Spencer-Newland Coal Company Spencer-Newland No. 7 Hoisting Disaster
Mulberry, Crawford County, Kansas
January 14, 1914
No. Killed - 6
Description
The accident occurred at 7:10 a.m. Wednesday morning, January 14, 1914. Six men were being lowered on the West Cage when the cable parted allowing the cage to fall to the bottom of the shaft (130 feet deep). All six men were fatally injured, two of them dying before they had been brought to the top; two others died with in a couple of hours, another after 24 hours and one after three days.
Five Killed Today in Pittsburg Mine Accident
Hutchinson News, Kansas
January 14, 1914
Pittsburg, Kan., Jan. 14. -- A cable from which was suspended a cage carrying six men to their work in mine number seven of the Spencer Newland Coal Company at Mulberry broke on its first trip this morning when the cage was half way to the bottom. Five of the men are dead, the other will recover.
Arthur Connery, first president of the district number fourteen, U.M.W.A., aged 71 years, a veteran of the Civil War, one of the pioneer miners of the district, Fritz Ginther, Addison Buchanan and Tom Strayborn, died soon after the accident. John Montanelli died at Mount Carmel hospital here about noon.
Francis Keegan of Pittsburg, state mine inspector and his deputies left Pittsburg immediately after the accident to make an inspection.
The accident is similar in its nature to one at Croweburg, a short distance from Mulberry, a couple of weeks ago. There, however, the occupants of the cage escaped death because a safety clutch worked and stopped the cage a few feet from the bottom of the shaft. Several men were injured.
