Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2014 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Submitted by Connie Burkett for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =============================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Archivist, Connie Burkett All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =============================================================================== Nineteenth Annual Report Coal Mines in the state of West Virginia, U.S.A. For the year ending June 30, 1901. James W. Paul, Chief Mine Inspector, Charleston The Tribune Co., Print, Charleston - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - INDEX OF FATAL ACCIDENT NAMES IN THIS FILE: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Altice, Elijah Johnson, Sanders Pugh, Robert Andre, John Jones, Robert Richardson, Paul Cartwright, Melvin Kellar, Thomas Stone, Morris Davis, Henry Lee, James A. Thompson, James Davis, Robert Lyons, Charles Thurman, E. M. Dingman, Burt Moore, Geo. H. Treppass, Rell English, Wm. Nagy, Janos Tyler, Charles H. Hacker, Charles Nickles, Hardin C. Vengoin, Joseph Hayes, Robert G. Otey, Nat Walton, Thos. Hodge, John H. Payne, Robert L. Williams, Garlaha Hosten, Geo. Pepoy, Joe Yancy, Jos. Jackson, Senior - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FATAL ACCIDENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1901 MCDOWELL COUNTY, (Pages 78-82) Thurman, E. M. (White; 3 mos exp; age 20; Single) July 18, 1900. E. M. Thurman, Turkey Gap Mine, was killed by a "ket- tle bottom" falling. It seemed perfectly safe and was sounded and ex- amined by J. L. Hurndon, about two minutes before it fell. The room seemed to be perfectly safe. In a sworn statement to W. J. Preece, Mr. Hurndon says, "E. M. Thurman was working for me in the Turkey Gap Mine as back-hand. I had just fired a shot in the face of the room and went back to see the results of the shot, telling the young man at the same time to stay back until I examined the place. I commenced to pull down some loose coal in the face of the room and heard something fall immediately behind me, and I looked around and not seeing his light called him and he did not answer me. Then I looked under the 'kettle bottom' and found he had been caught by same. I moved the slate off and found he was dead. It was not 10 feet from the face to outside post. I had sounded the place where he was caught not over two minutes be- fore and considered it perfectly safe." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Yancy, Jos. (Colored; 3 yrs exp; age 30; Married) July 30, 1900. Jos. Yancy, Pulaski Mine, was killed by a fall of slate from the roof of the room where he was working. He was working in a new place taking out a pillar and instead of blasting the coal was cutting it out with his pick, and when he pulled the coal the slate fell too. The slate boss had been in the room just before the accident and told him that it would be best for him to watch the slate overhead as he had ex- amined it and it was broken and liable to be dangerous. Had he blasted the coal instead of pulling it with his pick the slate would either have come down or shown up so that the break could have been seen. Investi- gated by Mine Inspector Preece. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Jones, Robert (White; 3 mos exp; age 24; Married; 1-child) Aug. 20, 1900. Robert Jones, Algoma Mine, was killed by a fall of slate. He had placed a prop under a loose piece of slate. He decided a collar necessary and placed one prop under the collar, knocked out single prop before securing second prop under collar and the slate fell. Jus- tice of the Peace notified and decided inquest not necessary. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - English, Wm. (Negro; 4 yrs exp; age 26; Slate foreman; Single) Aug. 29, 1900. Wm. English, Algoma Mine, was killed by a fall of slate. Dan Sloniker in a sworn statement to a Justice of the Peace, says, that Wm. English attempted to pull down a piece of slate but failed to get it down, he then pulled down another piece which formed a kind of wing to the first piece, when this wing came down the first piece came also, striking him on the head and back of shoulders, crush- ing him to the earth and instantly killing him. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Walton, Thos. (Colored; 1 yr exp; age 25; Single) Sept. 24, 1900. Thos. Walton, Turkey Gap Mine, was killed by a fall of slate. In a sworn statement to Mine Inspector Preece, Walter Carter who worked with Walton says, that they did not sound the slate to see if it was loose the morning of the accident, but we both knew it was loose Saturday the 22nd. He told Walton that it was loose and liable to fall at any time, but he said if it fell it would not hurt us, as he thought it very thin. It was our own carelessness for we both knew it was our duty to take it down. Investigated and verified by Mr. Preece. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Lee, James A. (American; 6 mos exp; age 45; Married; 1-child) Oct. 2, 1900. James A. Lee, Crozer Mine No. 1, had shot his coal and it did not come down as expected. Placed a cartridge in the hole preparing to make another shot when the coal, which appeared perfectly safe fell on him and at the same time a piece of slate fell, catching him and pinning him down. He lived about three hours after he was taken home. Justice of Peace decided inquest unnecessary. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Nagy, Janos (Hungarian; 18 mos exp; age 39; Married; 2-children) Oct. 16, 1900. Janos Nagy. Algoma Mine was killed by a falling "ket- tle bottom." Assistant Mine Boss Stanburg says that on the morning of the accident he examined this room and found it in good condition, and he considered it one of the safest in the mine. There were no indi- cations of a "kettle bottom" when he examined it. Justice decided no in- quest necessary. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Hodge, John H. (American; 13 mos exp; age 26; Married) Oct. 30, John H. Hodge, Shawnee Mine, with his partner had made a six foot cut and fired a blast and it failed to pull it. They worked at it with their picks and could not pull it and had just started to load a car when the whole cut fell, catching Hodge and crushing him about head and body, from the effects of which he died in a few minutes. Justice decided inquest not necessary. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Stone, Morris (Colored; 2 mos exp; age 25; Single) Nov. 2, 1900. Morris Stone, Pulaski Mine, was at work cleaning up some slate from a small fall that was on the track when a piece of slate fell from the roof and caught him, killing him instantly. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Hosten, Geo. (Colored; age 30; Married; 2-children; $25.00 Insurance) Nov. 3, 1900. Geo. Hosten, Peerless Mine, was killed by a "kettle bot- tom" falling at face of his working place. It came down without any warning, crushing him and killing him instantly. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Williams, Garlaha (American; 1 yr exp; age 18; Single) Nov. 8, 1900. Garlaha Williams, Keystone Mine, was working with his brother-in-law and they had just started in a new place. A piece of slate was hanging out and after making and loading some coal, his brother- in-law told him to get back as he was going to pull down" the slate, in place of getting back Williams walked under the slate, and it fell on him, killing him almost instantly. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Payne, Robert L. (Colored; 7 mos exp; age 22; Single) Nov. 9, 1900. Robert L. Payne, Bottom Creek Mine, was caught and killed by falling slate. Justice of the Peace notified but decided inquest unnecessary. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dingman, Burt (American; 12 yrs exp; age 35; Married; 3-children) Nov. 13, 1900. Burt Dingman, Greenbrier Mine, was killed by a fall of slate. In a sworn statement to Wm. J. Preece, Mine Inspector, Charles Woody says that he was working with Dingman on the day of the acci- dent and that he was assisting to take up a pair of curved rails where a stump had been taken out. Dingman was in the act of drawing a spike when a piece of slate about 4 inches thick fell, without warning, killing his instantly. He further states that all precautions had been taken as they had taken down all the loose slate in the morning. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Otey, Nat (American; 3 mos exp; age 16; Single; $50.00 Insurance) Nov. 29, 1900. Nat Otey, Lynchburg Mine, was at work cleaning track and was caught by locomotive and rolled against rib and had his neck broken. The place where accident occurred was fully fifteen feet wide. It is the opinion of some that he let his light go out and sat down on the track and went to sleep; for at this place the engine could be seen fully 200 feet away and could be heard easily 300 yards away. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Davis, Henry (Colored; 2 yrs exp; age 25; Single) Dec. 4, 1900. Henry Davis, Ashland Mine, was killed by a fall of top rock at face of No. 8 entry. Justice of the Peace decided inquest not necessary. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Pugh, Robert (Colored; 6 yrs exp; age 23; Sing;e $50.00 Insurance) Hayes, Robert G. (Colored; 6 yrs exp; age 31; Married; 1-child; $50.00 Ins.) Jan. 2, 1901. Robert Pugh and Robert G. Hayes, Rolle Mine, were killed by a fall of slate. Geo. Dean, in a sworn statement to Wm. J. Preece, says that he and the above men were employed as miners, and that they were all working No. 3 cross entry taking out a stump. The two men left the face of the work and went down the entry about 75 feet, for what purpose he did not know as they had no business there. He heard something fall and went to see what it was and found the slate had fallen on the entry. He called the men but received no answer so thought they had gone outside. He called again but receiving no answer looked under the slate and found both the men dead. In answer to a question of Mr. Preece's, Mr. Dean stated that he considered the place perfectly safe and that it was well timbered and that they had plenty of other timber, and that he did not attach the blame to any one. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Lyons, Charles (American; 5 mos exp; age 20; Single; $50.00 Insurance) Jan. 3, 1901. Charles Lyons, Powhatan Mine, was working with his partner on a pillar. On the morning of the accident the Assistant Mine Foreman was in their working place and instructed them to set three props. They said they would do so at once, but did not do it until after five in the evening after loading ten wagons of their pillar, then pre- pared to set the props when the top fell on Lyons, killing him instantly. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Altice, Elijah (American; age 30; Married; 1-child) Jan. 21, 1901. Elijah Altice, Shamokin Mine, was sawing slabs some distance from track when he stopped his work and went and stood be- tween the bumpers of two loaded cars and talked to a man on the oppo- site side, when the cars from above bumped down, catching him between bumpers. The coroner's verdict was "That Elijah Altice came to his death by his own carelessness by two cars bumping together * * *."' - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Moore, Geo. H. (American; 3 days exp; age 24; Single) Jan. 30, 1901. Geo. H. Moore, Lynchburg Mine, was working as "back hand" for another man and they were turning off an entry or break- through in an old working. The Bank Boss instructed them to set tim- bers in the morning and they failed to do so, and a piece of slate fell about 4 P. M., striking Moore and causing the injuries from which he died. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Davis, Robert (American; 1 yr exp; Married) Feb. 4, 1901. Robert Davis, Upland Mine No. 2, was standing on the side of the empty car waiting for the driver to pull the loaded car out of his room. When the driver came out the empty car was not quite far enough out of the way. The loaded car struck the corner of it knocking it off the track catching his head between car and prop, killing him in- stantly. Coroner's verdict was, "* * * Robert Davis came to his death accidentally by being caught by a car * * *." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Kellar, Thomas (American; 18 yrs exp; age 45; Married; 3-children) Feb. 6, 1901. Thomas Kellar, Turkey Gap Mine, was killed by a piece of loose slate, which he should have pulled down, falling on him. His partner says that the shot which the night shift had fired had not blown down all the coal and we started to dig it down. Kellar examined the slate before I went in and I stepped in and cut the coal to the crack, then Kellar went in and the slate fell on him. Kellar was said to be very careless about taking the slate down, never doing it if he thought he could get the other shift to do it. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Andre, John (Hungarian; 7 yrs exp; age 57; Single) March 4, 1901. John Andre, Algoma Mine, was killed by a "kettle bot- tom" falling, killing him instantly. Justice of the Peace decided inquest unnecessary. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Vengoin, Joseph (Hungarian; 1 yr exp; age 26; Married; 1-child) March 19, 1901. Joseph Vengoin, Powhatan Mine, was working in an entry and did not wait for a driver to pull out the loaded wagon. His partner was on the back of the car holding the brake and Vengoin was riding on the front of the car and stepped off in a narrow place. The entry was twelve feet wide where the accident occurred and if he had stepped on the opposite side of the car he would not have been hurt as there is plenty of room. He should not have ridden on the front of the car. No inquest necessary. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Jackson, Senior (Colored; 8 yrs exp; age 46; Married) April 10, 1901. Senior Jackson, Crozer Mine No. 1, was killed by fall- ing slate. It appears that he and his partner had fired a heavy shot across the face of the coal. The cut did not come down so they drilled a hole on rib and while tamping this hole the cut of coal fell and a piece of draw slate came with it. His partner says Jackson was looking up with the probable intention of examining this slate when it fell. Investi- gation made by Mr. Preece. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Pepoy, Joe (Hungarian; age 42; Married; 1-chid) April 22, 1901. Joe Pepoy, Houston Mine, had made a cut under coal, when shot, the coal settled down on floor instead of throwing out. Pepoy in loading his car undermined the mass of coal, causing it to roll on him. Mr. Preece says, "I was in the mine when this accident occurred. The roof was good at this place and there could be no blame on any one beside the unfortunate man himself, had he used ordinary care in taking down the coal it could not have occurred as there was no slate for him to contend with. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Thompson, James (American; 4 mos exp; age 25; Married; 1-child) Cartwright, Melvin (American; 4 mos exp; age 22; Single) May 2, 1901. James Thompson and Melvin Cartwright, Lick Branch Mine, were killed by a tall of slate. In a sworn statement to W. J. Preece, W. N. Jones, Mine Foreman, says, that he was in their place about 4 P. M. May 1st, and notified these men to stand some timber in their place. I was not in that place again until after accident and did not see any timber up, although the timber was in the room ready for them. On the day of the accident the slate boss cautioned them about the slate and told them to set timber, which, when they started to do. the slate fell on them, a he coroner's verdict was as follows: "* * * their death was due to carelessness on their part, and further * * * exonerate the said Lick Branch Colliery from all blame." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Richardson, Paul (Colored; 2 wks; age 35; Married; 3-children) May 8, 1901. Paul Richardson, Bottom Creek Mine, had started to work that morning as laborer for miner. The slate men came to take down a piece of slate but were requested to leave it up as the miner for whom Richardson was working said that they did not have to go under it and he wanted to get his car loaded first. Richardson said he was going out for dinner and instead went under the slate when it fell killing him. The other man was busy cutting and had warned him not to go under the slate. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Hacker, Charles (American; 3 yrs exp; age 41; Married; 1-child; $50.00 Ins.) May 31, 1901. Charles Hacker, McDowell Mine, was working at pillar No. 39 when a piece of draw slate fell, catching him, causing internal in- juries from the effects of which he died seven hours later. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Johnson, Sanders (Afro-Am.; age 35; Married; 1-child) June 5, 1901. Sanders Johnson, Pulaski Mine, was at work cleaning up some slate in a room in the mine and a "kettle bottom" fell from the roof and struck him. He died three hours later. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Nickles, Hardin C. (White; 10 mos exp; age 35; Single; $50.00 Insurance) Feb. 2, 1901. Hardin C. Nickles, Pulaski Mine, was killed by a fall of slate from the roof of the mine. His death was instantaneous. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Tyler, Charles H. (Virginian; 8-9 yrs exp; age 30; Married; 2-children) Feb. 12, 1901. Charles H. Tyler, Roanoke Mine, made a cut on one side of the heading, and in shooting some coal put in a heaving shot about 18 inches into the solid. The shot didn't pull any of the solid coal but loos- ened it, then he very carelessly laid down and made a cut in this loosened coal, which, as soon as he cut back to crack, rolled over on him, mashing him to death. He was a thoroughly competent miner, in fact, one of the best, and every one was surprised at his taking such a risk as he did. Coroner decided inquest unnecessary. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Treppass, Rell (American; 1 day exp; age 48; Married) May 11, 1901; died May 12, 1901. Rell Treppass, Upland Mine, had made his cut and shot as usual, but the shot failed to throw completely out, a large lump of coal which was left standing upright. He was warned of the danger by mine foreman, but went to work loading before taking down the lump, which fell later, catching him between it and car. He died the next day. =============================================================================== If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other files for McDowell County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/mcdowell/ ===============================================================================