The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-07-13
MINER FALLS TO HIS DEATH
Absent Mindedness on Part of Ed
ward Cotter Costs Him His Life
at Silver King Mine.

Park City, July PA moments absent
mindedness on the part of Edward Cotter
this morning, cost him his life at the
shaft of the Silver King Coalition Mines
company. COtter was one of the most
trusted employees of the company, and
owing to his exceeding GOODNESS and eau
ton was acting in the capacity of powder
monkey for the men working in the mine.
AS is customary the man Immediately
following the descent of the men into the
shaft for work throughout the mine for
the day shift took the cage and went
down on the south side, distributing pow
der at the stations as he went At the
200, where ie kept a small amount OF
drift Cotter stopped and taking his first
box of powder went into the magazine,
and in returning went to the north side
of the shaft, where he mechanically lift
ed the bar and walked into the SHAFT,
falling a distance of 600 feet into the
stump below.
AT the time of the accident J. c. Schot-
telfn and William Tuggles were sitting
on the station at the 700 where they
were waiting to get the cage used by
Cotter for the purpose of lowering tim
bers, they being employed at the work
of timbering on the level. They spoke
to C0tter as he came off and then fell
to talking about their work and for a
moment paid no attention to the man or
his work. However, in place like this
where work had to be done the two men
timbers down. They began to wonder
about Cotter's not returning, and went
back to the powder magazine to see what
was keeping him SO long. Not finding
him they began a search about the sta
ton; failing here, both men went on top
and notified the management about the
conditions. An investigation revealed the
conditions, as the mans blood and brains
were scattered along the timbers down
the shaft and by the force of the fall one
foot was taken off and was found hang
ing on the edge Of one of the wall plates.
The coroner was notified and went to the
scene Of the accident, and viewed the
remains. No inquist will be held unless
the company demands one.
Deceased has lived in Park City for a
long time, having come to this place
about sixteen years ago from Michigan.
He has been employed in the mines since
coming here A son Of deceased, Ed Cot
ter, jr., was killed at the Quincy about
five years ago in snowslide
Funeral will be arranged for later, as
some relatives have been notified in the
east, and pending hearing from them
nothing win be done towards funeral ar
engagements.
The South Dakota Mining company, a
company organized by South Dakota cap
italists, has taken over the Funk prop
erty east Of town and is now arrang-
ing to sink a shaft 400 feet deep on the
ground The ground in question is i'm
mediately over the hills from Park City
proper, and adjoinS the agricultural pat
ent of Henry Newell, now owned by
George Smith. At the point chosen for
the shaft the ledge crops and a hosting
works is to be placed in readiness. and
on Monday the first work done toward
sinking the shaft.
Down at the First National work pro-
crosses with little being said. This prop
erty, together with the South Dakota
and the Clark Virginia are about the
only prospects which are doing anything
here this summer. All are in easy dis
lance from town and all in new and
promising neighborhoods and the hope of
the people here is that they may make
good.