Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1910-11-11

morning in the Lawson mine at Black
Diamond, which levied toll of IS lives
and three injured, and utterly wrecked
probably beyond repair a property
valued at $250,O0O, one of the deepest
mines in the United States. The
catastrophe marks the second of it's kind
miners having lost their lives in 1902.
Dead and Injured.
The dead:
Julius Puysow, married, one child.
Fred Setti, married, one child.
Oscar Bael, married, one child.
Caesar Bael, single.
Cyril Macs, single.
Frank Gardini, single.
Isador Gardini, single.
Joseph Runner, single.
MaetiIi Fanstiria, married, three chill
dren.
Dave London, single.
C. Beagi, wife in Italy.
Dominic Gregori, single.
Albert, Fontana, single.
Francis Vergani, single.
Julius Cappiati, wife in Italy.
The injured: Arvila MARITIME, Louis
MARITIME, Louis Kruntz.
SO terrific was the explosion that il
shook the countryside for miles around
and carried fear to the inhabitants of
the mining district that a mighty seis-
mic disturbance was taking place. From
out Of the mouth of the slope running
to the bowels Of the mine belched tons
and tons Of earth, rock and debris, huge
timbers and steel supports, and, ominous
in their import, coats, hats and caps
the wearing apparel of the unfortunate
victims of the disaster. Timbers meas
uring two feet in thickness and 20 feet
in length were hurtled through the air
quarter of mile. A great steel pipe
was thrown half a mile with such ter
rife force that when it struck the earth
It Embedded itself Is feet. The explo-
sion blew the from the mine practically
all the timbers and supports in the
slopes and airshafts, and the mine imme-
diately began to cave in.
That the Is men caught in the explo-
sion met instant death is not doubted
Shortly before the tragedy the night
foreman had come to the surface. A
routine detail, he chalked on the black
board at the mouth of the mine his
mornings report on conditions below
go. K. No FIRE damp"
Ten men, comprising the Sunday shift
entered the elevator cage and were car
ried below, meeting on the way five
members of the night crew coming up
At some point, believed to have prOba
bly, been between the fifth and sixth
levels, when both shifts were in close
proximity to each other, their lives were
STUFFED out.
Coal Company's Defense.
Its managers claim precautionary
measures against the occurrence of ex
pIosiOns had always been taken by the
Pacific Coast Coal company, owning and
operating the mine, inforcing a rule pro
hibiting employees, on pain of instant
discharge, from entering the mine will
matches on their persons. AS a genera
rule all employees are searched every few
days. This morning, it happens, the mem
bers of the Sunday shift were not sub
iected to this examination. The only
theory offering an explanation for the
eKplosion-one which officials of the
mine believe tenable-is that a assure OF
poisonous gases opened within the las
few days and, remaining undiscovered
was ignited by a workman lighting s
match on the ascending or descending
trip. For several days preceding and a
the time of the explosion, the electricity
had been cut off in the mine.
Women and Children Gather.
Barely a few minutes elapsed after
the report of the explosion was heard
before every employ of the mine, real
izing instantly what had happened anC
alive to the imperative necessity of be
ginnins at once the work of rescue
should there be any survivors, gatheret
before the gaping hole that once wa
the slope. Soon their number was aug
mented by the women and children O.
the neighborhood, among them appear
ing the anxious faces of the wives anC
children of the mines victism.
Under the direction of james Hamm
superintendent of the mine, the work O.
attempting rescue began Immediately
the full working force, 200 men, turn
!. ing to with will. Then it was discov
cred that even had the men inside sur
ded, their rescue was improbable, al
heforee of the explosion was so ter
wethat practically every bit of frame
rio. supporting the slopes and airshaft
been blown out and every avenu