Gilpin observer., 1913-07-17

skip installed. According to Mr.. Ir-
win, the skip could not have struck
wall plate unless the back raised
up. He said that Cannon had charge
OF the work of constructing the skip
way and put in the track.
Mr.. Irwin had no theory as to the
cause of the accident. When he
went down the shaft, the skip WAS
upside down.
John Chapple was recalled to the
stand and testified that the men in
the skip were in a reclining posi-
ton, with their feet resting on a gal
vandzed iron bucket, which had been
left In the skip.
Harry Armfield, engineer on the
Pozo, who was running the hoist at
the time of the accident, said he
had gotten the signal to hoist from
the third level and at the first lev
ed, felt heavy surge on the cable
and instantly stopped the hoist. This
was at the same time the signal to
stop was given. He waited for an
other signal and hoisted a few feet.
He felt the skip catch and stop
ped. He attempted to raise 1T again
but 1t caught. Charles Robinson then
came out of the shaft and told him
that the skip had turned and that
Cannon and Warren were down the
shaft. The engine room at the Pozo
is dn a separate building from the
shaft, and about 80 feet away. Arm
field was asked in regard to safety
apparatus on the skip, but said he
knew nothing about it as he had
nothing to do with the skip. He
understood, though, that the safety
clamp had not been in use since
the guard rails were put in.
John Ohapple was again question
ed, this time in regard to the safe
ty apparatus. He said a safety clamp
had been used, but that it was not
in use or on the skip at the time of
the accident. He said the clamp had
been lost and that he hadn't seen
anything of it since Saturday or
Monday morning. He said that had
the clamp been in use, it would have
prevented the skip from turning.
w. H. Parenteau, state mine in
speotor, testified that he had made
an examination of the shaft after
the accident occurred, and could only
drax =
said the timbers in the shaft were
all new and that none of the TIM
bers were bruised where the skip
had turned. In his opinion, the con-
struction of the skip was faulty and
the one In use on the Pozo was
the first he had ever seen where
the bail was attached to the bot
tom. AS the usual custom, so Mr..
Parenteau stated, the bail is attach
ed to the skip about one-third from
the bottom HIS theory was that
the weight of the three men on top
overbalanced that of the two men
in the skip, so that when they shift
ed their position, the nose of the
skip dipped, striking a wall plate.
resulting In the turning of the skip.
Mr.. Parenteau said men shouldn't
ride on a skip without the safety
hook. When he visited the mine
after the accident and examined the
skip, the safety hook was in its
place. Mr.. Parenteau visited THE mine
two months ago and made some rec
concentrations, but he hadn't been
there since the skipway and the
skip were constructed. Mr.. Paren-
teau's theory was that If the safety
hook had been in use. an accident
such as Tuesdays could not have
happened. AT the point where the
accident occurred, the shaft is just
wide enough between the foot and
and hanging walls to permit the
skip to turn. Had 1t been at any
other point In the shaft, the skip
couldn't have cleared the hanging
wall.
The jury reached the following YER
dict:
Said jurors, upon their oaths, ex-
onerate the company operating the
Pozo mine in Nevadaville, in Gilpin
county. Colorado, in the death OF
John Cannon and Richard Warren
said company having provided the
necessary appliances for the pro
lection OF their employees. which
were neglected to be used at the
time Of the accident. We, the jury
advise that said company make the
necessary changes in the bail Of the
skip as recommended by State Mime
Inspector, w. II. Parenteam."
The accident of Tuesday was the