Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2014 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== Annual Report of the Inspector of Mines Gogebic County, Michigan September 1st, 1892 to September 1st, 1893 Clarence M. Boss, Inspector of Mines Index of names found in the following report: --------------------------------------------- Bennett, Charles Johnson, John Blumquist, John Johnson, Nels Coy, Joe Levin, John Dell, John Mattson, Matt Densham, Frank Mickelli, Julius Densham, Samuel Mockler, Matt Downs, Michael Pahjala, Matt Engstrom, Martin Patruso, Michael Ericson, Herman Piper, John Ericson, John Poriin, Alex Gustafson, Henry Randono, John Harris, James Sundquist, John Hayrynen, August Ulante, Eugene Hermonson, John Varvre, Frank Vecilan, Simon Wilczic, Antone [p. 14 - 33] FATAL ACCIDENTS -- ACCIDENT NO. 1 At the Aurora mine, Sept. 2nd, NELS JOHNSON was killed at the 9th level of No. 1 shaft. Four men were at work taking out ground at one side of the shaft to make a station. They had in one set of timber and were making room for another set when about three tons of ore broke away from the back, a portion of which struck JOHNSON on the back, crushing him down and so injuring him that he died before he could be taken to the surface. The place opened was very small, and the other men testified that they had sounded the back and considered it perfectly safe. The back was only from six to seven feet high and easy of access for examination. The accident occurred at about 11 o'clock, A.M. JOHNSON was a helper with one of the drilling machines at work in that place. He was a Swede, aged about twenty-one years, and single. The coroner's jury rendered a verdict of accidental death. ACCIDENT NO. 2 At the Aurora mine, Sept. 10, ANTONE WILCZIC, employed as a pump- man, was killed on the 8th level just east of No. 3 shaft. The miners were blasting in the breast of the drift about forty feet west of the shaft, and when ready to fire came into the cross-cut opposite the shaft where the pumpman was stationed. After the fuse had been fired deceased came out of the cross-cut and went into the drift to the east of the shaft and stepped behind a post about five feet from the shaft. His body must have projected a little beyond the post, for as the blast went off he was struck by a small piece of rock which cut him across the stomach, tearing the stomach lining and partially disem- boweling him, from the effects of which he died in a short time. Had he remained in the cross-cut he could not have been injured. At the inquest the verdict was rendered in accordance with these facts. WILCZIC was a Bohemian, aged about twenty-one years and single. ACCIDENTS NO. 3, 4, 5 AND 6. At the Eureka mine, Sept. 24th, as the night shift were leaving the mine, at about 11 o'clock, P.M., six men got on the skip at the 6th level, which is four hundred and ninety feet from the surface, and rang the bell to hoist. At about two hundred feet up from the sixth level the skip from some cause dumped, and threw the men out. JULIUS MICHELLI, JOHN LEVIN, JOHN RANDONO and FRANK VARVRE fell to the bottom of the shaft. JOHN SCAVARDO was thrown out, but caught on the rail and stringer a few feet down and gained the ladder-road unhurt. JOHN WILLIAMS was standing on the bale of the skip and escaped uninjured. WILLIAMS and SCAVARDO immediately went to the bottom of the shaft and found the others dead except VARVRE. The bodies were taken to the surface and VARVRE taken to the hospital, but he died shortly after arriving there. The skip-road was in good order, and no cause could be assigned for the skip's dumping at that place, except perhaps, that the men were too much at the lower side, causing the mouth of the skip to spring down and catch in the stringers. Riding in the skip is for- bidden in this mine, and men who occasionally do so are at their own risk. A verdict was found exonerating the mining company from all blame. The deceased are: JULIUS MICHELLI, Austrian, aged 32 years, single JOHN LEVIN, Swede, aged 33 years, single JOHN RANDONO, Italian, aged 36 years, married FRANK VARVRE, Bohemian, aged 34 years, married ACCIDENTS NOS. 7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15 AND 16. At the East Norrie mine, at about 5 A.M., Sept. 29, there occurred the most serious accident that has yet attended mining operations on the Gogebic range, and resulting in the loss of ten lives. There were ten men working in the first room east of No. 8 shaft. The room was a large one, and, on account of the great width of vein in this portion of the mine, was worked in two sections, one portion three sets wide and seven sets long, then a pillar of three sets, then the room opened to the hanging-wall eight sets further. All the men but two were working in the first section of this room at the time of the accident. The shift boss in charge of this part of the mine was at the time in a room a short distance west of the shaft, and noticing the rush of air that accompanies a large fall of ground, went to investigate. On passing the shaft he noticed that the skip tender was not there, and going into the east drift found that it was caved full at the entrance to the room, and the turntable buried. He then called some men and set them at work to clean out the drift and then went on surface and notified the captain who returned to the place with him. It was found that the caved material was running into the drift about as fast as the men could remove it, and they could make no headway, and it was decided to start a drift into the solid pillar to reach the side of the room. This work was pushed with remarkable speed, but upon reaching the room it was found to be filled also. They continued to drift along the west side of the room, and, hearing sounds further in, redoubled their efforts, and at the north end of the first chamber came upon ABRAHAM THOMPSON who was in a small opening in the debris and uninjured. This was at 9 a.m., Sept. 30th, the wonderful perfor- mance of drifting seventy-five feet in solid iron ore in twenty-two hours being without a parallel in the annals of iron mining. Drifting on into the second chamber, this was found to be open and in good con- dition and it was hoped that some of the men might be found here, but the two men who were employed in this chamber, THOMPSON and his part- ner, had just left it at the time of the accident. THOMPSON being the last to leave did not get under the full force of the cave. At this time hope was abandoned of finding any of the others alive, but work was prosecuted vigorously, of clearing out the room and for the re- covery of the bodies. This was a blind search as it was not known in what portion of the room the men were when the cave occurred. An attempt was made to find the tram car. This was reached Saturday evening, Oct. 1st, and by it were found the bodies of the two tram- mers, JOHN HERMANSON and MATT MATSON, also SAMUEL DENSHAM, a miner, and MICHAEL DOWNS, the missing skiptender who had evidently gone into the room from motives of curiousity. Continueing the search, SIMON VECILAN, foreman of the timber gang was found at 7 a.m., Oct. 4, and on the 5th HERMAN ERICSON and JOHN BLUMQUIST, timbermen, and FRANK DENSHAM, a miner, were taken out. The fourth miner JOHN JOHNSON was found Friday evening Oct. 6th. The room was nearly all cleared out before the body of the remaining timberman JOHN SUNDQUIST was found, this was accomplished at 11:30 p.m., Oct. 15, nearly eighteen days after the accident. From the positions in which the bodies were found it is evident that the cave occurred suddenly and without the slight- est warning, the tools being still in their hands. As to the cause of the cave it is mere conjecture, the room to the east of this was caved a few days before by blowing out the timbers and all settled full down to the sixth level. The pillar between was a large one, and had no appearance of being disturbed or shaken, and the first room was con- sidered by all to be entirely safe. It is said there was some blast- ing on the seventh level under the caved second room at about the time of the accident and it is possible that this may have caused the pil- lar to sway to the east and permit the back to drop suddenly. The inquests held in the several cases resulted in attributing the deaths to accidental causes. The following is a summary of the victims of this accident: JOHN JOHNSON, a miner, Swede, aged 28 years, married. FRANK DENSHAM, a miner, English, aged 35 years, single. SAMUEL DENSHAM, a miner, English, aged 40 years, married. SIMON VECILAN, timberman, Finn, aged 29 years, single. JOHN BLUMQUIST, timberman, Finn, aged 28 years, single. HERMAN ERICSON, timberman, Finn, aged 31 years, single. JOHN SUNDQUIST, timberman, Finn, aged 25 years, single. JOHN HERMANSON, trammer, Finn, aged 30 years, single. MATT MATSON, trammer, Finn, aged 28 years, married. MICHAEL DOWNS, skiptender, Irish, aged 19 years, single. ACCIDENT NO. 17 At the Colby mine, Oct. 5th., JOHN PIPER was killed in No. 10 shaft. The shaft at this time was two hundred and ten feet deep ver- tical, built with three compartments and the dividings in and planked. The buckets for removing material were swung in the center compart- ment, one bucket being filled at the bottom while the other was being hoisted to the surface and dumped. PIPER was employed as a miner and was with others engaged in work at the bottom sinking the shaft. At about 7:30 a.m., the engineer hoisted a loaded bucket to the surface, and as the space from the dump to the pulley of the shaft house was puite limited, stopped the bucket at the brace as was frequently cus- tom to secure more full control before taking it up to the dump. As the bucket stopped the engineer set the brake, then let off the friction to let the engine turn over and clear the cylinders of water. As he did so the loaded bucket began to lower. The engineer put on the brake with all the force at his command but was unable to hold it. The bucket descended to the bottom of the shaft and struck the other bucket which was being loaded and rolled to one end of the shaft kill- ing PIPER and injuring one or two others. I examined the hoisting en- gine and it seemed all right and capable of doing the work required of it. It appears quite probable that the brake was not set quite hard enough before the friction was taken off, and after the bucket had started and attained momentum was not strong enough to stop it. At the inquest a verdict of accidental death was returned. Deceased was a brother of CAPT. JAMES PIPER of the Colby mine and was twenty-seven years of age, an American and unmarried. ACCIDENTS NO'S. 18 AND 19 At the East Norrie mine, Oct. 14, ALEX PORINN and AUGUST HAYRYNEN, two miners working on the fourth tier up from the seventh level in No. 9 room east of No. 2 shaft, were killed at about 11 o'clock p.m. This room was three sets wide and these men were under stoping towards the hanging wall. They had a hole drilled in the west set next the pil- lar, when an explosion occurred killing both men and throwing down one set of timber. There were no witnesses, two other miners were working several sets from them towards the foot wall and one set above. De- ceased were known to have had five sticks of powder with them, and it is most probable that in preparing these for the blast or affixing the caps they exploded them with fatal effect. The hole they had drilled was not charged. A verdict of accidental death was rendered. Both men were Finns and married. PORIIN was about twenty-eight years of age and HAYRYNEN about twenty-five. [Transcriber's Note: The variation in surname spelling is not a typo on the transcriber's part, but is as it actually appears in the report.] ACCIDENT NO. 20 At the Colby mine, in the morning of Nov. 22nd, MARTIN ENGSTROM was killed at the heading of the cross-cut about three hundred and sixty feet south of No. 9 shaft, at the 450 ft. level. The opening at this point was carried ten feet wide. Posts and caps of ordinary size were erected at the sides and large lagging, consisting of spruce logs nine to twelve inches in diameter and twelve feet long were put across the drift in the back, and ordinary lagging and blocking filled in tightly over that. At the extreme head of the drift a turn was being made to go west towards No. 8 shaft. This was about forty feet south of the hanging wall and in the ore. The ore was very soft and great care was taken to timber tightly. There were five men working in this space ten feet square. A large mass of ore commenced to settle on the back, and the weight was so great as to crush down the large quantity of timber overhead. All the men escaped except the deceased, who hap- pend to be under the west edge of the timbering, which seems to have broken first. The ore was very wet at this time, and when once started would run through a very small hole. About forty tons came down, so burying ENGSTROM that it was several hours before the body was recovered. ENGSTROM was a Swede about forty-five years of age and unmarried. ACCIDENT NO. 21 At the Sunday Lake mine, about 7 o'clock, p.m., Dec. 17th, MATT PAHJALA was killed in a sub-drift twenty feet below the 8th level, midway between No.'s 1 and 2 shafts. JOHN VALENTINE, a laborer, had a leg broken and skull injured at the same time, but survived. PAHJALA was a miner, and was engaged in picking out the back of the drift, and VALENTINE was shoveling the ore into a barrow when a piece of ore about one ton in weight rolled out of the side of the drift and crushed deceased against the post of a drift set. The place seemed to be one which with ordinary care would be perfectly safe, and an in- quest resulted in a verdict of accidental death. PAHJALA was a Finn, about twenty-five years of age, and a single man so far as known. ACCIDENT NO. 22 MIKE PATRUSO, employed as a skiptender, and stationed at the 9th level of No. 2 shaft, at the Aurora mine, was killed at about 10 o'clock p.m., Jan. 13th, under the following circumstances, as near as could be ascertained: The skip had one ton of ore in it and he rang it up to be filled at another level. As soon as it started he jumped into the skip-pit to clean it. The skip dumped at about twenty-five feet above the level and the ore came down and buried him in the skip- pit, causing death. No one saw the accident, but the shift boss came there a few minutes after and saw the skip off the track and dumped, and upon examination found the skiptender as stated. The skip must have been off the track when it was started, and not noticed by de- ceased. Marks on the stringers and shaft timbers indicate this. A verdict of accidental death was rendered. PATRUSO was an Austrian, about fifty-two years of age and married. ACCIDENT NO. 23 MAT MOCKLER was killed by falling from the surface to the bottom of No. 7 shaft at the Colby mine, Jan. 19th. At the time of the accident he was riding up on a loaded cage and when he reached the first land- ing in the shaft-house he jumped off while the cage was in motion, in- stead of waiting until he reached the car landing a few feet above. In jumping off he struck against some timbers and rebounded into the shaft. MOCKLER was employed as a miner. He was an Irishman; twenty-two years old, and single. The coroner's jury found a case of accidental death, and that the mining company was in no way to blame. ACCIDENT NO. 24 At the Ashland mine, Jan. 24th, at about 3:30 p.m., EUGENE ULANTE, employed as a miner, was killed by a fall of ore in room 37, on the 9th level, near No. 8 shaft. Deceased and partner were engaged in making room for a cap under the hanging wall or horse of rock which exists at that part of the mine. A wedge of ore extended up from this point, and the main level set was lagged firmly under this wedge. De- ceased and partner had drilled two holes and were just ready to charge them, when a piece of ore weighing about two tons separated from a slip and broke through the lagging and crushed ULANTE, his partner having just stepped out of the way. The coroner's jury rendered a verdict of accidental death and exonerated the mining company from all blame. ULANTE was an Italian, aged about thirty years, and leaves a wife and three children. ACCIDENT NO. 25 CHARLES BENNETT was killed in No. 6 shaft of the Colby mine at about 4:35 p.m., Marth 18th, by falling from the first to the second level. The first level is four hundred and fifty feet from surface, and the second level is seventy-five feet below the first. The acci- dent was first discovered by the miners working in a cross-cut at the bottom level, who heard some object strike the bottom of the shaft, and, on examination, found the body of deceased. He came out of the main drift on the first level into the cross-cut to the shaft with two men who were going to the surface, but stopped at a tool box about fifty feet from the shaft to put in some tools. The men went on and got onto a car of ore that was going up. The cage tender rang the bell and the cage started. Neither the miners or cage tender saw de- ceased come to the cage, but it is probable that he made a run for the cage just as it started up and was unable to stop himself and ran into the shaft. Just at that time the cage tender was facing the bell and attending to the tally board and had his back to the cross-cut and shaft, so did not see anyone. The cross-cut and plat around the shaft was well lighted with electric lights. Deceased was an Austrian, about nineteen years of age, and employed as a tool carrier. A ver- dict of accidental death was rendered by the Coroner's jury. ACCIDENT NO. 26 At the Colby mine, March 22nd, at 4 a.m., JOHN ERICSON, a miner, was killed in the eighth room west of No. 6 shaft on the fifth tier up from the level. He was at work in a "rising set," and after a blast he was engaged in picking and trimming down the ground above, in order to make it safe, previous to working under it with a drilling machine. A large piece of ore became detached from the side and fell upon him, causing injuries from which he died shortly after. His helper, JAKE WALCHER, stated that at that time he was engaged in taking up tools to work with, and as he was alone with ERICSON it was quite a while be- fore he could get assistance to disengage him, and by that time ERICSON was dead. The foreman, JOHN HILL, testified that he had visited the place a short time previous to the accident, and that it seemed quite safe, and that ERICSON, who was an experienced miner, had stated that he thought everything was safe. This was also the opinion expressed by JACOB WALCHER at the inquest. I examined the scene of the accident at 8 a.m. ERICSON was a Swede, twenty-six years of age and single. ACCIDENT NO. 27 At the Colby mine, April 29th, at about 4:45 a.m., JOE COY was killed by falling from the cage in No. 7 shaft. The last cage load of men from this part of the mine was coming up at the time, and the bell was rung several times before the cage started. When it did start it went up quite rapidly, and a short distance up word was given that a man had fallen off. Upon arrival at the surface it was found that COY was missing, and upon search being made his body was found at the bot- tom of the shaft. At the time the cage started COY was standing on the hanging wall side or side farthest from the plat entrance, and it is supposed that he lost his balance and leaned so far out that his head or shoulder caught under the fourth wall plate, crushing him down. His hat and pipe were found on the third wall plate up from the plat. From this the man must have fallen about eighteen feet, but was probably killed by being crushed before falling. There were no guards on the cage to prevent men from falling off, but there were hand chains at about the height of the head to hang on to. COY was an American, about thirty-five years of age, and leaves a wife and several small children. He was an experienced miner. ACCIDENT NO. 28 At the Norrie mine, May 12th, at about 3 p.m., HENRY GUSTAFSON, employed as foreman of a timber gang, was killed by falling from the fifth set of timber above the cross-cut, directly opposite No. 2 shaft, at the seventh level. Deceased was working on the fifth set up, putting in lacing pieces under the hanging wall, preparatory to putting in the lagging. The center set only of this tier was open and the space small. Deceased was standing on some lagging putting in these timbers when a piece of ore at the side of the set broke off and broke or dislodged the lagging on which he was standing, causing GUSTAFSON to pitch headlong down to the level below, so injuring him that he died in a few minutes. The jury rendered a verdict of acci- dental death. Deceased was a Swede, aged thirty-five years and mar- ried. He had been employed in the Norrie mine about six years. ACCIDENT NO. 29 At the Newport mine, about 10 p.m., June 26th, JOHN DELL and part- ner were working on the top of the second set above the level, mining through the first pillar west of the shaft pillar on the third level at "C" shaft. A large block of ore was cracked off and leaning against the timbers on one side and the men put a charge of powder in the crack to blow it down. Deceased was sent down to the level to warn the trammers and see that the tools were picked up and put out of the way. The trammers went to the shaft with a car of ore. His part- ner then fired the fuse and came down, going east towards the shaft. After the blast he came back, but could not find deceased. He then notified the shift boss and they searched through the level, but could not find him. Seven or eight cars of ore were thrown down by the blast, and the trammers were set at work taking it away. When they began shoveling they found the body of DELL under the ore. His part- ner says that the alarm was properly given when the fuse was lighted and that DELL answered back. It is presumed that DELL started west along the drift, then changed his mind and tried to go east and got directly under the place as the blast occurred. A verdict of acciden- tal death was rendered by the coroner's jury. DELL was a Swede, aged about forty-two years, and single so far as known. ACCIDENT NO. 30 At the Aurora mine, about 9:20, a.m., July 1st, an accident occur- red in the first pillar west of No. 5 shaft pillar on the sixth level. This ground is worked from No. 6 shaft. A cross-cut was driven from the main level, through the center of this pillar, north to the hang- ing wall, the first fifteen feet being level, then rising at an angle of about 35 degrees up on a dyke. At the hanging wall drifts were driven each way through the pillar, which is three sets wide, to the rooms on either side, these rooms having been carved and filled. This pillar had been drifted or sliced out in this manner for about twenty- five feet back from the hanging wall, and the openings caved full. These short drifts or slices were driven in the solid ore, leaving a thin sheet of ore next the mined-out portion to prevent rock mixing with the ore when the mined-out portion was caved in. The main cross- cut through the center of pillar was closely timbered, and the short drifts were timbered with ordinary posts and caps placed about ten feet apart. The particular drift in which the accident occurred had been driven through to the room and some of the ground run from above, creating a space of five or six feet in all dimensions. JAMES HARRIS and RICHARD TAYLOR, miners, working in that place, went up into this small space and drilled a hole and charged it. Just as they were ready to fire a portion of the back on the north side came down, throwing HARRIS through the two foot opening between the caps, his feet being caught on the timbers and his head and body hanging down and partially buried, his partner being thrown down on the cap at the eastern extremity of the opening. The trammers immediately gave the alarm and help came soon and all effort was made to get HARRIS out. He was alive at that time, but the caved material was continually settling, and but slow headway could be made, and he died in about two hours. His body was then left there and all effort exerted for the rescue of TAYLOR who was further in. A small drift was run around through the solid pillar, coming up to the post above which he was lying and releasing him. This was accomplised at 12:20, a.m., July 2nd. The body of HARRIS was taken out shortly after the release of TAYLOR. The survivor, RICHARD TAYLOR, was uninjured, except one foot, which was somewhat swollen from being held fast under some of the rocks for such a length of time. He testified that all mining opera- tions here were conducted in the most careful manner possible and that the ground was sounded before going up there to work, and that he con- sidered the place safe, and that no one could be in any manner blamed for the accident. I visited the place at 8:30, p.m., on the 1st, and so far as I could see all work had been done that mining skill could suggest to make the place secure. Deceased was a Cornishman, thirty- four years of age and married. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NON-FATAL ACCIDENTS Of non-fatal accidents but few have been reported to me, and from general inquiry, I am of the opinion that there has been a much smal- ler proportion of them than in previous years. I will mention which came near being disastrous to many lives. On the morning of Oct. 18, as the men were being lowered into the mine, a cage in No. 7 shaft of the Colby mine on which twenty men were massed, was permitted to strike the bottom at full speed. Attached to the main engine are two large hoisting drums, one operating double cages in No. 6 shaft, and the other doing similar service in No. 7. Each drum was in charge of a brakeman, and both under general control of an engineer. At the time of the accident the No. 7 cage was started by the engines, and as the opposite cage was empty the clutch was thrown off and the drum left to the brakeman to control. At the same time a similar load of men was going down No. 6, but was counter-balanced by a loaded cage coming up, necessitating the use of steam. As No. 7 cage was nearing the bottom the engineer noticed that it was going too fast, and called to the brakeman, who seemed to be confused, and threw the brake still looser, upon which the engineer put on the steam brake, but too late to avert the accident. As the cage struck, the men were thrown in a mass, all but two receiving serious injury. Twenty-seven fractures, principally of the lower limbs, were the results of the accident, but fortunately no deaths followed. It is presumed that the steam brake took effect just as the cage struck and lessened the force of the blow, otherwise great loss of life could not have been averted.The machinery was critically examined immediately after and found to be in perfect condition. The accident could not have occurred had the brakeman been attending to his duty. At No. 5 shaft of the Palms mine, May 16, the pumpman attempted to come to the surface on a single cage. This was strictly forbidden by the mine management, as the man in the engine house was only a fire- man, and not accustomed to handling the drum. In this instance, when the cage had been hoisted about sixty feet, he lost control of the drum and the cage dropped back to the bottom of the shaft. As it struck, the pumpman jumped out into the level, and avoided being crushed by the rope, which ran off the drum and came down the shaft. The pumpman sustained a broken leg and other injuries from which he recovered. It being contrary to orders, the man assumed his own risk in venturing on the cage. There were two underground fires during the year, one in No. 4 shaft of the Palms mine, and one in "B" shaft at the Newport mine, both were, fortunately, extinguished before great damage was done, a few day's delay being the only inconvenience in either case. Owing to the immense quantity of timber in all the larger mines of this dis- trict, the danger from fire is an ever present one, especially as in the upper levels and in many of the shafts, it soon becomes very dry and readily inflamable. Great care is necessary to prevent the men from dropping lighted candle ends, or allowing them to burn where there is a chance of their coming in contact with the timber. As a general thing, where there is more than one shaft the danger to life may not be great directly, but should the timber burn out, the sup- port to the roof and pillars is gone, and the work of replacing them, or of fitting the mine for further operation, is attended with great danger. In many of the mines the use of electric light around the shafts and in the main levels where the currents of air are likely to be the strongest, in a great measure reduces the liability of fire, as well as adding to the purity of the air. In addition to the factor of safety, the electric light, where it has been thoroughly tested, is found to be more economical than candles or lamps, and the greater volume of light enables the men to work to greater advantage, and the additional labor performed is found to more than compensate for the extra expense of the stronger light. Two incidents have occurred during the past year revealing a new source of possible danger to the miners on the range, that of suddenly breaking into large bodies of water underground. At the Royal explor- ation last fall, as a drift was being driven west of the two hundred ft. level, a volume of water broke into the drifthead, driving the men out and up the shaft. The water filled all openings and raised in the shaft upwards of twenty feet in a very few minutes. It required several days of pumping to regain admission to the drift, and when work was resumed it was found that they had broken into a cavity ten feet in width, forty or more feet in height and an equal length. The shaft extended several feet below this level, but fortunately no one was at work in it, as they would hardly have escaped with their lives. At the Ashland mine, Feb. 22, a cross-cut was being started at the bottom level in No. 3 shaft, and after firing a few shots in the breast, a miner went down to note the result. He had just stepped from the ladder across the shaft into the cross-cut, when a rush of water struck him and threw him back against the ladder, which he as- cended as rapidly as possible. There was no eleventh level opened in this shaft, and the water rose to the tenth level, a distance of one hundred and twenty feet, in less than thirty minutes. The volume of water here was so great that the full pumping and bailing power of the mine was occupied nearly ten weeks in regaining the bottom of No. 3 shaft. Upon continuing the cross-cut a loose boulder or broken for- mation was found some twenty feet thick and of unknown height or length, in which the water had been contained. Had the outbreak of water delayed a few minutes longer, until the full force of men had arrived at the bottom of the shaft, there would certainly have been loss of life. These subterranean bodies of water form a hidden source of danger not easily detected, and it would seem a measure of prudence that, in working ground containing belts of rock impervious to water, a system of drill holes should be projected in advance, that the risk of suddenly encountering them with a large opening be greatly lessened. ===========================================================================