White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1911-09-10
Coroner's Jury Starts Inquest
On Remains of the Victims
of the Accident On the tiill
CAUSE IS STILL A MYSTERY
MANY WITNESSES HAVE BEEN
EXAMINED BY INQUISITORS,
But THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE
HAS NOT YET DEVELOPED.

The investigation into the fire at
the Giroux mine was started on
Thursday morning, and will probably
be continued for a week or two: and
even at the end of that time 1t Will
be a question whether the inquisi-
tors will be able TO reach a conclusion
in the matter. While the coroner's
jury has been awaiting the course of
events, the government officials have
been busy In the matter of ex-
animation. State Inspector of
Mines Ed. Ryan was at the Giroux
mine and with the assistance of some
of the boys of the mine went down
as far as 1t was safe to proceed. He
reached by the wooden cage the
depth OF ZOO feet. and then had to
abandon any further inspection for
the reason that the fire broke out
afresh; and he felt Obliged to again
seal up the shaft for reasons of
prudence.
The coroner's Jury comprises A. j.
Fesler, Harry O'Neill. T. J. MeNally,
w. Y. McGill. John Griest, w. H..
Rose and Joe Wolf On the part OF
the state the investigation is being
conducted by District Attorney Nc
Fadden. assisted by state inspector of
mines, while H. w. Violin is taking
notes for the United States bureau Of
mines. Chandler & Quayle are act
ing for the Giroux company, and the
heirs of Ed. Welch are represented
by A. Grant Miller, the Reno attor-
ney. Anthony Zurich is represent
Ing other parties.
General Manager F. p. Mills of the
Groux Consolidated was the first
witness called on the opening day OF
the investigation; but his testimony
was on general lines as to the opera
tion of the mine; and later on in the
inquiry was called again. p. NJ
McGuinn, a topman at the mine and
one of the rescuing party which went
below in the Alpha shaft In quest of
Tim Gilmore, Tom Odaloyich and
Wilhelmy. was called but did not
give any evidence of Importance.
On the following day he was returned
is probable that he will be returned
to the stand to give testimony as to
conditions In the shaft during his
search for the dead men.
NJ. Longmire, shift boss, was on
the stand to tell of the workings OF
the mine, and gave description Of
the underground levels, OF their To-
cations and their relations one with
the other. He was questioned as to
the handling of the sprinkler about
the collar of the shaft and testified
that he had never received any defl-
mite instructions in that regard. j.
Ftzmaurice, a miner, told of having
been called to the mine on the night
VI tne IRE anu Dl iilS WIZ N "Po" ~
Welch in the way of resuscitation'
which was of no avail. He said that
the only means of exit below the l.
4OO-foot mark was by means OF "A
bucket. as the timbers had not been
extended below the 1,4O0. He said
that no chain ladder had been provid-
ed. although he understood there was
one at the mine.
Carpenter Bassett told OF the
sealing of the Giroux and Aipha
shafts on the night OF the fire, ana
Engineer Bowman told OF the opera
tion of a small hoist which operated
the bucket below the 1.4OO-foot
level. He should have been on the
1,40O level on the night OF the nre;
but that he wasn't there was due 10
the fact that the hoist was out OF
order and the bucket was WORKED
from the surface. 1t was ne VINO
pulled the men from the sump TO the
1.20O-foot level on that night, they
transferring from there to the cage