2O-the time the
disaster occurred.
Some believe tnat being sick he
tainted on reaching the top of the
shaft, by contact with the fresh and
kean air. The more probable ex-
planation is, that he was confused,
had no recollection of the bearings of
The shaft, and stepped into the other
compartment, believing he was step
ing onto terra fuma. 1t was the only
direction that he could possibly step
from the skip into the shaft.
An inquest was held the same after
noon before coroner, q. M. Huberty
and the following named jurors, j.
II. Thrasher, Jos. DaIo, l.. Poggi,
John GIuci, W. Leavy, j. Bellosso,
W. Hanley, Theo Schwartz and r.
Webb. The following witnesses we're
examined: 4. Hampton, superin-
tendent, E. Hampton, jr., N. Basolo-
vieh, Bias Chruich, A. Martlgraso-
vich, Agostino Biasotti and A.
Petronzi. The jury brought in the
following verdict:
THAT deceased Eugene Molognoni,
native of . Tyrol, Austria, aged 80
years, came to his death, by accident
ally stepping from the skip, on reach
ing the top of the shaft, into the
south compartment of the shaft, and
that no blame attaches to any one on
account Of said accidental DEATH"
The funeral took place yesterday.
Services we're held in the Catholic
church, and the remains laid 20 rest
in the local cemetery of that denom-
inatIon.
Deceased was married man, hav-