The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1908-11-23
gc Death of Four Men Is Alleged to
Have Been the Result of
Blunder.
FOREMAN KENT SMITH is SAID
TO HAVE GIVEN WARNING OF DANGER
. Result of Tragedies All Operations at the
Great Mine Are Temporarily
Suspended.

and the kindly hearted man responded
at once. He knew what had happened
and be knew the dangers before him.
wilson and Burns were near az hand,
and after rejecting moment, this man,
trae TO his subordinates to the very
last. exclaimed:
afraid to do myself. -
Taking off his coat, he sank upon
his hands and. knees aud crawled irto
the heart of the tunnel. His two com
rades. not satisfied to allow their chief
70 penetrate into the dangers before
him. alone, also entered the tunnel. TO
render aid IN case 1T should be needed
They. reached the first level, saw
smith descending upon a rope AMI not
Ing that he needed assistance tried to
draw HIM back to safety when thew.
too. were overcome and sank into the
sleep of death. Thus, three men. heroes
IN life, sacrificed their lives for their
fellowmen. This accounts for the rev
erence which has been paid these men
today by Italians, Austriaus. Americans
mon from almost every race known
10 the civilized world The victims had
undertaken something TOO great for
them TO successfully accomplish, and
had died in the attempt.
Entrance to Tunnel.
The entrance to the tunnel is located
nearly half way up the north side OF
the great mountain. 1t is only small
excavation, and runs into the heart of
the mountain for a distance of perhaps
fifty feet. Then it begins to gradually
descend until the first level is reached
Here ladder is placed TO make the
descent 10 the second level This
same method is employed to the
bottom of the shaft, seventy feet
below the first level. 1t was here
that both Smith and the Italian
lost their lives. while Wilson and Burns
died near the first level.
With the call for assistance which
was sent to all miners Off duty and to
the employees of the Highland Boy
mines, the air pump was repaired, and
fresh air was Immediately pumped into
the mine. DR.. Ray and several others
or the rescuing party were overcome
before the mine had been cleared of
the poisonous gas and entrance was
made easy. Upon entering the mine
Spiadero was found half way up the
lower ladder. His strength had failed
him when he reached this point, and he
fell between the ruugs. There be hung,
doubled up in the form Of q hairpin
He was quickly removed and taken TO
the open air, where DR., Ray and his
assistants worked diligently over him,
lying face downward, and the efforts Of
the medical men were equally unavail
ing. He had inhaled the gas, which
caused heart depression, Soon all the
men were taken from the tunnel and
placed side by side upon some railway
sleepers outside the entrance. The
ambulance was early on the scene and
ing rooms of T, W. Hall. A thorough
search was made of the mine to ascer-
tain whether others had suffered like
fate, but the mine was found TO be
empty Of more human beings.
Max E. Smith Responds.
Max T., Smith. a brother of the dead
foreman, was stopping at the Knutsford
hotel in Salt Lake City. being on brief
visit 10 his other brother Justice Dana
T. Smith, and to his father, DR.. 4. X.
Smith, 4 telephone message wos sent
10 Mr.. Smith. and To Superintendent
Schilling Of the Utah Copper company.
These gentlemen made the trip from
Salt Lake here in record time, covering
the distgncc Of twenty-five miles IN j
little over an hour IN an automobile.
They remained over night and left with
the body at 9:35 CLOCK this morning.
The body was taken in charge al Salt
Lake by Und ertaker Evans.
None OF the men bore any marks
upon his body, except Spladero. When
no fell through the ladder. il is believed
his head struck against u projecting
niece of rock, as his forehead was badly
bruised in several places, and he also
had marks upon his feet where they
clutched the ladder, holding the body
! in place.
According 10 the physicians, death by
tbo inhalation OF gas, such as was con
tainod i'm the mine. is like going TO
elccp. The gas causes a tremendous
pressure against tho beart and. then
! iUs the stomach. causing an imitation.
! This condition Temains while the men
arc in tho atmosphere, but IS soon as
fbcv arc removed into tho open AR the
( imitation disappears. and the victim re-
( rsins his normal appearance
Superintendent Talks
Mine Superjntcndent John Mcdonald,
IN sneekinc of the accident this after
Noon did not mention the fact that the
! coronresged air pump had been out Of
| commission. and accounted for the pres
| enre Of the gas in the mine simply on
! scc0pnE of the fumes from the ''shoot'
jn9j5 or blasting. Like 81 Others. no
grcatlv regretted the tragedy; and paid
! = hipb compliment to the dead men Mr.
! Smith he said was one or tho DOSE lnen
! ever employed at the mine during his
I cyDoriepce there IN m executive ca,
/ ,,aritv. and nc declared that mono Would
! m;eS him mora than hlmseif.
Tint the lcsg OF life was not great
Continued on Pago Two.