The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1909-10-09
CAVE=IN WAS NO FAULT
OF THE CONSOLIDATED CO.

ting heavy. That the cave-in was
not simply local to the big slope and
Included the unstoped level is account
ed for in the theory that a big fault
extended above the stope 1913 feet
through the hanging wall rock and
wash to the surface and that seepage
from above possibly caused the fall
of several big aasses.
From the testimony Of General Su-
~perintendent Henderson it was learned
that the cavern did not extend to the
surface until twenty minutes or so after
the crash came below, the upper dirt
going gradually to I'll the big gap be-
low. Nine tanks Of cyanide solution
went below, but the superintendent
gave it as his opinion that such solu-
tion or gases ~emanating from it failed
to reach the entombed men or had any
thing to do with their death.
supt. Caravan Testiass.
Andrew j. Caravan, mine superin.
%tendent, was the first witness of the
inquest. He narrated how John Seeley,
shift boss, brought the word to the sur
face that the men had been ordered by
him out of the stope shortly before the
cave occurred because the ground show
ed unmistakeble signs of being danger
ously heavy and in fact the timbers
were cracking somewhat. The action
was approved by General Manager Mac
kenzie and the witness. In a short
time thereafter the crash occurred. Wit.
ness then described the work Of rescue
and gave his theory of the cause of the
cave-in, which he declared was q most
unusual one in that such a great mass
had fallen when in most instances,
where caves have happened in mining
in big Slopes, it has been largely local
in character.
Superintendent Caravan stated that
every precaution had always been taken
as far as the practical work of the
mine was concerned to insure safety
and that especial care had been taken
in timbering and filing in the stope.
Witnesses bore him out in the state
ment.
Had Ordered Miners Out.
John Seeley, shift boss described the
scene in the mine shortly before the
cave-in and told how the men in the
fourth and fifth levels were, by orders,
kept on the edges Of the stope and out
of danger, but that no one thought
that, if a cave-in occurred, the men on
the second level were in any danger
whatever.
George b. Church described the work
ings of the Hampton stope by plats to
the jury. James M. Ellis, Fred Hey.
denfelt and Ralph Spencer, employees Of
the Combination mill, were called to the
stand principally to deny that at any
time previous there had been a slight
sinking under that institution. Ellis
testified that there was but little over
flow from tanks Of the mill.
Charles Z. Nichols, tool man of the
mine, testified that he was in the Sec
ond level but a short time before the
accident and that there were no signs
given by the timbers that the ground
was heavy in that part. 8. II. Anthony
told Of waiting at the switch on the
second level with a car of ore for the
return to that point Of the three un-
fortunate men. Had five minutes more
elapsed before the cavern Anthony and
John Hennessy, his partner at the car,
would have been the ones to be buried.
Among others who testified were:
Harry L. Ryan and John Duffy, both
bearing gu. the evidence already adj
duced.