The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1915-05-14
FATAL PREMATURE BLAST At THE |VANHOE MINE
Charles Brooks Instantly Killed and Lloyd Lyons Seriously
Inured-Most Shocking Accident That Has
Ever Occurred in Okanogan Mines
lie of the most shocking accidents Q

One of the most shocking accidents
that has marked the history of mining
il Okanogan county occurred early
Monday morning at the lvanhOe mine,
situated on Palmer lake, about equal
distance between Loomis and Night
hawk, resulting in the Death of Charles
Brooks and the serious injury of
Lloyd Lyons, from premature blast.
There are several reports as to how
the accident happened, most of them
founded upon conjecture, as Mr.. Ly
ons is the only living witness, and he
is not in a condition at this time to
details, even if he really is cognizant
OF the actual facts. Brooks and Lyons
were on the graveyard" shift, that is
the night and early morning shift, and
had completed drilling and loading
the holes preparatory to firing the
round. Mr.. Brooks was "spitting," or
splitting and lighting, the fuses. Five
fuses had been "spitted' when the eX-
plosion took place, and the presump-
ton is that a spark reached the pow
der from one of the fuses. Mr.. Ly-
oEs states that Mr.. Brooks was stand
ing in front of the holes when three
of them went off, and he was slightly
to one side of Brooks. Brooks was
blown some 40 feet He was terribly
mangled, one leg being torn from the
body nearly at the hip. His death
must have been instantaneous. Lyons
was knocked down and stunned.
Blinded and only D9rtially conscious
the desperately wounded man manag-
ed to stagger to the ore car and fall
ing into it started the car, which runs
by gravitation, and was carried to
the mouth of the tunnel Considering
the shock and the nature of his in
juries it is beyond understanding how
Lyons managed to reach the car at all.
DR.. e. e. Elmer, of this place, who is
physician for the mine, was at once
summoned by telcpttne from Oroville
and he made a record run to the mine
| III his car. When he reached the
scene he found Brooks dead, and Ly-
ons in a frightful condition. He was
blown full of particles of rock, and
his face was fearfully cut in sundry
places. The most serious injury, and
which may yet result in the loss of an
eye if the patient Ccovers. was on
the left side of the left eye, where a
piece of rock had laoerated the flesh
and fractured the skull. There was
another severe cut across the nose.
with other cuts and contusions.
Everything possible was done to re-
lieve the sufferings Of the unfortunate
to the Oroville hospital Monday even
ing, where he is receiving every at
tention. While his injuries are mum
Crous and serious it is now hoped
that he will eventually recover, and
that his eye sight may not be material
| ly affected. OF course there is al
ways danger of complications in in
juries of this nature, but as the suf-
forer is strong, clean, vigorous and
| healthy young maa the chances are
| all in his favor. TIE remains of the
dead miner were prepared for ship
ment and taken to his former home at
Rosalia, Wash, in an automobile
where the funeral will take place.
Brooks was a man of about 80 years
OF age, and leaves a wife and two
young children. He was a machine
operator and had worked at the mine
for long time. He is said to have
been man of sterling character, and
! Il general favorite among both his fell
low workmen and his employers.
Lyons is q years of age, son of A.
| J. Lyons, Tancher in Horse Spring
coulee, and is said to be engaged to
| a young lady of that neighborhood
He has worked at the Ivanhoe since
February and is also highly spoken
of as an Industrious, steady, reliable
and worthy young man.
The accident is one of the most
horrible that has ever occurred during
the many years Of mining in northern
| Okanogan county. Great care has
| been taken by the manager of the
| lvanhoe to guard against accidents.
and, although the tunnel is now in
almost mile after two years of
steady work, this is the first time an
employee has been injured. So far
as can be ascertained this was an ac-
cident that could not have very we'll
been guarded against, and deplorable
WILL CELEBRATE