On the morning of September 2, 1885, while the men were being lowered
to work in this shaft, a shocking accident happened, which caused the death
of
John J. Martin, a miner;
James Kearney, a laborer;
Thomas Jenkins
and
John Peterson, miners.
These men, with six others, were on the cage
descending the shaft, when, upon reaching the bottom, a large piece of rock
loosening from the side of the shaft, several hundred feet above, fell
upon the cage, crushing through its roof upon them, killing the first three
named instantly, and the other was injured so that he died in a few hours
after.
This shaft is seven hundred and thirty feet deep, and the rock became
loose on the west side, about midway down, and right below a small vein
of coal. In July, the shaft had been very carefully examined, and all loose
material found was pulled down or secured by timber.
This rock was penetrated by an unseen slip, and a piece weighing about three hundred
pounds, disintegrating from the face of this slip, did the fatal work upon
these four unfortunate men, who were on the cage at that time.
Source document.