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

a miner, Ike RuggleS and four Arne-
son boys, youthful sons of NJ. S. Arne-
son of the Outlook territory, were
horribly burned and mutilated when
can of miners power exploded in
the mine operated by M. S. Arneson,
known as the old Stoner mine or the
Nickerson mine, near Selmer john
sons farm, seven miles northwest Of
Plentywood. Ike Ruggles, the miner,
and three Arneson boys, Lawrence,
aged Ii; Gilbert, aged 13; Leonard,
aged 8; are in the general hospital at
Outlook, and one A1neson boy, Mar
vim, aged Z, is dead, having died Nom
day morning shortly after arriving
at the Outlook hospital. .
Sunday afternon, about four o'clock,
after eating their dinner, the miners
Ike Ruggles and Andrew Onstad,
who are employed by M. S. Ameson
at the mine, left the Arneson home
where they board, for the mine, wheze
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 go down to
the mine.
It seems that Andrew Onstad was
busy with some work far hack 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
noo71T.
red. The flames of the powder shot
up the shaft of the mine and Ruggles,
and the boy beside him were Knocked
down by the force Of the explosion
of the unconfined powder, and their
clothing set afre, 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 and rushed to the rescue OF his
comrade and the small boys. He 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 Arne-
son, the 14-year-old boy, badly burned
and naked, ran to his fathers house
"a half a mile away and gave the
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
morning they were taken to the hos
|pital at Outlook.
| Just after the victims Of the accl-
dent arrived at the hospital, little
Marvin Arneson, the 7-year-old boy,
died, succumbing to his tortures and
his exposure which had resulted in
pneumonia. i
The rest of the victims of the acct.
dent are at this time recovering and
the indications are now that their
lives will be saved. 8
The funeral of Marvin A1neson
was held Wednesday afternoon from
Stiver's Hall at Outlook, the Nor.
wegian Lutheran pastor OF Westby,
read the funera services.
Mr., and Mrs. Arneson are staying
at Outlook, assisting in caring for
the children and the small Arneson
babies are being cared for by the
neighbnrs-
This misfortune is particularly
sad because of the fact that Mr.. Ar
neson is in hard circumstances, imam
cially and this accident is double
calamity and misfortune for the Arne-
sons at this time.