Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1911-03-03
CORONER'S JURY GRINDING
AWAY WITH INVESTIGATION

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bodies ofithe victims on the station
at the 11OO-foot level, was the 6rst
witness called at the night session.
Mr.. Knight is the man who was
ordered by Master Mechanic Long to
clear the men from the 11C0-foot
level and who reluctantly obeyed
Knight had been toute0 as a
star witness. a man who would di-
vulge considerable inside" infor-
nation.
Chief eager Harry L. Allen was
the next witness called. He said
he was on duty the morning of Feb
ruary 23d Allen was overcome on
one trip up and remembers moth
ing after giving three bells for an
uplift from the 1100-foot level. He
made only one trip, after taking
down Superintendent Fitzgerald,
shortly after a. m. On the last
trip he carried Bradshaw up to the
surface. Allen had attended the
masquerade ball the night before
the disaster and was tired and slept
some in the dog house" during
the morning, hence could not say
whether or not his cage made many
trips without him or not; however,
he believes the cage made trip
while he was counting morpheus.
, When Allen brought up his cage
: from the 11OO-foot level there were
; more men on the station than could
be accommodated The men were
: half-crazed and bowling for a speedy
return of the cage.
Had Allen stayed with his cage
: considerable of delay would have
!. been unnecessary, as Britt made
!. one trip from the 1000-foot level
taking Aliens cage down to tha
Ilevel and it was necessary for thu
IS latter to stop at the 1000-foot leve
J. while enroute to the A1OO-foot leve
= and relieve the opposite cage.
d Allen asserted that the bell corr
lie works hard, he having been EN-
1t ployed for about twenty-one shifts
Is having a sore hand from pulling tn
ID bell rope.
Sc A. e. Williamson, a hoistin
r engineer, who acted as eager o
as the day the dead bodies were re
covered from the depths of tn
IN lmine, testified that on the mornin
m of the disaster he smelled smok
ne at the collar of the shaft II
made a trip down the Belmont o
On that morning, accompanying M
a Bradshaw as volunteer.
rs Mr.. Bradshaw, according to tt
re witness, instructed the ten to fl
re teen men on the 1000-foot level
lg, see Superintendent Fitzgerald IL
instructions. Mr.. Williamson test
it. fed to the fact that on the tr
he which Allen made, he accompanit
he him and that there were no me
mt on the 1O0O-foot level, but a nur
ad Der of them on the 1100-foot levt
They carried cage-load to the su
to face, leaving many there. Wh'
ere he reached the top he was n
nd knocked out but felt "dopey" Ho'
len ever, he hollered to those aroul
the collar of the shaft to retu
EEK the cage to the 1100-foot level
the pick up the men still there.
Williamson testified that when t
RS cage left the 1100-foot level t
men were shouting: Bring ba
on the cage; bring back the Gag
,ne bring it back, quick!"
Ey- E. P. Cullina, electrical engine
lille for the company, was the last W
cen ness called. He contradicted fla
ary the testimony of Hoist Engine
ars. Lundlee, regarding the matter
,ert hosting a LOADED" cage from
1000 or 1100-foot levels to the
ven without the use of the oppos
live cage as a counter balance. Lund
testified that it could not be
ted complished except with the use
,aft the counter-balahce. Cullina sta
Nc that a loaded cage was brought
the surface without the use of
counter-balance almost every i
when the last load of the off-com
on shift was being raised.
was -------