Today’s Accidental Yet Truly Morbid Fact!
Mine Inspector’s Report for HOUGHTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN FOR THE YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1902.
ACCIDENT No. 50. Sept. 28. Occurred at No. 2 shaft Trimountain Mine. Ignatz Benitz was killed by being struck with a bucket falling down the shaft, striking him on the head. An inquest was held before Coroner Brand.
Stand Skender was duly sworn and testified as follows:
“I was in the shaft when Ignatz Benitz was killed. We were sinking below the 7th level in No. 2 shaft. The first notice we had of anything wrong Charles Burcor hollered. We looked up the shaft and saw the bucket strike the foot wall; we all jumped to the north shaft and the next thing I saw was Benitz lying down. We pulled Benitz to one side and threw water in his face. When the bucket came down I saw the bucket fall but did not see it strike Benitz. With me at the time this accident occurred were Charles Kempila and Matt Benitz, a brother of the deceased. After we pulled to one side the body of the deceased, we rubbed him, and threw water over him and discovered that he was dead. After this we put him in the bucket and hoisted him up to the 7th level plat and put two coats over him and laid him on the timbers. The deceased had drank a bottle of beer between two and three o’clock in the afternoon but was not drunk. He was killed about 9:30 p.m. Matt. Benitz, a brother of the deceased, hooked the last bucket that was sent up the shaft.”
— STANE SKENDER
Charles Burcor was sworn and testified as follows: —I am a lander for the Trimountain Mining Company, in No. 2 shaft at the 7th level. When the bucket was hoisted out of the shaft I dumped it, and I told the boy at the engine to lower down slow, and when the bucket came down to the door I saw the bucket catch a little on the door, and I hollered “Ho” to the engine boy, and after that I hollered quick “Lookout, down there.” I hollered to Ignatz, Benitz, Matt Benitz, Stane Skender and Charles Kempila. I saw the bucket fall down the shaft and strike about thirty feet below the brace, and when it fell down I saw the fellows jump to one side, and after that the fellows down there hollered and I took my pail of tea and go down the shaft to the bottom. When I come down I throw my tea to Ignatz Benitz face, and I felt the deceased’s hands. I see that he is cold and his brother Matt cry. I hollered to the engine boy to lower the carriage, and I hitched up the bucket and we put Ignatz Benitz in the bucket and I rode up with him. Matt Pleshe rode up with me and the deceased up to the 7th level, and myself and Matt Pleshe and Victor Lukanen took the body out of the bucket and laid him on the timbers. After that the comrades of the deceased came up to the 7th level. The brother of the deceased asked what we should do now, and I told him I would go up and look for Capt. Dick Bowden. After that I rang five bells and rode up in the skip to the surface. When I came up to surface I ran to the Captain’s office and found the door locked. I stated to the engineer, across the road that one man was killed in the shaft, and he said we would go and look for Capt. Dick. and I went back to No. 2 shaft house, and waited there till about fifteen minutes, when Capt. Dick and the timber boss of No. 2 came. We went down and brought the deceased to surface. I have been landing at No. 2 shaft for five or six months. We never had any trouble with the hook on the bucket before. If the hook is properly put on the bucket I think it is perfectly safe.
— CHARLES BURCOR
John Gribble was sworn and testified as follows: —I am engine boy for the Trimountain Mining Company, and work in No. 2 shaft of the Trimountain Mine at the 7th level. I was running the small engine, or puffer, at the time the accident occurred. I was not hoisting any faster or slower than at any other time. I have been hoisting the rock out of the shaft for a year and a half, off and on, and never had any trouble with the bucket falling from the hook before. In my opinion the hook is perfectly safe if it is properly hooked on the bucket.
The jury returned the following verdict—”Deceased’s death was accidental, caused by his head being struck by bucket falling down No. 2 shaft at Trimountain mine, Sept. 28, 1902, at 9:30 p.m.”
Michigan Copper Miners, 1906
Culled from: Some Fatal Accidents in the Atlantic, Baltic, Champion, Trimountain and Winona Copper Mines
Post-Mortem Photo Du Jour!
Prayer for a Son
circa 1872 – half-plate tintype, hand colored – 5″ x 6″
Middle-aged couple pray at the side of their deceased teenage son.
Funeral flowers have been laid at his head and feet.
Culled from: Beyond the Dark Veil