Amador ledger., 1907-09-27
FATAL ACCIDENT
AT THE ARGONAUT.
Cable Breaks and George Troyan
Falls to His Death.

A lamentable accident, causing the
instant death of George Troyan, one
of the shift bosses, occurred at the
Argonaut mine on Sunday afternoon.
1t illustrates that Notwithstanding
the utmost precautions, accidents are
liable to occur in manner least ex-
pected. George Troyan, thu foreman
of the day shift, was at the lowest
level in the mine, 1900 feet, at about
two O'Clock in the afternoon. There
is donkey engine in the shaft at the
2400 foot level, which is used in
hosting or lowering below that level.
The cable is wire, five-eights of an
inch thick.
1t had been in use but seven
months, and the life of a cable of
that size is from two to three years.
No one had ever complained about
its being unsafe, and the men rode
up and down on it without the least
apprehension of danger. 1t was ex-
amined regularly, and every pre-
caution was taken to keep 1t in good
working shape. 1t was the business
of Troyan as much as anybody's to
acquaint himself with the condition
of the cable, as he had charge of the
cable and everything IN the mine. If
any employe had considered the cable
unsafe it was his duty to report to
either the superintendent or one of
the shift bosses. There we're other
ways of ascending and descending
between the 2400 and lower levels
besides the skip. There was the
ladders, and also the Slopes. The
fact that the skip was preferred by
the men shows conelusively that the
employees considered everything about
the cable in first-class order, and per-
fectly safe. After the accident re-
ports we're current on the street that
the cable had been condemned as un-
safe; that the company had neglected
to change 1t after being requested so
to do. According to the sworn testi-
mony at the inquest, there was not
the shadow of truth in these reports.
The accident, so far as known,
happened IN this way, Chas. F.
hohler the engineer on duty at the
240O level at the time, says the skip
had been travelling up and down ali
the afternoon. He got the signal
from the 2600 to hoist. He knew
from the method of ringing who was
signaling, that it was George Troyan.
Some one stopped at the 25OU level,
and he then got 80 bells to lower to
the $500 level. He stopped there four
minutes, and then got 81 bells,
which meant "hoist-man on" Knew
it was Troyan that was giving the
signal. He put on the air, and
Immediately felt jerk, and at the
same time the bell rang again. He
knew that something had gone wrong,
and expressed his fears to A. DdvaIIe.
who was standing by him. The cable
had parted, and someone was aboard
at the time. They hastily descended
the ladder to the 260O level, and
found no one there. Went below into
the stump, and fond Troyan's cap
resting on the timb ers two sets below
the station. The only inference was
that the victim with the skip had
gone into the stump, containing fifteen
feet of water. Graphing iruns we're
sent down as soon as possible, and at
the first effort the body of the un-
fortunate victim was brought to the
surface, and taken to the top of the
shaft.
An examination revealed no dis
figuring marks upon the body, except
a superficial abrasion of the skin over
the forehead, believed TO have been
caused by the rope. 1t was not
sufficient to cause Inconsistencies.
The opinion is that he was drowned
in the waters of the stump. The cable
parted about 70 feet above the skip.
1t did not break while being hoIsted,
but before it started upward. As
soon as the cable frightened the jerk
indicated that it had snapped. De-
ceased with the skip fell 10 feet on
the incline. 1t is supposed that the
skip never lett the track.
The body was removed to the home
at Newmanville. Coroner Potter was
notified and held an inquest the
following afternoon, before the fol-
lowing named jurors: A. Ginocchio,
Geo. Mann, l.. j. Glavinovich, W. Il.
Spear, L. Prout, II. G. Garbarlni, N.
Marcia, VIM. Penny jr., G. b.
Arditto, and Oscar c. Myers. The
witnesses examined were w. j. Nettle,
superintendent, A. DavaIle, miner,
G. Bess, timberman, q. +. kohler,
engineer and Eugene Bonti, shift
boss. The testimony developed the
facts as above stated. 1t was shown
that four men had ridden on that
skip at one time on the morning of
the accident; that G. Bess had ridden
on it only ten minutes before the
accident; that no one apprehended
the least danger; that the cable was
800 feet in length, only one half of
which was used, that by changing the
cable which the deceased had spoken
of shortly before his death he meant
not putting on new cable, but
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