The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1920-02-13
Coal Miners and Four Arneson Boys
Terribly Burned and Mutilated in
Powder Explosion--.One Dead.

Last Sunday afternoon, February 8,
a miner, Ike Ruggles and fom AIne-
son boys, youthful sons of M. s. Alf1e-
son OF the Outlook territory, were
horribly burned and mutilated WHEN
q can Of miners power exploded in
the mine operated by NJ. S. Arnesm,
known as the old Stoner mine or the
Nickers0n mine, near Selmer john
sons farm, seven miles northwest Of
Plentywood. Ike Ruggles, the miner,
and three Arneson boys, Lawrence,
aged u; Gilbert, aged 13; Leonard,
aged 8; are in the general hospital at
Outlook, and one Arneson boy, Mar
vim, aged Z, is dead, having died Mon
day morning shortly after arriving
at the Outlook hospital.
Sunday Afternoon, about four O'Clock,
after eating their dinner, the miners
Ike Ruggles and Andrew Onstad,
who are employed by M. s. Arneson
at the mine, left the Arneson home
where they board, for the mine, where
they were doing some tinkering work,
getting ready for Monday morning.
After the miners had gone to work,
the Arneson boys persuaded their
parents to allow them to 60 down to
the mine.
It seems that Andrew Onstat was
busy with some work far back in the
mine, and Ike Ruggles was loading
cartridges near the mouth of the
mine. One Of the Arneson boys had
just arrived at Ruggles' side and
the other boys were at different points
in the shaft coming down into the
mine, when in someway the powder
was set off and the explosion occur
red. The flames of the powder shot
up the shaft of the mine and Rugg1es,
and the boy beside him were knocked
down by the force of the explosion
Of the unconfined powder, and their
clothing set afire, and the three boys
in the shute were badly burned and
their clothing ignited and burned
from their bodies, by the flames
which shot up and out of the shaft.
Andrew Onstad heard the explo-
sion anil rushed to the rescue of his
comrade and the small boys. tIe got
them out Of the mine and rolled them
in the snow and tore off what little
clothing remained. After the >cloth-
ing was removed, the victims We're in
the mine naked, while Lawrence Ane-
son, the 14-year-old boy, badly burned
and naked, ran to his fathers house
q AAS1A1 q H1llC away dllu SdVG lIl0
alarm. The doctor was called over
the phone, and neighbors came to
help and the victims were gotten to
the Arneson place where Doctor Man
again dressed the burns and Monday
they were taken to the hos
pital at Outlook.
Just after the victims of the acci-
dent arrived at the hospital, little
Marvin Arneson, the 7-year-old boy,
died, succumbing to his tortures and i
his exposure which had result' 4 in
- \
The rast of the victims of the accf-;,I
dent are at this time recovering a1M!|
the indications are how that their
lives will be sa1ed. Il
The funeral of Marvin A1nesons|
was held Wednesday, afternoon from
Stiver's Hall at Outlook, the Nor:
wegian Lutheran pastor of Westby,1
read the funera services.
Mr.. and Mrs. Arneson are staying
1t Outlook, assisting in caring for |
the children and the small .Arneson |
babies are being cared for 'hy the
This misfortune is particularly
sad because Of the fact that Mr.. Ar
neson is in hard circumstances finan:
cially and this accident is a double
calamity and misfortune for the Arne-
sons at this time.