Dr. I. R. Parsons was called to Kenilworth last Friday to attend a Japanese miner who was injured in the mines, sustaining three fractures of the skull and his left leg crushed. The man later died. Dr. Parsons is at Miller Creek today professionally.

H. Nagayama, Japanese, aged 32, married, wife and three children in Japan, was injured on the incline plain of the No. 1 Aberdeen mine, Kenilworth, Utah, on the 7th day of January, 1910, at 5:30 p.m. Deceased was injured while walking down the incline between the two tracks while trips were in motion. When about half way down the incline, Steve Callas, track man called to him to get off from the center of the tracks to one side where he would be free from the passing trips. He started to do so but was caught between the empty and the loaded trip and crushed, his left leg being amputated and otherwise injured, from which he died a few moments later. The following verdict was rendered at the inquest:

An inquest having been held at the hotel in Kenilworth precinct, Carbon County, on the tenth day of January, 1910, before G. W. Davis, justice of the peace in Spring Glenn Precinct, in said county, upon the body of H. Nagayama, there lying dead; by the jurors whose names are hereunto subscribed, the said jurors upon their oaths do say, that said H. Nagayama came to his death by being caught between a loaded and an empty trip of mine cars on the incline on the 7th day of January, 1910, and that the accident was due to his own negligence by walking in between the tracks, instead of walking on the outside, where there was plenty of space for him to walk so as to avoid being struck by the trip.

Industrial Commission of Utah, as Administrator of the employee's Combined Injury Benefit Fund vs. United States Fuel Company (for the death of John Narvich). On October 26, 1932, John Naravich, while employed as a miner, was struck by a fall of coal sustaining injury which proved fatal on October 31, 1932. Employer paid for burial, as by law provided. No claim for compensation was filed within one year after death of said John Naravich. It was ordered that the sum of $400 be paid into the State Treasury by defendant to the credit of Employees' Combined Injury Benefit Fund.

PRICE - Kumatara Narumiya, 57, Japanese coal miner, was dead Monday in a Kenilworth hospital of injuries suffered Saturday afternoon when he was caught under a fall of top coal in the mine there. A fellow worker, Hirachi Naomura, suffered a fractured right foot in the accident. Narumiya is survived by a widow and four children in Japan.

Nov. 19, 1902 - On this date John Naskel, a miner, was killed in Winter Quarters Mine No. 1. At the time of the accident Naskel was at work in his room when some coal fell from the roof, striking him on the head, killing him instantly.

Research note: if John Maskei is the same person as John Naskel, then his age would have been 31 at time of death

PRICE, Sept. 12 - Authorities today investigated an accident at the Rains Coal Co. mine near here last night that killed two miners and injured a third. Killed were Victor Lobasky, 46, Rains, and Matt Naturale, 23, Wellington. Taken to the Price hospital, where he was reported in fair condition was Oliver Cramer, 40, Elmo.

PRICE - Feb. 24 - Two mine workers were killed in accidents in Carbon county mines Friday and Saturday. Nick Needer, 65, Springfield, Ill. Was fatally injured Friday when a train of loaded mine cars broke loose from the hoisting cable, raced down a steep incline and crushed him. Both his legs were cut off. Emerson Max Morgan, 32, Hiawatha, Utah, was killed Saturday in a fall of top coal.

On Monday, April 10, 2000, at about 3:10 p.m., Christopher A. Newman, age 35, Shuttle Car Operator, was fatally injured in a powered haulage accident on the 7th Left three-entry development section in the No. 1 belt entry at crosscut No. 17. Newman, operating the No. 16 opposite standard shuttle car, had taken a load of coal to the section feeder breaker to dump. When he did not return to the continuous mining machine, another crew member went to look for him. Newman was found standing in an upright position, crushed between the cab of the shuttle car and the coal rib.

Newman had unloaded about 90 percent of his load when the electrical power to the shuttle car interrupted for unknown reasons. Newman attempted to exit the shuttle car, but the clearance between the cab and the coal rib was tight, only about eight to nine inches. While Newman was exiting the shuttle car, the No. 17 standard shuttle car arrived to side-dump at the feeder breaker. This shuttle car, while dumping, struck the rear conveyor of Newman's shuttle car, causing it to move toward the coal rib, crushing Newman. Newman had ten years of mining experience with two years and one month as a shuttle car operator.

The direct cause of the accident was the impact of the No. 17 standard shuttle car on the No. 16 opposite standard shuttle car and the tight clearance between the operator's cab and the coal rib. A contributing factor was the location of the feeder breaker close to the rib line requiring the No. 16 shuttle car and the operator's compartment to be close to the rib. The use of the opposite standard shuttle car on the straight and the standard shuttle car on the side-dump restricted both shuttle car operator's visibility of each other while at the feeder breaker. Had the shuttle cars switched routes, the operators would have been able to see each other while at the feeder breaker.

When Clifford was 15 years old, he went to his brothers in Scofield and worked there the rest of his life. He married a young lady and they had three children. He was killed in an accident by a horse kicking him in the head. He was 30 years old at the time of his death, 6 March 1925.

Bernard Newren became the Chief Clerk and later the General Superintendent of the Union Pacific mine. Clifford Newren also worked at the mine. In 1925 Merrill Clifford was kicked by a horse outside the mine and died later in a Salt Lake City hospital.

In 1915 Merrill Clifford Newren left Gunnison and joined his brothers in Scofield...In the summer of 1925, Merrill Clifford was kicked in the face by one of the mine horses. He was taken to St. Marks Hospital in Salt Lake City where he later died.

So, I piece together that he was kicked by the mine horse, at the mine and he died in Salt Lake City. It sounds to me like it is a mine accident. He was age 30.

Nellie M. Newren, et. Al, widow and children of Merrill Clifford Newren, deceased, vs. Scofield Coal Co., Aetna Life Insurance Company.

On February 27, 1925, Merrill Clifford Newren of Scofield, Utah, was employed by the Scofield Coal Company mine as mine clerk and was paid a wage amounting to a sum of $50.00 per week. On said date he was told by the Superintendent to come from the office to the mine to take charge of the men. As Mr. Newren was going down the office steps a horse which was standing on the steps kicked him in the face. He sustained a contusion of the face and nose, broken nose and jaw and possible fracture of skull. As a result and injury he died on the 5th day of March, 1925, at St. Marks Hospital at Salt Lake City.

On June 22, 1912, applicant was married at Price, Utah, to Merrill Clifford Newren, the decedent herein. There are two minor children as the issue of that marriage, namely, Nelda Marie age 8, and Beverly 4, and an unborn child, all of whom were living with the decedent at the time of injury and were wholly dependent upon him for maintenance and support

Ordered, that compensation be paid by defendants to Nellie Marie as the surviving widow, for the sole benefit of herself and the two minor children above named, and an unborn child, in the sum of $16.00 per week for a period of not to exceed 311 weeks, beginning on the 5th day of March, 1925; also the defendants pay for the burial of decedent according to law.

Saturday last services were conducted at Standardville Ward chapel for Benjamin B. Nichols, aged 20 years, who was killed in the mine there on Wednesday of last week by a fall of roof. Bishop R. A. Bowen officiated. Interment was in Price City cemetery.

Deceased was born at Knightsville on December 27, 1907, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin T. Nichols. He lived there and at Alma, Wyo., until 1920, when he came to Carbon County, residing in this section until his death.

He is survived by his parents, who reside at Samaria, Ida., and seven brothers and sisters, William Nichols up at Peerless, Mrs. Vera Davis of Thatcher, Ida., Mrs. Dora Dennison of Castle Dale, Mrs. Lavina Westwood and John Nichols of Standardville and Helen, Joseph and Willard, all of Samaria.

Benj. T. Nichols, father of Benj. B. Nichols, dec'd vs. Standard Coal Co.

On September 12, 1928, Benj. B. Nichols was killed by a fall of rock while employed by the Standard Coal Company. His father filed application for compensation, claiming to be partially dependent upon his son for support. From the evidence taken at the hearing, the Commission found that he would be entitled to $30.00 per month for a period of 60 months, which was ordered paid.

On September 12, 1928 Benjamin was killed in a cave in at the Standardville mine. The story has often been related that he had escaped the mine, but returned to get his tools when he was killed. In those days the miners had to supply their own tools. No tools - no job.

Benjamin was buried next to his mother and baby sister in the Price City cemetery.

PRICE - Funeral services for Gary Nichols, 29, of Price, who died Tuesday of injuries he suffered in a mine accident at Sunnyside, Carbon County, will be Friday at 1 p.m. in the Mitchell funeral chapel. He was the brother of Robert Nichols, Orem. Mr. Nichols was born Dec. 5, 1943 in Price to Harry R. and Virginia Johnson Nichols. He married Carol Berensen Andreini on July 9, 1970 in Las Vegas. He was a coal miner for Kaiser Steel Corp. and belonged to the UMWA Local 9958. He also was a member of the LDS Church and of the Price Elks Lodge. He was a veteran of the Vietnam War.

Survivors include his widow and one son, Troy G. Nichols, Price; his parents, Spring Glen, Carbon County; three stepchildren, Jerry Andreini and Traci Andreini, both of Price; Mrs. Terri Curtis, Helper, one step grandson; four brothers and one sister, Robert Nichols, Orem; Mel “Corky” Nichols and Fred Nichols, both of Price, William H. Nichols, Bountiful, and Mrs. Paul (Connie) Cutler, Stantan, Calif.

Friends may call at the Mitchell Mortuary tonight from 7 to 9 o'clock and Friday prior to services. Burial will be in the Mountain View Cemetery in Helper.

The following are excerpts of the MSHA report. For the full report visit website listed above.

The longwall crew consisted of Wesley Ellner, tailgate shearer operator; Kyle Medley, headgate shearer operator; Tyson Hales, stageloader operator; Ronnie Gonzales and Shane Stansfield, longwall mechanics; and Cory Nielsen, propman. At approximately 3:50 p.m., the longwall crew, along with McKinnon, Whitten, Berdan, and Jas Mills, boarded the mantrip on the surface and traveled underground to the D-3 section.

At 11:48 p.m., a methane explosion occurred on the headgate side of the D-3 gob. Outside in the mine office, Dean LaCotta, Jr., AMS attendant, observed that the system was reporting communication failures with many sensors surrounding the D-3 section. All of the miners on the D-3 section, and those in close proximity to the section, felt the forces of the explosion, but most miners interpreted the forces to be a result of a major 7 cave in the gob. The physical effect of the explosion varied for each miner depending upon their proximity to the origin. Stansfield, probably located near Crosscut 49, was thrown by the forces and suffered rib injuries. Burton, located at Shield 3, was knocked down. Medley's hard hat was knocked off. Ellner felt a blast of air traveling from the headgate toward the tailgate and turned toward the face to shield his eyes from the suspended dust. When Ellner turned back toward the shield line, he observed sporadic blue flames in the toes of Shield 8. He shouted “fire” to alert the miners at the headgate. Medley and Ellner then observed flames at Shield 6.

At approximately 11:55 p.m., a second explosion occurred in the D-3 gob. The forces of the explosion threw Medley to Shield 6, where he ended up on his hands and knees in a pool of water and burning hydrocarbons. Nielsen, who was located on the shield line outby Medley, was thrown to Shield 4 and was asphyxiated as a consequence of carbon monoxide poisoning. The forces of the explosion threw Burton outby in the No. 1 entry and he ended up by the stageloader near Crosscut 49. McKinnon was thrown into Crosscut 49 facing the outby rib. He lost his cap lamp. Burton and McKinnon felt intense heat and each received burns and other injuries. Burton lost consciousness. McKinnon attempted to don his own personal SCSR. However, he dropped it and was unable to find it. Whitten was knocked down and thrown back into Crosscut 49 against the outby rib. He lost his hard hat, but not his cap lamp. Whitten made his way to the No. 2 entry where he saw Berdan.

Berdan was in No. 2 entry near Crosscut 49. Tyson Hales was nearby. Gonzales, Stansfield, and Ellner were located in the No. 2 entry close to Crosscut 48. Gonzales heard the explosion, felt slight forces and observed dust and debris coming out of Crosscut 49 into the No. 2 entry. Marvidikis, in the belt entry near Crosscut 25, felt a small rush of air and believed that it was another cave. He continued the preshift examination in the No. 1 entry, traveling inby.

Gonzales and Stansfield signaled the miners near Crosscut 49 to evacuate. Ellner was at the driver's door of the mantrip and was entering the vehicle. Gonzales opened the back door on the driver's side while Stansfield was preparing to enter the passenger side.

At approximately 11:56 p.m., a third explosion occurred in the gob. The forces of the third explosion likely resulted in Stansfield being fatally injured.

As McKinnon walked to the mantrip, he saw Tyson Hales lying on the mine floor. McKinnon, due to his injuries, was unable to assist Tyson Hales. McKinnon, Berdan, and Medley traveled out of the mine. At this time, Tyson Hales, Burton, Stansfield, and Nielsen were the only miners remaining underground.

Powell, Robinson, and Montoya remained with Tyson Hales to stabilize his condition and load him on a stretcher. Robinson proceeded outby and backed one of the trucks inby to Crosscut 48. Haigler, Wood, and Moosman found Burton in the No. 2 entry, halfway between Crosscuts 48 and 49 lying partially under a shop car. Burton was conscious, alert, and was able to describe his injuries to the team members. He also relayed to the team that he thought Stansfield was outby his location and that Nielsen was probably still inby him. They pulled Burton from under the shop car, stabilized his injuries, and loaded him on a stretcher. Burton was carried outby toward the truck at Crosscut 48 where Tyson Hales had just been placed onto the truck by Powell and Montoya.

In order to place Burton onto the truck, it was necessary to clear more space. The team members began to unload some of their equipment and while throwing fire extinguishers toward the rib, Moosman discovered another miner lying against the outby corner of Crosscut 48 in the No. 2 entry. The miner was identified as Stansfield. He was positioned against a timber set along the rib and was covered with brattice cloth. Powell determined that Stansfield had received fatal injuries.

HUNTINGTON - Jack Clark tells the story so often and so well it sounds almost legendary: He and Cory Gordon Nielsen decided to go fishing in the dark but ended up driving their pickup truck into the drink instead.

With an air of finality not usually evident, Clark told the story one more time Friday at the funeral for Nielsen, just 28, when he was killed Tuesday in an explosion at the Willow Creek Mine northeast of Price. Clark joined Nielsen's sister and mother in paying tribute while a large crowd of family, friends, and coal miners from both Utah and Colorado listened at the Huntington LDS Stake Center.

Residents of Carbon and Emery counties banded together this week in a show of sympathy and support for the families of Nielsen and Shane Stansfield, a 29-year-old Price resident who also died at Willow Creek Tuesday and whose funeral is today. Eight others were sent to the hospital when a falling piece of rock sparked a pocket of methane gas into a blaze that then exploded, mine officials say.

Four of the eight, Kyle Medley, Bill Burton, Charles Whitten, and Tyson Hales, remained hospitalized Friday night. Medley was in neuro-critical care at University Hospital and Burton remained in critical condition at Castleview Hospital in Price.

The flowers, cards, meals, money and tears have flowed all week in east-central Utah. On Friday, Nielsen was eulogized against a backdrop of dozens of flower arrangements that included a deer with antlers, reflecting the Emery High graduate's love of hunting and the outdoors.

Nielsen's family has had a difficult time understanding why fate would take a young father who loved to spend time with his wife and their 4-year-old son and 1-year-old daughter, said Nielsen's sister, Nadine Wilson. Nielsen and his son were great “fishing buddies,” she said.

After the funeral, a procession led to the cemetery in Elmo, the tiny burg where Nielsen grew up and where his parents still live. Emery County Sheriff Lamar Guymon sent a posse of deputies to accompany the cortege from Huntington to Elmo, where Nielsen was buried.

Nielsen's wife, Trish, received a letter this week from the LDS Church First Presidency expressing condolences and promising prayers on behalf of the Nielsen family. “Cory touched the lives of many as they witnessed his love and devotion to his family,” the church leaders wrote.

Martin, Carbon County -- Funeral arrangements for nine men killed in the mine blast here were completed Tuesday.

The blast occurred Monday at Carbon Fuel Co.'s No. 2 mine west of here.

Gerald L. Neilson, 43, Fairview, Sanpete County, was born July 18, 1920, Heiner, Carbon County, a son of Ray and Eva Hansen Neilson. He had been employed as a mine mechanic at Helper for more than 15 years. He attended schools at Fairview and Mt. Pleasant. He married Irene Sanderson, Fairview, April 5, 1940. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Survivors include his widow and mother, both Fairview; daughters and son, Mrs. Bert (Sandra) Rasmussen, Judy and Linda, all Fairview; Mrs. Brent (Betty) Jorgensen, Salt Lake City, and Randy, Fairview; four grandchildren; four brothers and two sisters, Juan, Robert, Kent, all of Salt Lake City; Ralph Fairview; Mrs. Abe (Valeria) Vance, Salt Lake City and Mrs. Genivive Tully, Provo.

Funeral services will be conducted Friday, 1 p.m. in the Fairview Ninth Ward LDS Chapel. Friends may call at the family home Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. and Friday to time of services. Burial will be in the Fairview Cemetery.

Price - Four miners were entombed deep inside the Spring Canyon Coal Co. mine 13 miles northwest of here early today when a “bounce” caused a severe cave-in. A company official said it was not known if the men were buried by the fall of coal and rock or if they were trapped-possibly safely—behind it. “We're hopeful they are behind it and safe,” he said. The cave-in site is about 5,000 feet from the main mine entrance. It is 2,000 feet down the hillside mine's fourth left lateral where the mine itself dips downward.

Families of the men waited outside the mine entrance for any word on whether the four men were alive. The four have a total of 11 children. It was believed the cave-in, which accompanied the “bounce” or sudden pressure change inside the mine, occurred between 1 and 1:30 a.m. The ground shock from the bounce was so severe it loosened the entire top face of coal in the cave-in area and workers were forced to timber their rescue shaft as they tunneled toward the trapped men.

The spokesman said the latest report was that rescue workers had tunneled 800 feet through the giant pile of debris in an effort to reach the miners. The four trapped men were identified as William Daniels, 47, the mine face boss; his son-in-law, Dean Nielsen, 29, the shuttlecar operator; Cecil Garcia, 36, a rope rider, and Keith Anderson, 30, a motorman. Garcia is from Helper. The other three are from Spring Canyon.

Price - The body of one of four trapped coal miners was recovered this afternoon. He was Cecilio Garcia, 36, father of four children. There was no word of the other men.

SPRING CANYON - Blackfaced, dirty workers recovered today the body of a third man trapped deep in a coal mine by an earth tremor that caused a cave-in. A fourth man was still caught somewhere under tons of rock and rescuers held no hope he would be found alive. He is Dean Nielsen, 27. The body of Keith Anderson, 30, was uncovered this morning. Both he and Nielsen were from Spring Canyon, a tiny company mining town of dreary brown sandstone about 120 miles southeast of Salt Lake City.

Late last night workmen, erecting timbers as they proceeded, against the possibility of further cave-ins, uncovered the body of William Daniels, 47, also of Spring Canyon. Earlier they found the body of Cecilio Garcia, 36, the father of seven children from nearby Helper. He was not caught beneath the torrent of falling coal set loose when a “bounce” - a shift in the mountain above the mine—sent the rocks crashing down.

Garcia apparently was hit on the head by a flying rock. A doctor said he never knew what hit him. Rescuers at first hoped for another miracle such as occurred at nearby Sunnyside two years ago when three men survived after being buried in a similar cave-in for 72 hours. There was no such miracle here. The faces of the workers showed they knew it as they marched wearily away from the mine portal after a shift of rescue work. Two officials expressed what the miners hadn't the heart to say.

The mine manager, C. E. Pauley, said he didn't see how the men could be found alive. And Clair Nowren, a safety engineer, said it was inconceivable. The four men were working overtime to remove equipment from one of the shafts that honeycomb a mountain. If they had left at the end of their regular shift, the mine would have been empty.

All Utah joins the bereaved families and friends of the four victims of the Spring Canyon coal mine disaster in mourning his tragedy. While investigation has not been completed, this appears to be the kind of coal mine accident that is practically unavoidable. A “bounce” or earth slip above the tunnel in which the men were working caused a sudden cave-in, filling the tunnel with coal dust. An electric wire short or other spark caused by the cave-in set off an explosion.

The mine had been inspected only about six weeks ago, but a state safety inspector was quoted as saying: “No inspection could foretell this.” Underground mining by the very nature of things is a hazardous occupation. Despite, all the safety precautions in the world, some accidents will happen. Utah actually has had quite a safe record, for this is the worst coal mine disaster in years. This does not lessen the blow to those bereaved. It is bleak tragedy to four wives suddenly made widows, to 17 children of the four men, and to two children yet unborn. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out.

PRICE - The body of the third of four Carbon County miners trapped early Friday in a mine cave-in was brought to the surface at 10:20 a.m. Saturday. The badly crushed and burned body of Keith Arthur Anderson, 30, was found under tons of rock and coal about 5,000 feet from the shaft entrance in an unused section of the Spring Canyon Coal Co. mine. Previously recovered were the bodies of Celilio Garcia, 35, of Helper, brought up at noon Friday, and face boss William Daniels, 47, recovered late Friday evening.

Still missing and presumed dead is Russell Dean Nielsen, 29, son-in-law of Mr. Daniels. From the position of the bodies already recovered, officials believed Mr. Nielsen is buried under eight feet of rock some 80 feet further down the choked shaft. Rescue work was hampered all day Friday by an explosion and fire following the cave in, which was caused by a “bounce” or shift in the mountain above the mine. All fallen rock must be recovered and removed from the shaft by hand, further slowing efforts to reach Mr. Nielsen.

Keith Arthur Anderson was born at Emery, Emery County, September 6, 1927, the son of Clinton C. and Florence Abelin Anderson. He married Edna Sheets. He had been a resident of Spring Canyon for the past nine years.

Surviving are his parents, Carbonville; widow, three daughters, Susanne, Connie and Dawn, Spring Canyon; two brothers and one sister, Preston C. U. S. Navy, Fallon, Nev.; Maurice, Carbonville; Mrs. Rine Erickson, Spring Canyon. Funeral will be Tuesday at 1 p.m. in Price Tabernacle, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with burial in Emery Cemetery.

William Daniels was born March 23, 1910, Lafayette, Colo., the son of Charles and Jeannie Daniels. He was married to Elsieanna Mitchell at Grand Junction, Colo. In 1933. He had been a resident of Spring Canyon since 1952.

Surviving are his parents, Oak Creek, Colo.; his widow, three sons and two daughters, Gilbert, Steamboat Springs, Colo.; Stanley, U. S. Navy, San Diego, Calif.; Charles Albert, Emily Jane, and Mrs. Dean Nielsen, Spring Canyon; and a brother, Albert, Carlsbad, N.M.

Cecilio Garcia, was born March 29, 1921 in Canyoncito, N. M. son of Fredencio and Garguerita Gurule Garcia. He was married to Solema Garcia in Helper, June 3, 1945. He is survived by his wife and the following children: Virginia, Linda Sue, Lucy Margie, Mary Jean, Lawrance Cecil and Eddie F. all of Helper; four brothers, Dommitlio, Lee, Ferman and Joe; two sisters, Sophia Chevez and Livie Lucero. The Rosary will be said Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in Mitchell Funeral Home. Requiem Mass will be said Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. in Helper St. Anthony Church.

PRICE - Rescue workers Saturday uncovered the mangled body of a third miner, one of four trapped Friday thousands of feet inside a mountain coal mine. Digging continued for the fourth miner under a 2,000 foot long caved in tunnel of the Spring Canyon Coal Co. mine 13 miles northwest of Price. The cave-in was followed by an explosion and fire. Two bodies were uncovered Friday. The victim found this morning was Keith Anderson, 30, Spring Canyon.

The find further weakened hopes that the fourth miner, Dean Nielsen, 29, Spring Canyon, would be found alive. Workers said they had found no trace of him by mid-morning Friday the body of Cecelio Garcia, 36, was found. Late Friday night rescue workers found the body of William Daniels, 47.

Daniels and Garcia, along with Anderson and Nielsen, Daniel's son-in-law, were working overtime removing old tracks and equipment when the tunnel collapsed with an earthquake-like bounce which dumped tons of coal, rock and debris on the men.

Teams of rescue workers reached Garcia's body shortly after noon Friday, 11 hours after the cave-in occurred. He was found in a clear area at the far end of the caved in section. Officials said his skull had been crushed by falling debris. The other three miners were trapped beneath the fall itself. From the start, rescue crews knew there was little chance any of the three could be found alive.

However, the rescuers remember another mine cave-in near here April 18, 1956 at the Sunnyside mine of Kaiser Steel Co. In that cave-in, three of four trapped miners were found “miraculously” alive after nearly 40 hours entombment. Rescue crews from the Sunnyside mine joined Spring Canyon workers in the rescue effort. Diggers encountered fires inside the mine Friday but extinguished them.

SPRING CANYON - The Body of a fourth Carbon County coal miner killed in a Friday cave-in was recovered Sunday shortly before noon in the Spring Canyon Coal Co, mine here. The body of Russell Dean Nielson, 29, was brought to the surface about 11:15 a.m. He was badly crushed. Three others, Cecilio Garcia, 35, Helper; William Daniels, 47, father-in-law of Nielsen, and Keith Anderson, 30, Spring Canyon, also were killed.

Otto A. Wiesley, chairman of the State Industrial Commission, said Sunday that full-scale investigation into the explosion and cave-in will be made. The exact cause of the blast is undetermined, Mr. Wiesley said. It probably was touched off when the earth settled. Russell Dean Nielsen was born April 5, 1928, in Salem, a son of William and Hazel Beddoes Nielsen. He attended schools in Spanish Fork. He married Barbara Daniels May 28, 1954, in Spring Canyon.

Surviving are his parents, Spring Canyon; his widow; two sons, Russell and Robert Joe, Spring Canyon, and two sisters and three brothers, Mrs. Alice Kirkwood, Martin, Carbon County; Joan and Jerry, Spring Canyon; Rulon, Sunnyside, Carbon County, and William E. Grand Junction, Colo. Joint funeral services for Mr. Nielsen and Mr. Daniels will be conducted Monday at 2 p.m. at the Mitchell Funeral Home in Price. The body of Mr. Daniels will be sent to Oak Creek, Colo, for burial. Additional services for Mr. Nielsen will be conducted Tuesday at 1 p.m. at the Palmyra Ward Chapel, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in Spanish Fork.

Spring Canyon - Workmen removed the last body yesterday from the rubble of a tunnel blast and cave-in deep inside the Spring Canyon Coal Co. mine here. The cave-in, last Friday, buried four men, killing them all. The last body found was that of Dean Nielsen, 29. Its discovery brought a temporary halt to rubble-clearing operations that had been in progress, round the clock, since the cave-in early Friday morning.

Already removed were the bodies of Cecilio Garcia, 35, Helper; Keith Anderson, 30 Spring Canyon, and William Daniels, 47, Nielsen's father-in-law. Chairman Otto A. Wiesley of the State Industrial Commission said here a full-scale investigation into the tragedy will be conducted this week.

He speculated that a “bounce” or movement caused by earth settling, probably started the rock and rubble down on the men, and friction or a hot trolley wire could have ignited the resulting coal dust, causing the explosion.

KENILWORTH. Carbon County —Death toll in the Independent Coal and Coke Co. coal mine dust explosion was swelled to three Thursday, with two more miners in critical condition in Price hospital, and six more listed as serious. The blast occurred Wednesday. The rest of the 16-man crew was back at work, four uninjured, and one back on the job after emergency treatment for burns and shock.

The three died of severe burns and injuries. They are Gilmer Nielsen and Clem Hawks, Kenilworth, and Ivan Russell Jackson, Price. Being treated are Richard Sarrimond, Arthur Smith, David Bennett and Arthur Lermusiax in Price hospital, and Nick Markakis, Iven Jensen, George Archibque and Felipe Armizo are in Kenilworth hospital. Alcaria Quintane was treated at Kenilworth and was back at work Thursday.

Ivan Russell Jackson, 27, who died Thursday at 3 a. m., was born in Lehi Dec. 1, 1917, a son of John S. and Victoria College Jackson. He had lived in Price two years. Survivors include his widow, Mrs. Vola Holley Jackson, Price; parents, and four sons and daughters, Erven, Verla, Lloyd and LeEarl. Price, and the following brothers and sisters, Lester W. Jackson, Lehi; Forrest Jackson, Draper; Floyd Jackson, Washington, D. C.; Mrs. Violet Chidester and Mrs. Fay Lamb, Price; Mrs. Myrtle Lovendale, Riverton; Mrs. Virginia Rasmussen, Salt Lake City, and Norman and Ronald Jackson, Lehi.

Funeral services to be conducted in Lehi will be announced later by the Wallace mortuary, Price. Gilmer B. Nielsen, 35, who died Wednesday at 9:10 p.m. in Price hospital, was born June 27, 1909, in Manti, Utah, a son of James and Florence E. Anderson Nielsen. He was a resident of Helper, Survivors include his widow, Mrs. Delma Rostron Nielsen, Helper: his mother, Gunnison; three children, Gilmer Regnol, Bobby J. and Cora Lou Nielsen, Helper, and three brothers, Melvin Nielsen, Lehi; Roldo Nielsen, Long Bench, Cal., and Alfonzo Nielsen, Salt Lake City.

Funeral services will be conducted Sunday at 11 a. m. at the Helper civic auditorium. Burial will be in Manti under direction of Mitchell funeral home, Price.

Three Utahns were killed in separate on-the-job accidents today and yesterday. A 62-year-old Price miner was hurt fatally in a mine mishap at the Peerless Coal Co., at Peerless yesterday. He was Wilford L. Nielson who died in Price City-County hospital. He was hit by a piece of mine machinery.

Victor Niemi, 46, was the second victim of falling coal at the Standardville mine during the past week. He was caught beneath a large quantity of falling rock Monday and was instantly killed. The body was brought to Price Tuesday morning and will be buried from the Flynn funeral home tomorrow.

Price - Four coal miners who were removing timber supports in a mine south of here were killed in an accident one miner called “one of those things that goes with the job…you never know if you're going to walk out or be carried out.” The men died when a huge slab of rock fell on them Friday at the Starpoint No. 1 coal mine 20 miles south of Price. The victims were part of a 10-man crew removing timbers from a section that had already been mined, said Floyd Tucker, general superintendent for Plateau Mining Co.

He identified the men as Kerry Grange, of Huntington; Mike Guzman, of Price; Bill Gentry, of Price; and Kim Nightingale, of Carbondale, Colo. Allan Austin of Price was injured and was in serious but stable condition Friday night at a Price hospital. Tucker said controlled cave-ins occur as pillars are removed, but the 15-foot by 15-foot slab of rock that fell on the five men was in a section where a cave-in was not expected.

It's just like a loose piece of plaster on your roof,” said Tucker. “It sits there all year, you walk under it and nothing happens. Then the snow comes, and the house settles, and it falls off the ceiling.” He said the chamber where the accident occurred will be sealed off until federal mine safety inspectors from Washington and Denver arrive Tuesday to investigate. A friend of Austin's, who asked not to be named, said he and other miners were nervous about returning to work. “It makes me not want to go down there,” he said. “It's one of those things that goes with the job,” he said. “Every time you go into the portal, you never know if you're going to walk out or be carried out. Every day you just live with it. There's always that anxious feeling at quitting time that I made it another day without getting hurt.”

Sunnyside, Utah May 11 (AP) The 18 year old twin sons of Denshiro Niitsuma, Sunnyside coal miner, left Wednesday morning for Salt Lake City to be inducted into the army. A few hours later Niitsuma died in the explosion at the Utah Fuel company mine, which cost at least 21 lives. The army granted emergency furloughs to the two boys.

SUNNYSIDE (Special)- Denshiro Nittsuma, Sunnyside coal miner, was a proud father yesterday morning when he said goodbye to his 18-year-old twin sons, Harry and Harold, as they left for Salt Lake to be inducted into the army.

At 3:12 p.m. or shortly thereafter, he was dead, a victim of the worst Utah disaster in years. His younger children and their mother kept a hopeful vigil near the mine portal as one after another of the bodies of the victims were brought to the surface.

It was about 1 a.m. today- the mother had finally taken the little ones home to bed- when the older ones, Mery, Henry and Hide, saw their father's still form carried to a waiting hearse, and turned quietly to go to their mother. They army today learned of the tragedy and sent the twins home on an "emergency leave."

Chiyokichi Nikaido, 40, miner for the Mutual Coal company at Mutual, died at Standardville hospital Saturday a few hours after an accident in the Mutual mine in which he suffered compound fractures of both legs and a crushed back.

The body of the Japanese was brought to the Flynn funeral home here and shipped Monday night to Denver, where services and interment will take place. Nikaido was a native of ?? and besides his widow, Tana Nikaido survived by one son.

EAST CARBON, Utah - A 55-year-old mine supervisor was killed Friday when the roof of the U. S. Steel Geneva coal mine caved in on him. Geneva officials said Glen Norton, Price, was inspecting a branch tunnel when the roof fell in. Norton was alone at the time. Mine inspectors said the investigation is continuing into the accident, the first fatal mishap at the mine since 1969.

The body of Kiyoshi Nose, Jap miner who died at Storrs last Thursday as a result of a mine accident, was sent to Denver for interment yesterday.

PRICE - Injuries received last week in a coal mine accident have claimed the life of a 46-year old Carbon County man. The victim, Walter Howard Noyes, Price, died Wednesday at Price City-County Hospital of injuries suffered in a mishap April 15 at the Lion Coal Co. mine in Wattis. He suffered a fractured pelvis, fractured ribs and a back injury. He had been an employe for Lion Coal Co. for 14 years.

Research note: he was 46 and died due to a roof fall

Ichigoro Nozumi, a Japanese, 42 years old and single, was instantly killed August 16, 1919, Kenilworth No. 2 Mine. While riding in a three-car trip of empty cars pulled by a horse, he got between the cars and attempted to get out and was caught between the rib and the car and was crushed to death.

SCOFIELD, June 11 - E. Cefderioz, a Greek miner, was instantly killed in the Clear Creek mine Tuesday afternoon, caused by a fall of rock which crushed him. He had only been in this country a short time and had recently started work at the mine. He was brought to Scofield for burial, his comrades and countrymen walking in a body from Clear Creek.

Age 25 died June 8 or 11, 1907—Research shows Ntagadakis and Cefderioz could be the same person. Both were killed in June by falling rock in Clear Creek. Death certificate shows Ntagadakis and no death certificate found for Cefderioz.

June 27, 1902 - On this date T. Nucci, a miner, was killed in the Clear Creek Mine, the time of the accident Nucci was at work in his room when a piece of rock fell from the roof, striking him on the head and shoulders, killing him instantly.

CASTLE DALE - Frank Joseph Nucich, 18, was killed in Utah Fuel company mine No. 2 here Sunday morning when he was run over by a mine car. His skull was fractured and he died instantly. Witnesses said the youth had tried to stop the car by running a stick between the spokes of the front wheel, but slipped and fell across the rails.

Nucich was born in Murray February 1, 1915. He and his family had lived in Castle Dale several years. Surviving are his father and the following brothers and sisters, all of Castle Dale; Mrs. Mary Macek, Marjorie, Josephine, Louise, Joseph and Albert Nucich. Funeral arrangements are in charge of the Flynn mortuary.

Funeral services were conducted yesterday at the Mitchell funeral chapel at 10:00 a.m. for Matt O’Branovich, 50, fireboss at the Royal mine, who died last Thursday morning in the Standardville hospital as a result of injuries received the day before in an accident in the Royal mine. The services were conducted by James Ungritch and burial was in the Price City cemetery under direction of the Mitchell funeral home.

Mr. O’Branovich was injured last Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. when a 100-pound lump of coal fell on him. He was rushed to the Standardville hospital where he died the following day. He suffered a fractured neck and a broken pelvis. He was making his regular inspection of the mine when the accident occurred.

This was the second mine fatality for Carbon county in 1942, the first occurring at Kenilworth on January 20. The victim was born in Austria, July 16, 1891. He had worked in the Royal mine since August, 1941, and had been employed at the Bradley Mine, California, before that time. He was a member of Roseville Aerie No. 1582, Order of Eagles, Roseville, California.

Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Mary O’Branovich, who was visiting in Roseville, California at the time of the accident, and three sons, Matthew O’Branovich of Vallejo, California; John O’Branovich, U. S. Marine Corps, Camp Elliott, California; and Joseph O’Branovich, N.P.D. U. S. Marine Corps, Mare Island, California; and a daughter, Mrs. Mary Fife of Burbank, California.

Jerry Oblak, Austrian miner, aged 34 years, single, was killed in NO. 17 room, 5th level, off the 12th raise of Mine No. 1, Winter Quarters, on the 29th day of July, 1911. Oblak and partner were taking down the top coal in their room near the 4th cross cut, with a view of taking a skip off the pillar to the right of the room. In doing this work, they had left some of the coal hanging on a well-defined slip, at the left side of the room the night before the accident happened. It is claimed that the next morning, as soon as they got into the place, they examined all parts of the face to determine if it was in a safe condition. They found it sound, excepting a small piece of coal at the point where the accident occurred, which they claim to have removed. Oblak was loading the coal alone, while his partners were moving the rock from another part of the room. He had got the car bedded, when the coal fell upon him. Apparently the men had not examined the working face before commencing work, or they would have found that the coal was loose and unsafe to work under.

An inquest was held …. “That Jerry Oblak came to his death from a fall of coal through his neglect in not taking the said coal down, which was loose, and that the Utah Fuel Company is exempt from all blame.”

Death again struck Carbon county’s coal industry when Pete Oddenino, 57, and Vern Winders, 53, were instantly killed by a fall of coal that covered them with approximately 1 ½ feet of coal and rock. According to information released late Wednesday night the two men, were laying track in the United States Fuel company’s mine at Hiawatha, at the time of the accident, which was set at about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Mr. Oddenino was born in Italy in 1888 and had been employed at Hiawatha since 1942. A resident of Price he is survived by his wife Lucy Oddenino and a daughter Mary Ann, both of Price.

Mr. Winders was born at Desert Lake, Utah, in 1892 and had worked at Hiawatha, where he lived, since 1942. He is survived by his wife Maggie, two sons, Bud and Jesse of Hiawatha and four daughters Mrs. Geo Bailey, Provo; Eva Winders, Washington, D.C.; and Bettie Lou, and Dolly, Hiawatha.

The Wednesday night shift and today’s day shift were cancelled while an investigation was being conducted and the fallen coal and rock could be cleaned away. Both bodies are at the Mitchell Funeral Home in Price awaiting final funeral arrangements.

Hiawatha, Carbon County – Two miners, Pete Oddinino, 56, Price, and Bern Winders, 52, Hiawatha, were killed instantly Wednesday evening when two and a half feet of coal fell from the roof, crushing them severely, in an accident at the Hiawatha mine of the United States Fuel Co.

The men were laying tracks in the mine when the section of the roof above them gave way, mine officials declared. Officials reported that work was discontinued at the mine following the accident Wednesday night, and the day shift did not work Thursday.

Employed at the mine since 1942, Mr. Oddinino was born in Italy in 1888, and is survived by his widow, Mrs. Lucy Oddinino, and a daughter, Mary Ann Oddinino, Price.

Also employed at the mine since 1942, Mr. Winders was born at Desert Lake, Utah, in 1892. Surviving him are his widow, Mrs. Maggie Winders; two sons, Bud and Jesse Winders, Hiawatha, and four daughters, Mrs. George Bailey, Provo; Miss Eva Winders, Washington D. C. and Betty Lou and Dolly Winders, both of Hiawatha. Mitchell Funeral home in Price will announce funeral arrangements.

PRICE, Dec. 3 – Victor Oja, 41, was crushed by a fall of coal in the Peerless mine about 2 p.m. Monday, and died three and one-half hours later at the Spring Canyon hospital. At the time of the accident, Oja was working in a portion of the mine approximately ten feet high. Oja, a native of Finland, came to Peerless several months ago, and since that time had been employed as a miner. He was single. A brother, John Oja, lives in Superior, Wyo.

Frank Oliver, an Italian, was killed in No. 3 Sunnyside Mine January 25, 1921. He struck his head on a brow on the roof while in the act of getting on loaded car. (Neck broken by coming in contact with roof).

John Olsen, age 47, Clear Creek mine, single died December 27, 1916 due to fall of rock.

John Martin Olsen was born in Spring City, Utah, on January 6, 1868, to Henning Olsen (Ungerman) and Kirstina Mortensen, Mormon converts from Denmark. The family relocated to Castle Dale in 1881, where Henning served for many years as bishop of the LDS ward. John spent much of his early manhood working with his brothers at the family’s sawmill along the high Wasatch Plateau.

He never married but was a fondly-remembered uncle to many nieces and nephews and a very attentive son to his mother. Sometime around 1905, John’s brother, Henning II, with whom he was very close, lost all contact with his family. One family story recounts that he was entrusted by an employer to deliver a sum of money and never arrived at the destination. Either he absconded with the funds or else was robbed and murdered.

John devoted the remaining decade of his life to searching for his brother throughout the mining camps and lumber mills of the west. He would work somewhere long enough to accumulate a grubstake, then set out again on his fruitless search. He visited his mother in Castle Dale briefly at Christmas, 1915, and then died two days later in his first shift at the Clear Creek mine.

A roof fall has claimed the life of a Price River Coal Co. miner. Max O. Olsen, 52, Price, was pronounced dead on arrival at Castleview Hospital Wednesday night as a result of head injuries suffered in the accident.

Price River Coal officials say Olsen was assisting in the installation of temporary roof supports in the company’s No. 3 mine when he was struck by a large chunk of falling rock. No other miners were injured in the accident which occurred at approximately 11:20 p.m.

State and federal officials are assisting United Mine Workers of America and company inspectors in the official investigation of the mishap. Olsen, who had been a miner for 10 years, is survived by a daughter and a sister, both of Price.

Max Dean Olsen, 52, Price, died Oct. 20, 1982 of injuries he suffered in a coal mining accident. He was born Nov. 28, 1929 in Price, a son of Hyrum and Ada Noyes Olsen. He was an employee at Price River Coal Co. No. 3 mine. He was a member of United Mine Workers of America Local 8363 and had served in the U. S. Army during the Korean conflict.

Survivors include two brothers, Howard, Cleveland, and Raymond, Price; four sisters, Mrs. Don (Iola) Rutherford, Mrs. Arthur (Berneice) Parry and Mrs. George (Margie) Tiller, all of Price, and Mrs. Nick (Eva) Chavez, Moab. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife and brother, William Kay Olsen.

Funeral services were at 11 a.m. Monday at the Price Third Ward LDS Chapel. Burial was in Wellington City Cemetery.

William B. Olsen, 21, a resident of Price, died in a local hospital Thursday at 2:30 p.m. of injuries suffered when he was struck by falling rock at the Spring Canyon mine last Saturday. He was brought to Salt Lake shortly after the accident.

Mr. Olsen was born in Price, and was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Nels C. Olsen. He was graduated from the public schools of the Carbon district and later attended the Brigham Young university at Provo for one year. Funeral services and burial will take place in Price Sunday.

Standardville – Edwin R. “Mickey” Olson, 31, died in the Standardville hospital Friday at 2:15 p.m. of injuries received Tuesday when struck by a fall of coal in the Standard Coal company mine at Standardville. He suffered a fractured left arm, four broken ribs and internal injuries.

He was born at Winter Quarters, June 29, 1903, a son of Robert and Christina Jacobson Olson. He had been a miner at Standardville for four years.

He is survived by his parents, his widow, Mrs. Olive Olson; two sons, Edward R. Jr. and Melvin Ray Olson, Standardville, seven brothers and four sisters, Robert Olson, Castlegate; William Bessie and Irvine Olson, Standardville; Mrs. Esther Kraus and Mable Olson, Salt Lake City; Mrs. Grace Greener, Helper, three half-brothers, Louis Reynolds, Columbia; Albert Reynolds, address unknown, and William C. Banks, Spanish Fork.

1932 Utah Industrial Commission – Claim No. 2599 – Decision rendered June 25, 1931

Martin Omahne and Franciske Omahne, father and mother of Adolph Omahne (also known as Adolph Amahue and/or Omahue), deceased, vs. United States Fuel Company.

On November 14, 1929, Adolph Omahne, was employed as a miner when he was struck by falling coal from the roof of the mine and sustained crushing fracture of the pelvis, severe internal injuries and hemorrhage, from which he died on November 16, 1929. Decedent left surviving him his father and mother, Martin Omahne and Franciske Omahne, who resides at Zagorie ob Savi, Lake Kisovec, Yugoslavia, both of whom were particularly dependent upon him for maintenance and support. The employer paid for the burial of decedent as provided by law. Compensation awarded at the rate of $8.00 per week for 125 weeks.

DRAGERTON – Cornelius O’Neil, 24 year old workman of the W. W. Clyde Construction Co., was killed Monday morning when he was crushed between a pit car and a mucking machine while working on the Columbia Coal mine Rock Tunnel project. A resident of Park City, Mr. O’Neil died at the Utah Permanente Hospital in Dragerton.

DRAGERTON – Cornelius O’Neil, 19 year old employe of the W. W. Clyde Construction Co., died Monday morning after he was crushed between a pit car and a mucking machine at the Columbia Coal Mine rock tunnel project. Mr. O’Neil a resident of Park City, Summit County, died in a Dragerton hospital. Mr. O’Neil was born July 16, 1939, in Park City, a son of Cornelius Joseph and June Burbidge O’Neil. He was reared in Park City, and was graduated from Park City High School in 1957. He attended the University of Utah during the 1957-58 term. His father died of a heart attack July 26. His mother died in January 1951.

He is survived by a brother and sister, John and Kathleen; one grandmother, Mrs. Hanorah O’Neil all of Salt Lake City.

The victim, age 24, was fatally injured on Monday August 18, 1958 at 9 AM when he was caught between the mechanical loader and a loaded mine car at Columbia Mine.

SUNNYSIDE – A coal mine foreman was killed Wednesday by a cave-in 1300 feet below the surface of Kaiser Steel’s Sunnyside mine.

Richard J. O’Neil, 41, Price, was working in a tunnel with several other men when the cave-in occurred. He was buried beneath two feet of rock and debris. Other workers in the area were not injured. Mine manager John Peperakis said the tunnel was reinforced with support timber where the mishap occurred. O’Neil was survived by his widow and four children.

SUNNYSIDE – A cave-in 1300 feet below the surface of the Kaiser Steel Corp. Sunnyside mine operation claimed the life of a section foreman Wednesday about 2 p.m. Richard J. O’Neil, about 41, Price, was working in a tunnel with several other men when the cave-in occurred, according to John Peperakis, manager of the mine. Other workers in the area were not injured. Mr. Peperakis said the tunnel was reinforced with support timber. He said Mr. O’Neil’s body was covered by about two feet of rock and debris when found by fellow workmen. Mr. O’Neil’s survivors include his widow, Thora, and four children, Michael, Lynn, Lloyd and Kathy.

K. Onodera, Japanese miner, age 32, married (wife and one child in Japan), was killed by a bounce in No. 12 pillar, fourth left entry, No. 2 Mine, Sunnyside. March 27, 1914. Onodera and a Japanese partner were working on the pillar above described when without warning a heavy bounce occurred, bringing down a slab of rock 7 feet by 3 feet by 8 inches from roof. The place was timbered, but rock fell from between cap pieces, killing Onodera instantly.

The petition of San Jose Ontiveros, administratrix of the Estate of Antonio C. Ontiveros, deceased, praying for the settlement of the first and final account of the same administratix and for the distribution of the residue of said estate to the person entitled thereto has been set for hearing on the 3rd day of July A. D. 1926, at 10 o’clock, a.m., of said day, at the Court House in Price, Carbon County, State of Utah.

Pedro Ontiveros, father of Antonio Ontiveros, deceased, by San Jose Ontiveros, attorney-in-fact, vs. Parmley & Ostlund, Utah Fuel Company, the Stating Insurance Fund.

On October 10, 1925, Antonio C. Ontiveros was killed by reason of an accident arising out of or in the course of his employment while regularly employed by Parmley & Ostlund, contractors for the Utah Fuel Company. He was pulling pillars in the Winter Quarters Mine at the time of the fatal injury. He was earning a wage of $34.61 per six day week. He left surviving him, his father, the applicant herein, and two sisters, one sister residing in Salt Lake City, the other sister and father residing in Mexico. The State Insurance Fund paid for the burial of decedent according to law.

Decedent, for some time prior to his death, made regular contributions to his father in Mexico. Compensation at the rate of $8.00 per week for a period of 312 weeks awarded to the father.

November 23, 1929, No. 1 Mine of the Sweet Coal Company, Sweet mine, Utah. Pete Oloskovitch (Oloski) Polish, age 46, single. While loading coal was killed by a fall of cap rock, which came down without warning.

SALT LAKE, June 26 – Joseph F. Keenan, about 42, miner, hurt in a mine accident recently at Eureka, died at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at a local hospital. Physicians reported his back was broken. Mr. Keenan is survived by a brother, who lives in the east.

Seizaburo Osumi, 44, died in a local hospital Tuesday, after a month’s treatment for a fractured spine and severed spinal cord suffered in a United States Fuel company cave-in at Hiawatha.

PRICE – One miner was killed and two others injured in separate accidents yesterday at mining camps near here. Gene Otterstrom, 55, a miner in Independent Coal and Coke Co. coal mine at Kenilworth, was killed when a “bounce” caused a cave-in. The coal collapsed on the victim and he died almost instantly. Miners said Otterstrom had detonated a blast when he was caught by the “bounce” caused by an unequal amount of pressure concentrating in one area and making a slight vacuum.

In the Spring Canyon coal mines, a flash explosion or ignition fire injured two workmen at about 8 p.m. The two are John Matia, 45, and Marco Yellenich, 40, both of Spring Canyon. Both were in good condition in a Price Hospital.

Sunnyside, Utah – April 20 – Three of four miners were found alive today deep inside a Utah coal mine where they had been trapped and virtually given up for dead for more than 36 hours. Within two hours after first signals were received that the men had survived the Wednesday afternoon cave-in, one of the miners – 39 year old Lavell M. Golding- was in the arms of rescue workers and on his way out of the incline tunnel.

The Carbon County sheriff’s office said the other two survivors were Lloyd A. Heath, 36, Sunnyside, father of three children, and Joseph A. Archuletta, 43, Dragerton, father of one. Still unaccounted for was Joe Otterstrom, 58, Sunnyside, section foreman who had seven children. A veteran miner said the “one in a million” formation of a pocket at the working face of the mine tunnel – pocket protected by an arching slab of coal that dropped in front of it – was the miraculous haven that saved the three men.

Asked if there was a chance the fourth man was still alive, the official of the Kaiser Steel Co.’s Sunnyside No. 2 mine replied: “We don’t know” The cave-in occurred about 1:40 p.m. MST Wednesday. Three shifts of 30 miners each had been working constantly since, hoping against hope they could find their fellow workers alive.

The spokesman said the entombed miners had been located by rescue workers who, crawling atop the tons of debris, had tapped call signals. When the rescue crew received a return tapping, indicating that one man was still alive, the pace of their effort quickened.

Within a short time, enough additional fallen coal and rock had been pulled away so the rescue party could call and receive an audible reply. It was through the shouting that it was established three men were alive. The spokesman said “we know who the three are.” But he would not divulge specific names until relatives had been notified. Wives and children of the men have clustered around the mine entrance since the first news of the cave-ins.

In the mine were Joe Otterstrom, 55 and Lloyd Allen Heath, 36, both of Sunnyside; Lavell Marion Golding, 30, Wellington, and Joseph A. Archuletta, 43, Dragerton.

Wealth is stored deep within the Book Cliff mountains, the beautifully colored back drop to the East Carbon area, in thick seams of black coal. This coal is most valuable and a necessity for our industrial life.

For this necessity men go into the Book Cliff in the face of many dangers and with unique mining machines, supply industries power.

Kaiser Steel Company operates three Coal Mines in East Carbon number 1,2 and 3. These mines are modern and efficient.

On Wednesday, April 17,a crew of seven, under the direction of Face Boss Joseph Otterstrom, was cutting coal in the left entrance No. 13, Kaiser No. 2. Lloyd Heath had moved the continuous miner up and Joe Archuletta was beginning to clean up so that the miner could be moved out. LaVell Golding was standing by. Joe Otterstrom gave instructions to the crew and then left to tell the balance of the crew to load the shuttle cars. He had only been gone a few seconds when the bounce occurred.

"A bounce is a combination of pressures which results in structural stresses, such as sudden compression of gases. The result is a shaking effect similar to an earthquake in a limited area."

The cut of coal at the place of bounce was 11 feet.

The first drop was about 19 feet, which raised the ceiling to approximately 30 feet, and about 1255 feet from the face to the end of the cave. Eight feet of rock lay above the machinery and the timbers under which three men were pinned - LaVell Golding, Joe Archuletta and Lloyd Heath. Joe Archuletta had one hand caught and was held in a kneeling position. Golding and Heath, although loose, were confinded to a very restricted area. Two by five or six feet.

Well organized rescue work began at once. It was slow at first and always dangerous. Death hung from every foot of an arching ceiling and no one knew when there might be a rebounce.

But in the face of every danger men worked on to rescue live men if possible and bring out dead men if necessary. And time went on. relatives and the community waited. Even the state and the nation entered in upon the vigil.

Then about 10 p.m. Thursday, April 18, Van Alger and Joe Vodopich heard tapping and voices which was reliable evidence that at least two of the men were still alive.

From atop the rocks the rescuers went down 15 feet and found an open space about 30 feet in diameter. This opening was cribbed and a working station was established.

From here they followed a roof bolt down, building a shaft as they went.

They came out on the left side of the Joy loader. Placing timber and removing rocks they reached LaVell Golding and took him out. The next question was what to do with Archuletta? He had two finger and a thumb caught between the timbers and the machine. They attempted to jack the load off his hand and failed.

Several attempts were made to cut the wood away from his fingers but the terrific weight kept the fingers tight.

A conference was held with Dr. James McClintock, who was in the mine. He sent down a vial of morphine to give to Achuletta while the fingers were amputated. By this time Archuletta had cut off his thumb with a knife and the two fingers were removed with a chisel. He then came up through the opening on his own power.

As Lloyd Heath started to move out the entire section began to move, settle and adjust its weight. For a few seconds no one knew what the result might be. Lee Springer was caught momentarily in the hole. He was released when Tom Perry loosened his belt. Other men endangered at this time were Matt Rauhala, president of Local No. 9958, James Martin, John Askern, Chico Rodriquez (Jacinto Rodriguez nickname Chinto), Bill Davis, Raymond Blenz, Fred Tatton and a man named Joe.

With three men out alive, the "operation rescue" continued on a three-shift per day schedule.

This continuous operation was continued with the same group of men by mutual consent of the union and the management. They felt it was safer with men who were familiar with the operation.

On Sunday, April 22, at 3 p.m. Joseph Otterstrom was found, in the sleep of the ages, about 10 feet from the machinery where the falling rocks had found him on that Wednesday afternoon, April 17.

Leo Ottson, 44, an employee of the United States Fuel company at Hiawatha was killed about 2:40 Tuesday afternoon when hit by a trip of empty coal cars loaded up towards the mine. Ottson was badly mangled. No one witnessed the accident, and a coroner’s jury was summoned that evening to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

The evidence showed that Ottson completed his shift at the King Mine about 2 o’clock and checked in. He was apparently on his way home, walking on the tram and at a point 2000 feet below the mine met the oncoming cars. It was shown that one side of the track was covered by snow, while the other was clear. It was evident that Ottson stepped into the snow bank, and in some manner lost his footing, being pitched into the path of the trip. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death caused by impact with a trip of empty coal cars.

Ottson was born in Huntington. His father, Chris Ottson lives at Fountain Green, Utah. He is survived also by his wife and six children. Remains are in charge of the J. E. Flynn Funeral Parlors awaiting funeral arrangements. Ottson was the sixth miner to meet accidental death in the Carbon coal field since January 1.

PRICE, Sept. 27 – Roy Ottosen, 23, of Castle Dale, Emery county, was dragged to death at Wattis today when his clothing caught on a trip coming down the Lion Coal company’s tramway. Ottosen, an employe of the coal company, was working alone at the time of the accident and mine officials have so far been unable to determine just how he came to be caught. His body showed evidences of having been dragged a considerable distance and the belief is that he came foul of one of the trip hooks.

SUNNYSIDE - Thomas G. Owen, a 36-year-old East Carbon man, was killed here Monday in an accident on a conveyor belt at Kaiser Steel Corp.'s Sunnyside Mine preparation plant. Brett Harvey, mine manager, said Owen had been employed by the mine since 1971. Harvey said the mine will be idled temporarily while company and Mine Safety and Health Administration workers conduct an investigation.

Sunnyside - Thomas Gilbert Owen, 38, East Carbon City, died here Dec. 13, 1982 of injuries he suffered in a mining accident. He was born Sept. 18, 1944 in Dragerton, Utah, to Thomas Festin and Marjorie McDougall Owen. He married Betty Joan Brown May 1, 1965 in Dragerton. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. She survives. An employee of Kaiser Steel Corp., Sunnyside Mine, he was chairman of the safety committee. He was on the board of directors for the Kaiser Credit Union and a member of United Mine Workers of America, Kaiser Local.

He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and had served as Elder's Quorum president and as a Seventy. In addition to his wife, survivors include three daughters and two sons, his parents, two brothers and two sisters. He was preceded in death by a son, Thomas Gilbert Owen Jr.Funeral services were at noon Thursday in the East Carbon City LDS Ward chapel. Burial was in Price City cemetery. Mitchell Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Thomas Gilbert Owen died in the Kaiser mine in East Carbon on 13 December 1982. If I remember correctly, he was caught in a conveyor belt that choked him. He left behind a wife and 5 young children.

Burns from blazing clothing fired by a gas explosion in the Spring Canyon Coal Company’s mine at Storrs, Utah, Sunday, resulted in the death of Sekitus Houna, 39, and K. Ozeki, 40, at the Holy Cross Hospital Thursday night.

Immediate cause of the explosion, which mine officials described as a small “puff” has not been determined. The explosion occurred in a “room” of the mine where the two victims were the only workers.

Sekitus and Ozeki went on shift together and were pulling down coal in the chamber when the explosion occurred. Their clothes, ignited by the blast, enveloped them in flames. Other miners, attracted by the blast, rescued the men after smothering the flames. They were given emergency treatment at the local hospital at Storrs and on Tuesday they were brought to the Holy Cross for treatment. They died within a few minutes of each other Thursday night. Their bodies are at the O’Donnell mortuary.

1925 Report of Industrial Commission Page 162 (page 161 was not copied)

Decedent left surviving him his widow and minor children above named, all of whom were living with decedent at Storrs, Utah, and were solely dependent upon him for their maintenance and support at the time of his death. After the death of K. Ozeki, his surviving widow and minor children returned to their native land and reside at Kitsuka, Jendojimura, San Fukuokaken, Japan.

The Spring Canyon Coal Company acknowledges their liability in this case and had paid compensation to the widow of K. Ozeki up to and including April 27, 1925. The defendant now requests the Commission to make an order determining to whom the unpaid compensation should be paid.

Ordered, that compensation be paid by the Spring Canyon Coal Company to Mrs. Nao Ozeki, surviving widow, and the minor children above named in the amount of $16.00 per week for a period of 312 weeks, said compensation to be paid direct to the widow at her address in Japan. Defendants to receive credit for compensation heretofore paid.

Brother David Padfield one of the youngest members of No. 32 met his death in the mines at Winter Quarters May 1, 1900.

He was unmarried and was the main stay in the support of his aged father and mother who were bereft of three sons Sam, David, and Thomas by this catastrophe. They were buried at American Fork, Utah where their parents reside.

It was while they were living in Winter Quarters, and through the generosity of their three oldest sons, they were able to build a new brick home in American Fork at 113 North 300 West. What a happy family they were when they moved into a new home all nicely finished.

The three oldest sons remained at Scofield to continue working in the coal mines. Samuel Jr. married Cassie Evans and had three children. Thomas married Alice Pitman.

On 1 May 1900 tragedy struck this happy family, when the Schofield mine disaster claimed the life of these three young men. Samuel was 28 years old and left a young wife and three small children, Pearl, Thelma and James. David was 25 years old and Thomas was 23 years. Thomas’ wife Alice also lost her father and brother in the same disaster.

Scofield, Utah, May 11 – The body of Thomas Padfield was recovered this morning. It was not so badly mutilated as many others, the timbers having in some way protected it. The deceased was married and leaves one child. His widow has been prostrated ever since the accident and the recovery of the body will be a great relief to her.

Padfield was a partner of Edwin Street, the last man recovered, and the two were working together in the room when struck by the after damp.

Arrangements were completed to move the body of Joe Padilla, 42, to Dragerton Friday to be sent to his home at Cuba, N.M. He is survived by his widow and a son.

Angelos Pappas, age 23, died March 14, 1916 due to fall of rock at the Storrs No. 1 mine. He was single.

Jim Paloni, an Italian, 34 years old and married, leaves a wife and one son, was killed July 16, 1920, Sunnyside No. 2 mine, by being run over with trip. He was working on the track tamping ties on the new parting on the 5 left raise. The rope rider ran his trip in and lifted out three empty cars and took them to 5th right which is 50 feet above the left raise. The rope rider then pulled out a trip of 12 loaded cars from the 5th right raise and started them down the motor track, but instead of going down the raise they ran into the 5th left switch because the rope rider had not thrown the switch for the straight track, when he pulled out the empty cars. The trip struck Jim while he was tamping ties on loaded track on the parting. He was dragged 34 feet on the rail before the trip stopped. He died before he got to the hospital.

PRICE – Sam Paluso, 25, employee of the Standard Coal company, died late Saturday night of injuries received in the Standardville mine. His left leg was severed and his right leg fractured, death apparently being due to shock and loss of blood.

Born in Italy September 12, 1908, a son of Batista and Rose Fratto, Paluso came to the United States when 8 years of age. He is survived by his father; his widow, Lena Prazza Paluso; three brothers and four sisters. Rosary services were held at the Deseret mortuary Monday evening. High mass will be sung Tuesday at 10:30 am at the Notre Dame the Lourdes church, with burial in the Price cemetery.

Nick Panus, a loader employed at the Cameron Coal company properties just west of Castle Gate, was killed last Tuesday in an accident there. Nick Turpuris, another laborer, was painfully but not seriously injured in the same accident. Details of the death of the one and the injuries of the other are not at hand. J. E. Pettit, state coal mine inspector, came down from Salt Lake City Tuesday to investigate and report upon the circumstances surrounding the death of the one and the injuries to the other.

Angelo Pantakos, Italian, 27 years of age, single, was killed at Castle Gate, November 11, 1909. Deceased was going, with two companions to his working place on 11 off 9 entry, Pantakos walking in between the other two, when on the entry about 600 feet from ninth rise, the first man heard a cracking of the roof, as though rock was breaking. He called to the others to look out. Angelo Pantakos was just in the act of looking up at the roof, which was 9 feet 3 inches high, when a slab of rock fell, striking him on the head and face, cutting him severely, also breaking his arm, from which injuries he died the same day.

From investigation, believe that a bounce loosened a piece of black rock on upper side of entry, knocking out a prop, which started a slab of rock working, which reached to the lower rib. This was no doubt the rock that the first man heard cracking, the roof showing that it was a fresh break, as the roof over this slab had not been discolored by smoke or dirt.

Nick Papgourides, a Greek miner, aged 20 years, single, was injured November 30th, 1911, in room 5, 6th Right entry, Kenilworth, and died the following day while being taken to the hospital at Salt Lake City. Papgourides and partner fired a blast in the bottom bench of coal in their room on the night of the 29th, which left the coal hanging. The following morning they attempted to pull down the coal by bars. After several unsuccessful attempts, Papgourides commenced to undermine the hanging coal when it fell on his head and legs. His skull was crushed.

Bryan W. Pape, 42, died Tuesday in a Salt Lake City hospital of injuries suffered when he was crushed by falling rock in his coal mine near Clear Creek. He was president and manager of the Coal Distributing Corporation and Glenn Coal Company. The family home is in Salt Lake City. Mr. Pape is survived by his widow, two stepchildren and other relatives, including a brother, D. H. Pape, Brooklyn, N. Y., who was general manager of the Lion Coal company, Ogden, from 1915 to 1921.

Bryon W. Pape was manager of the Lion Coal company retail yard at 3121 Washington avenue, now operated by the Ellis Fuel company from 1918 to 1921, when he went to Salt Lake City and branched out into the coal trade. One of his ventures was the Ogden Cash Coal Company. Mr. Pape and three others were inspecting the mine when a 1000-pound piece of rock fell on him, causing a broken back, broken ribs and other injuries. Pneumonia later developed

George Pappas, Greek, miner, single, aged 24 years, employed at No. 2 mine, Clear Creek, Utah, was killed in his working place on pillar between four and five room, on the second left main entry on June 10th, 1910. Pappas and his partner, Mike Markakis, were sitting back on their tool box eating lunch when they heard the roof working on their pillar. They went to face of room and attempted to push a loaded car from under where the roof was caving. While doing so a mass of rock fell, breaking through the pillar between them and the coal, forcing several large pieces of coal from the pillar on Pappas, killing him instantly. The falling coal and rock also knocked out several props. Markakis, being on the opposite side of the car and away from the side where the cave occurred, escaped with slight injuries.

His name appears in the chart of Fatal Accidents for 1916. Cause of death: Bounce fall of rock. He was 26.

John Pappas, age 26, married with 2 children, miner at Sunnyside No. 2 mine was killed May 31, 1916 due to a bounce and fall of coal.

Miles Pappas, a Greek, was killed in No. 3 Sunnyside by being electrocuted by coming in contact with electric trolley wires February 12, 1921. (Miner electrocuted by electric trolley wires)

Compensation of $1000 was awarded to the mother of Milt Pappas, who was electrocuted in the Sunnyside mine of the Utah Fuel company, in a decision reached by the Industrial commission Saturday. The claim brought by W. D. Sutton as state treasurer claiming the decedent left no dependents was denied. Pappas, whose full name was Miltiad s. Pappadogianne, entered the man trip at the mine on the wrong side and in attempting to get into the car he came in contact with the power line, killing him instantly. The commission found that the mother, who is a resident of Greece, was partly dependent on her son for support and awards the compensation in addition to $149.50 heretofore paid by the company for funeral expenses.

Joannis and Konstantia Papageorgion, parents of Nick Pappas, dec’d., vs. U. S. Fuel Co. On July 26, 1928, Nick Pappas was loading a coal car for the U. S. Fuel Co., and was struck by a fall of rock, sustaining injuries which caused his death on the following day. The parents of deceased both died before they had an opportunity of presenting evidence of dependency. The Commission ordered that the defendant company pay $998.40 into the Employee’s Combined Injury Benefit Fund.

Tom Pappas, a Greek, 28 years old and single, was killed December 17, 1921, by a fall of coal from rib of pillar. Accident occurred in No. 2 Sunnyside Mine.

Tony Pappas, 24, Kenilworth, was killed instantly when a slab of top coal struck him Sunday while working in the Pinnacle Mine 10 miles northeast of Price. Pappas was one of a six-man crew constructing ventilation overcast when the accident occurred in the Tower Resources Inc. mine.

Sam Quigley, general manager, said the accident occurred at 4:30 p.m. No other workers were injured Quigley said the mine was closed Monday during a Mine Safety and Health Administration Inspection. MSHA officials are currently compiling their report in Denver.

“The loss of Tony Pappas is a tragedy.” Quigley said. “He represented an important part of our organization.” Operations at Pinnacle Mine stopped today in his memory, Quigley added.

PRICE, Nov. 10 – Steve Parlisich, 25, was crushed to death in the fall of rock in mine No. 1 of the Utah Fuel company at Castlegate Friday. Parlisich was born in Calumet, Mich., May 26, 1903, the son of Stephen and Mary Krasevich Parlisich. His body was sent to his old home in Walsenburg, Colo., where he will be buried Sunday.

Brother William Parmley, who lost his life in Number Four mine explosion, was foreman of that mine at the time of the accident. He had had charge of Number Four from the time of its commencement, and was considered by all to be one of the most able foremen in the State.

The men who died with him were all the immediate friends of the dead foreman and cherished a love for him that is rarely, if ever, seen between employer and employed. He was one of the Charter members of No. 32, and was appointed D. D. G. M. one year ago. Rathbone Lodge no. 9 also claim him as one of the followers of Damon and Pythias, and his love for Pythianism was most marked. Always willing to help a brother in distress, always ready by advice and counsel to further the interests of his beloved orders. He was also a member of the Masonic order.

Joseph Parrish, a miner, was killed in Winter Quarters Mine No. 1 on April 18th, 1901. Parrish was working in room 25 on fifth level off eighth rise, while loading a car some coal fell from the rib, striking and squeezing him against a mine car. He received internal injuries from which he died twenty minutes after the accident. No inquest being held over his body.

Price, Utah – Jan 13 – James A. Parry, 54, Castlegate, died today in a Price hospital from injuries suffered late Saturday in a Castlegate mine mishap. Utah Fuel Co. officials reported Parry was injured when a slab of coal fell on him, crushing his chest.

Castle Gate, Carbon County, Jan. 12 – Funeral services were pending Monday for James Amos Parry, 54, who died in a Price hospital Monday at 5:10 a.m. of injuries suffered in a mine accident late Saturday. Mr. Parry reportedly was crushed when a slab of coal fell on him while he was at work in the Castle Gate mine of the Utah Fuel Co., Saturday during coal cutting operations at 10:00 p.m. Mr. Parry was born in Bluffdale, Salt Lake County, October 11, 1893, a son of James R. and Alice Parry and was educated in Jordan district schools. He married Ora Ferrie in Provo June 24, 1918. They have lived in Carbon county for 27 years.

Surviving are his widow, his mother; two daughters, Mrs. Julia Jewkes, Whittier, Cal. And Mrs. Lois Hamilton, Helper; four brothers, Phillip Parry, Riverton; George and Ray Parry, Herriman, Salt Lake county, and Milton Parry, American Fork; four sisters, Mrs. Ervin Nielson, Mrs. Edward Jeffs, and Mrs. Charles E. Platt, Salt Lake City; and Mrs. J. R. Severe, Bountiful; five half-brothers a half-sister and five grandchildren.

Sam Pascoe, a car dropper, was killed at Sunnyside Mine, on November 20th, 1905. Pascoe at the time of accident was dropping a railroad car which was partly loaded and while doing so the back chain broke and Pascoe fell in front of car. The wheels passing over his legs cutting them off and mangling his body, causing his death.

October 22nd, 1906 – On this date, Aurable Pasquale, age 30, Italian, miner, was instantly killed in No 2 Mine Sunnyside. Pasquale was single and had been in the employ of the company five years. While he was loading a car at face of his working place, a stump on 6th left off 5th raise and in the act of lifting a shovel of coal, a wedge shaped piece of rock weighing something like a ton fell from roof, striking him on the head and killing him instantly.

KENILWORTH – Howard V. Paulson, 38, was killed in the Independent Coal and Coke company mine about 10 a.m. Thursday, when he was run over by a horse-drawn loaded coal car. Superintendent William Woodhead said exact details of the accident are unknown, as the victim was working alone. Officials surmised, however, that Paulson either fainted or was kicked by the horse before falling beneath the car. He suffered a broken back, crushed chest and a number of broken ribs. The body was taken to Price by the Wallace mortuary. Paulson is survived by his widow and one child. He had been employed at Kenilworth three years.

A miner’s widow was awarded a pension of $8.04 a week for six years by the state industrial commission. Her husband, H. V. Paulson, was killed October 26 when run over by a mine car. The award is the maximum allowed by law and is based on an average weekly salary of $13.40. The widow of Mike Stavros, killed in a mine accident October 19, will receive $8.74 per week.

Homer Peacock, an American, 28 years old and married, (divorced) leaves two children who reside with their mother, was killed August 25, 1920, Panther Mine, by being caught between the car and rib. He was driving on second east entry, the grade was about 2 to 4 per cent in favor of the loaded cars. At place where accident occurred he had no sprags in his cars and it appears the horse turned out when he came to a place in the entry where it was 15 feet wide, but where Homer was found the entry was 11 feet wide. Homer’s left foot had been caught by the gun when the horse turned around. His breast was crushed between the corner of shaft and the rib. He and the horse were instantly killed.

John Pajala, a miner, was killed in the Clear Creek Mine, on June 17, 1904. Pajala was killed by a fall of rock, scalp wound and skull fractured at base.

Copy of Coroner’s verdict: An inquest having been held at Clear Creek, in Clear Creek Precinct, Carbon County, on the 11th day of June, 1904, before W. R. Bent, Justice of the Peace in Clear Creek, in said County, upon the body of John Pajala, there lying dead, by the Jurors whose names are hereto subscribed. According to the evidence given, we, the undersigned, do swear that if props had been placed under the loose rock, the accident would not have happened, and do hereby place the blame of accident on the deceased, John Pajala.

(NOTE: Verdict states 11th of June; whereas the report of the inspector shows 17th of June)

PRICE – Mike Pecorelli, 55, timberman, was killed Monday by falling coal from the side of the tunnel in the Utah Fuel company mine at Sunnyside. The coal struck Pecorelli on the head, causing a fractured skull. A native of Italy, Pecorelli had resided at Sunnyside 14 years. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Mary Fabrizio Pecorelli; a daughter, Mrs. Loren Peterson, Rolapp, and two sons, Malio Pecorelli, Rolapp, and Frank Pecorelli, Sunnyside. Funeral services will be conducted in the Notre Dame church Thursday at 10:30 a.m. The Flynn Funeral home will have charge of burial in Price City Cemetery.

About 8:00 p.m. on September 25, (?) 1939 the above two (2) men were shoveling coal into a shaker conveyor on the 7th left bottom entry when suddenly without any given warning, a large slab of rock broke from the roof which measured 20’ x 12’6” and fell on the two (2) men. Perdue was killed instantly and Lamph died the following morning in the Standardville Hospital.

PRICE – One man was killed instantly and another was injured critically Friday at 8 p.m. in the cave-in at the Blue Blaze Coal company mine at Rains, 18 miles southwest of here. His head crushed beneath several tons of coal and rock, Fred Perdue, 45, driller at the mine, was killed instantly.

A companion, William Lamph, 35, cutting machine operator at the mine, was reported near death late Friday at a Standardville hospital, after suffering head and internal injuries. Another workman, known here only as a Mr. Gentry, escaped with minor injuries. Albert Shaw, mine superintendent, said the men were at work when the roof of the mine caved in. Mr. Perdue is survived by his widow and two sons, Fred and Clifford Perdue, all of Rains.

STANDARDVILLE – William James Lamph, 31, of Cleveland, died at Standardville hospital at 2 a.m. Sunday of injuries suffered Friday night in a cave-in while operating a cutting machine in the Utah-Carbon Coal company mine at Rains. Also involved in the mishap were Fred Perdue, 40, of Rains, who was instantly killed, and a Mr. Gentry, who escaped with minor injuries.

Mr. Lamph was born October 8, 1907, at Somerset, Colo., a son of Nephi Albert and Norah Blanch Memory Lamph. He had lived in Cleveland for the past two years, where he had been active in L D S church work, and had been employed at Rains since December of last year.

Besides his parents, he is survived by his widow, Mrs. Josephine Nelson Lamph; two sons, James Arden and Ronald N. Lamph, and a daughter, Ruth Morrell Lamph, all of Cleveland; four brothers, Francis M. Lamph of Oakland, Albert Carl Lamph of Spring Glen, Cal. And Adam F. and Robert H. Lamph of Cleveland, and six sisters, Mrs. Eleanor English of Minturn, Colo; Mrs. Alice Davis and Miss Anna Davis, both of Oakland, Calf.; Jennell Lamph of Salt Lake City, Orlean Lamph of Oakland, Cal., and Ruth Lamph of Cleveland.

Funeral Services will be conducted Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Cleveland L D S ward chapel by Bishop Perry Eden. Interment will be in Cleveland cemetery, directed by Wallace mortuary of Price.

A. D. Perkins, coal miner, employed by the Utah Fuel Company at Sunnyside, Utah, was instantly killed on July 26th, 1917, by a rock falling on his neck while at work in No. 1 Mine.

Case settled without a hearing according to law.

Numbered among the dead and missing in the mine disaster appear the names of James M. Young, Jr., son of James Young of Perry, and Neil Perkins, Mr. Young’s son-in-law, but their names did not appear in this mornings’ list of those rescued. A number of years ago the family resided at Castle Gate, where James was born in October, 1902. He accepted a position with the company there last December. Neil Perkins is a native of San Pete County, 30 years of age. He married Miss Isabelle Young of Perry in September, 1913. They have three children, a boy and two girls, and have made their home at Castle Gate for several years past. Upon hearing of the disaster, James Young, Sr., left immediately for Castle Gate.

Mrs. James Young of Perry received a letter yesterday morning from her husband at Castlegate, stating that the bodies of James Young, Jr., and Neil Perkins would be buried Thursday. The bodies of these two men were recovered from the mine Tuesday night. Mr. Young was buried at Castlegate at the side of his mother and three sisters, who were interred there some years ago. Mr. Perkins, a son-in-law of James Young, Sr., was buried at Price. Miss Alice Young of Perry has been at Castlegate with her father during the week.

Tony Peko, 22 years of age, was killed by a fall of coal in the Spring Canyon Coal company Wednesday. The deceased has been living at Spring Glen and working at Spring Canyon. His widow survives. Funeral arrangements have not as yet been made, but burial will be at Spring Glen or in Colorado where he formerly lived. The body is at the Flynn funeral home.

PRICE, May 21 – Tony Perko, 22, was killed by a fall of coal in the Spring Canyon mine at Spring Canyon Thursday. Perko has been living at Spring Glen and working at Spring Canyon. He is survived by his widow.

Tony Pirpinis (Pirpinakis) in Utah was engaged to be married. Unfortunately for him his fiancée found another man more prosperous and she returned all the jewelry he had given her. He was so broken up he took it and threw it into the fireplace, pulled out his six shooter and shot into the burning jewelry and broke down sobbing. On March 8, 1924 he was one of 185 casualties of the Castle Gate, Utah mine disaster. Fate was cruel. He was from Vafe and came on the same ship with John Paitakis. They had worked together.

HIAWATHA – A rock fall at U. S. Fuel Co.’s King No. 4 Mine killed Leslie “Les” Wayne Pessetto at about 2 p.m. Friday. Pessetto, 21, had been a roof bolter at the Hiawatha mine since July 1981. The Price resident was the only person injured in the mine accident.

U. S. Fuel spokesman William Vrettos said the mine will remain closed until completion of an investigation by federal mine inspectors. Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration representatives will being searching for the cause of the accident today.

HIAWATHA – Leslie Wayne Pessetto, 20, Hiawatha, died July 2, 1982 of injuries he received in a mining accident at a coal mine here. He was born Oct. 25, 1961 in Price to Richard Michael and Agnes Karterakis Pessetto. He married Judy Louise Watson Nov. 30, 1979 in Price. She survives. He was a member of the United Mine Workers of America. In addition to his wife, survivors include one son, Brandon August, Hiawatha; parents, Richard, Huntington, and Mr. and Mrs. Ted Peirce, Price; one sister, Mrs. Billy (Connie) Kennick, Price; and one brother, Mike, Price. A brother, Tony, preceded him in death. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Fausett Mortuary where friends may call prior to services. Burial will be in Price City Cemetery.

Royal, Carbon County – Funeral services for Loren J. Peterson, 45, killed in a coal mine accident at Castle Gate Saturday night, will be conducted Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the Price Tabernacle, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Fay Thacker, bishop of Castle Gate Ward, will officiate. Mr. Peterson was born Nov. 5, 1905, at Ephraim, a son of Peter J. and Stena Jensen Peterson. He is survived by his widow, Carmelia Picorelli Peterson; two sons, Ben and Jimmy, and one daughter, Gailene, all of Royal; one brother, J. O. Peterson, Columbia and three sisters, Mrs. Ray Dennison, Price, and Mrs. Ray Clayton and Mrs. Steward Jensen, both of Portland, Ore.

SALT LAKE CITY – July 7, - Coal Miner Tony Verde, 32, Helper, Utah, died today in a Salt Lake hospital from injuries suffered June 23 in a coal mine accident at Castlegate, in Carbon county. Verde and three others were covered by falling coal. Loren Peterson of Royal was killed instantly. Verde received severe body bruises. The other two men also were injured.

A Sanpete County man was killed at the Valley Camp coal mine after the brakes apparently failed on the utility vehicle he was driving to the shop for repair, authorities said. Rodney J. Peterson, 49, Fairview, was killed about 4:15 p.m. Wednesday, Carbon County Sheriff’s Deputy Scott Henrie said Thursday. Henrie said Peterson was using the small transport vehicle to enter the mine when he realized that the brakes were malfunctioning. Peterson was traveling slow enough to use the emergency brake at the time. But after completing his assignment in the mine, Peterson was attempting to take the vehicle to a repair shop when the brakes completely failed.

Frank Protachnik, an Austrian miner, aged 22 years, single, was injured in No. 1 mine, Winter Quarters, on the fifth level, off the eleventh rise entry, July 13th, 1912. Protachnik and partners were taking down roof coal on the entry, while the regular place of working was in an unsettled condition from roof pressure. These men had been told by the roof inspector of that district before going on shift not to work in the regular place, as some bounces had occurred during the afternoon, and for them to load coal in No. 16 room, and to load up loose coal off the entry track until the place was quiet and safe. While loading coal off the entry track, a bounce overhead brought down about two cars of coal, part of which fell upon Protachnik, producing fatal results.

Alois Petric was born 20 June 1889 at Ratece 18. The territory was at that time part of the Austo-Hungarian monarchy. At the end of the nineteenth century and at the beginning of twentieth century many men went from the village of Ratece to Utah to work as miners. Family stories say Alois went to the states before the First World War. Passenger lists show him arriving from Austria in 1913 at the age of 29. He was killed in the Castle Gate mine explosion on the 8 March 1924

Joe Petricco, an Italian, 31 years old and single, was injured March 7, 1922, in No. 1 Castle Gate Mine by picking into a missed shot in bottom coal. He knew that the shot had misfired the night before the accident also was warned by fire boss not to pick near the missed shot. The deceased died March 8, 1922, in Castle Gate Hospital.

PRICE, Feb 3 – Rock slides in two mines and an ore car mishap in a third took the lives of three men in the Price coal district. The dead are Emil Fiorio, 40; George Kinzevich, 37, and Nick Pettersson, 21.

Fiorio was caught in a fall of rock in the United States Fuel company’s King mine No. 2, and Kenzevich was trapped under rock which slid from the main tunnel of the Sweet mine. The men died Tuesday, a few minutes after the accidents. Pettersson was knocked down and crushed under the wheels of an ore car in the Utah Fuel Company’s No. 3 mine at Castlegate Monday. He died within a few hours.

Thos. Phelps, American, boss driver, aged 35, wife and three children, was injured in mine No. 1, Sunnyside, Utah, on track running from first right entry off first raise back of hoist where track crosses head of No. 1 room in the upper vein. Accident occurred on the 17th day of May, 1910, at about 9:15 o’clock a.m. Mr. Phelps was informed by the mine foreman that some track was broken in No. 1 room of the first raise and had sent for men to repair it. He went to the point where the track was broken to get the track fixed as quickly as possible. Upon arriving there a trackman from the tunnel had also arrived and Phelps stepped to the broken part of the track and showed the track layer what needed to be done. As he turned to leave the trackman heard the crack of timber and saw the roof give way and called to Phelps to get out of the way of the falling roof. Phelps tried to do so but the edge of a falling rock caught him on the head, cutting his head. His hip and leg was broken and he was otherwise injured, from which effects he died about two hours later.

Funeral services for Pete Phillips, 59, who was killed instantly in an accident in the Horse Canyon Mine Thursday evening, will be conducted Sunday at 3 p.m. in the Price Hellenic Orthodox Church here. Born in 1892 in Greece, Mr. Phillips came to Carbon County and the coal fields in Wyoming to work about 35 years ago. He was a member of the Greek Hellenic Orthodox Church. There are no known survivors in the United States of Mr. Phillips.

Friends may call prior to services at the Mitchell Funeral Home. Burial will be in Price City Cemetery under direction of the Mitchell Funeral Home. The accompanying photograph was taken a number of years ago.

DRAGERTON – Sept. 14 – A 58 year old Carbon county miner was killed instantly last night in the Horse Canyon mine of Geneva Steel company at Dragerton when he walked into the engine, pulling coal cars out of the mine. He was Pete Phillips of Columbia. Witnesses said they shouted at Phillips to get out of the way but he evidently did not hear their shouts and was struck down by the engine. He was killed instantly. Mine officials said the mine would be closed until Monday for investigation purposes.

Marie Vincenca Piccolo, widow of Francisco Piccolo, deceased, for herself and minor children, vs. Utah Fuel Company.

On March 8, 1924, Frank Piccolo was killed by reason of an explosion in Mine No. 2 of the Utah Fuel Company at Castle Gate, Utah, while regularly employed by said company. On said date he was paid a wage sufficient in amount to entitle any surviving dependents to the maximum compensation allowed by law.

The Utah Fuel Company paid for the burial of the decedent according to law. Decedent left surviving him and wholly dependent upon him for maintenance and support, his wife, above named; Artura, a son, age 12; Caroline a daughter, age 6; Maria Teresina, a daughter, age ? and Maria Piccolo, a daughter, age 4; all of whom reside at Casino, Catanzaro, Italy, and decedent had made regular contributions to them for their maintenance and support.

Ordered, that compensation be paid to applicant for the benefit of herself and minor children of decedent, the sum of $8.00 per week, for a period of 312 weeks.

Howard Pierce, 57, was loading coal with a front-end loader at the Plateau No. 1 mine, according to mine officials. For an unknown reason, Pierce left the cab of his loader at 11:30 a.m., and started across the coal pile from which he had been loading coal. Plateau officials say Pierce slipped into the coal hopper.

Pierce was rushed to Castleview Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He had been employed at the mine for five years.

Howard W. Pierce, 57, Wellington, died Jan. 13, 1983 in an accident at Plateau Mine in Wattis. He was born Nov. 9, 1925 in Wellington to Murry Elton and Thelma Ruth Worley Pierce. He married Merlynn Olsen April 18, 1953. They later divorced. He married Dorothy Jean Justice September 18, 1981 in Price. She survives.

A veteran of World War II, he was a member of the Eagles Lodge and the Price Elks Lodge No. 1550. He was also a member of the Wellington Fire Department and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In addition to his wife, survivors include three daughters, Mrs. Barry (Toni) Mills, Price, Mrs. Foster (Debra) McArthur, Huntington, and Jackie, Wellington; one son, Steven Howard, Wellington; two step-daughters, Sheryl Mohr, Eureka, and Mrs. Louis (Carol) Craven, Price; 10 grandchildren; mother and brothers, Klebe, Ellis, Murry, Asay, Bene and Ward, and sisters, Leora, Elaine, Josephine, Roberta and Rayma.

Funeral services were at 2 p.m. Monday in the Wellington LDS Ward chapel. Burial was in Wellington City Cemetery. Fausett Mortuary was in charge of arrangements.

HELPER – Two coal miners were killed Thursday when two feet of top coal caved in at the Carbon Fuel Co. Mine near Helper. Company officials identified the victims as Sam Pinarelli, Spring Glen, and Paul Magnuson, Castle Dale. Rescue workers said they were buried when the roof in the section of the mine caved in about 10:30 a.m. The two men were the only workers in the area. The mine is located about four miles west of Helper and employs about 30 workers. State mine inspector Frank Ularich was on the scene and began an immediate investigation.

Josephine Pino, minor daughter of Frank Pino, deceased, and by her guardian, Giulis Bernardo, vs. Utah Fuel Company.

On the 1sts day of November, 1924, Frank Pino was employed by the Utah Fuel Company as a coal miner at Castle Gate, Utah, and while engaged in loading a car a slab of coal fell from the roof striking Mr. Pino and killing him instantly. At the time of the fatal injury, dependent was paid a wage sufficient in amount to entitle any surviving dependents to the maximum compensation allowed by law. The Utah Fuel Company paid for the burial of decedent according to law.

On December 6, 1924, Giulis Bernardo was appointed guardian of the person and estate of Josephine Pino, minor daughter of Frank Pino, the decedent herein named. That decedent left surviving him on the date of his death, Josephine Pino, his minor daughter, who was living with him and wholly dependent upon him for her maintenance and support.

At the hearing the guardian of Josephine Pino represented that said compensation would be deposited in a trust fund for the benefit of said minor.

Ordered, that compensation be paid by the Utah Fuel Company for the sole benefit of Josephine Pino, minor daughter of Frank Pino, deceased, in the amount of $16.00 per week for a period of 312 weeks held in trust with the Bankers Trust Company as trustee in charge and to be disbursed by said trustee only upon order of the Industrial Commission; that the guardian of said minor daughter, as soon as possible, is to make application to the Industrial Commission of Utah setting forth therein the amount of money required to properly provide for the maintenance and support of Josephine Pino, and the receipt of said application the Industrial Commission will order the said trustee to pay to said guardian a sufficient amount to provide for the maintenance and support of Josephine Pino. Further, that the Utah Fuel Company pay direct to Henry Ruggeri, attorney at Price Utah the sum of $50.00 as attorney’s fees, said sum to be deducted from the compensation herein awarded.

Peter Peno, aged about thirty and unmarried, was instantly killed by a fall of earth in the mine of the Independent Coal and Coke Company at Kenilworth last Thursday. The body was interred in the Price Cemetery by Tingley & Pace Saturday afternoon.

PRICE—Funeral services for Joseph Pintarelli Jr. 47, who was fatally injured in Sweets mine Friday, will be conducted Monday at 10 a.m. with a requiem high mass in the Notre Dame de Lourdes Catholic church at Price, the Rev. William A. Ruel officiating. Interment will be in the Price City cemetery, under direction of Flynn mortuary.

Mr. Pintarelli was born in Italy, on December 25, 1887, a son of Joseph Pintarelli Sr. and Rosie Paulie Pintarelli. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Christina Pintarelli; two daughters, Josephine and Rosie Pintarelli, and two stepchildren, John and Margaret; Leil, all residing at Sweets mine.

He was injured in a rock fall Friday morning while at work in the mine. He was immediately brought to Price hospital, where he died Saturday of a basal fracture of the skull.

Phillip Piro, a respected Italian citizen of Helper, was killed in a tramway accident at Kenilworth last Tuesday evening. The dead man was about 50 years of age and had lived in this section several years. He leaves a widow and a son. The funeral services were held at Helper this afternoon, Father Collins, officiating, with the burial at Spring Glen cemetery.

Philip Piro, Italian, aged 53 years, married, wife and four children living at Helper, Utah, was injured at the No. 1 Aberdeen mine, Kenilworth, Utah, on January 4th, 1910, at 4:38 o’clock p.m. Deceased is supposed to have left the power house just as empty trip of cars landed at the mouth of mine. He then started to walk down what is known as the “Shelf Road,” when the loaded trip of cars caught him, knocking him down, breaking his neck, legs, and arms and derailing four loaded cars. It is the habit of the miners to follow the trip over this part of the road rather than to precede it. There is sufficient room on the upper side of the track for persons to get out of the way of the cars. On the lower side of the track is a deep ravine. The body of deceased was taken from under the fourth car. The following verdict was rendered:

An inquest having been held at the hotel, Kenilworth Precinct, Carbon County, on the sixth day of January, 1910, before George W. Davis, justice of the peace in Spring Glenn precinct, in said county, upon the body of Philip Piro, there lying dead; by the jurors whose names are hereunto subscribed, said jurors upon their oaths do say, that the said Philip Piro came to his death by being struck by a trip of loaded mine cars while walking in the center of the shelf track in a place where he had no business to be, while trips are running and thereby showing carelessness on his part, and there is no blame to be attached to the Independent Coal & Coke Company, or an one connected therewith.

Daniel Pitman was born on August 13, 1857 in Monmouthshire, England. He married Mary Ann Boyack on May 26 1881 in Salt Lake City, Utah. They were the parents of seven children. One son, John B. Pitman, age 16 died with his father in the mine on May 1, 1900. Mary Ann Boyack Pitman was left to raise three daughters and one son after the death of her husband and son. Daniel Pitman and John B. Pitman are buried in the Spanish Fork cemetery.

Amy Pitman Staley was born in England in 1879 and is the daughter of John and Amy Pitman. The family first went to Canada and then arrived in Winter Quarters about 1885. Mother, Amy Pitman died three years later when Amy Staley was nearly 10 years old, leaving her father with five small children to raise. At age 19 Amy, married Edwin T. Street, they had two girls and she was carrying a third child with the Winter Quarters mine exploded killing her husband Edwin, father John Pitman, two uncles, Daniel and Meshach Pitman and a cousin, John B. Pitman. The mine exploded in May and though they were able to find the others they didn’t find the Father, John Pitman, until August.

The Pitman children, the four only real orphans as a result of the Scofield disaster, have been placed in good homes. The three boys will be taken to Provo people and the little girl has been placed in a Scofield home. The baby girl Mary Pitman died 19 Aug 1900 just a few short months after her father’s death.

At the death of Meshick Pitman in the Winter Quarters mine his three sons and baby daughter became orphans. His wife had died in October of 1899 in Scofield, Carbon, Utah probably in child birth. Her baby daughter, Mary Pitman was born 2 Oct 1899 in Scofield.

SCHOFIELD, Oct. 3 – Ralph Pizza, 58 year old miner from Salt Lake City, was crushed to death under the wheels of an ore car in the Schofield Coal company’s mine here Sunday. Pizza was thrown under the wheels of the car when a brake stick he was using to check the speed of the car broke, throwing him from the car. Pizza came here only Sunday morning to begin work.

PIZZA – Funeral services for Ralph Pizza will be held tomorrow (Wednesday) morning. The funeral cortege will leave the family resident, 446 East Fourth South, at 10:30 a.m. and proceed to the Cathedral of the Madeleine, where mass will be celebrated commencing at 11 a.m. Burial in Mt. Calvary under direction of Neil O’Donnell mortuary. Friends may view his remains at the family resident Wednesday morning from 8:30 a.m. until departure for the church.

S. Plakarakis, age 27, miner at Castle Gate No. 1, single, died Feb. 23, 1916 due to fall of coal.

Matt Plese, age 40, miner at Sunnyside No. 1 mine, married with 4 children died Feb. 23 due to fall of coal.

My mother, Anne Turner, (maiden name—Smolic) told me the story that Grandpa Plute broke his back in a mining accident, and then bought a pool hall. The man in the wheelchair is Grandpa Plute. He died in the Kaiser Coal Mine on 12 Sep. 1920.

John was born Oct. 18, 1874 in Austria to Joe and Margurite Plute. He was married to Mary Plute. It lists his occupation as pool hall keeper; however, cause of death was due to septic infection following bed sores received from accident injury in mine. He died September 12, 1920 but had been seen (by the doctor) since July 10, 1920 for his injuries. Buried September 13, 1920 in Sunnyside.

Research note: Age 45 died September 12, 1920 due to infection caused by an injury at the Utah Fuel, Kaiser Steel, Kaiser Coal Mine.

July 17th, 1907. John Polostro, Austrian, single, aged thirty-two, miner. Polostro and partner had just returned to the working face after eating lunch. Polostro was in the act of measuring for a prop to be set near the face, when a bounce came, breaking down the piece of clod, under which he was standing, the clod falling on him before he could move from under it. He called to his partner, Mass, to help him out from under the rock, but as the roof was still working around where Polostro lay, Mass could not get near him. Mass ran for more help and as he and the driver with two Japs were near to deceased, another bounce came, breaking down the already loose rock, killing Polostro.

….Everyone who was in the mine that fateful morning of 8th of March, 1924 was killed almost instantly. No one escaped the three explosions as the concussion was so great and the generated heat burned everything that was combustible at all.

Here are Mother’s own words as transcribed by her sister, Aunt Sophia Stapley, “I have seen many March 8 mornings in Utah as the month of spring can be beautiful, but I think this March 8th of 1924 was the most beautiful. It was about 8:30 or 9 o’clock in the morning which was Saturday – Father had gone to the mine at about 7 am. Mother had gotten us children up shortly after as we had some washings to do that day for other people.

I was out to the hydrant filling a tub with water (very few of the houses had water piped into them) but a hydrant was just a short distance from each house. So I was filling a tub and mother would come and help me carry it into the house.

I saw Uncle Bill Stapley going across the railroad tracks towards the post office building which was about a block from our house. Uncle Bill Stapley was approached by a distraught woman coming towards him and called in a loud voice, “Mr. Stapley, the #2 mine just blew up.” He questioned her for a moment but soon left on a run towards the mine which was about a mile and a half from our place.

I immediately went into the house and told mother what I had heard and seen. I said, “I am going to go tell Rhea,” who lived a couple of blocks from us in a tent. Mother said, “Do not go up there and cause her to become excited,” She was carrying Winona, and was about 7 months pregnant. So I said, “I’ll have her come down here.” So I did this, but Rhea expected something was wrong, but she came anyway.

By then the word had spread around and we knew it was the #2 mine which had blown up. I do not remember what we did that day exactly, but we did do the washings which we had to do.

Rex and Clem were home so they went up to the mine and did what they could do to help, but it was but a very little they could do as any work in the mine had to be done by men wearing mine rescue helmets. These men had to come from other mines around the area.

Two or three Bureau of Mines Rescue (rail rescue) cars were sent from Salt Lake City during the day and by early afternoon there were several Min Rescue teams from mines around the vicinity at the mine portal preparing to enter the mine.

The first team to enter the mine did so through the main haulage tunnel, but they could not progress very far because of the debris which was blowing up by the three explosions. On their way out the last man on the team began having breathing problems as the mouthpiece on his helmet was faulty. He was soon overcome by the gases and died at the site. He was the 172nd man to die.

The rescue teams kept coming to Castle Gate during the night and they were trying to get ventilation fans operating. The explosion had blown half of the building away which had housed the fan, so it was very difficult to do much about it as the fan and operating motor had sustained damage; but by Sunday morning, they were able to get a fan set up to ventilate part of the mine.

I learned later about the description of the mine. There were two coal veins which they were operating or mining on. One vein lay above the other; but were some distance apart – perhaps as much as 50 or 60 feet. The top vein called the “raise” and the lower one the “depths.” The depths was nearer the ventilation fan and the officials and those who knew about the mine felt that if there was a chance anyone survived the blast it would be those who worked in the depths. When the fan started to pump air into the mine it circulated through the depths first. So, if there were any survivors, it would be those who got the fresh air.

Uncle Bill Stapley was a “Short Fire Boss” who knew the mine from one end to the other; so he urged the rescue workers to concentrate on the depths.

Father and his partner worked in an entry way nearest the fan so theirs was the first place the rescuers came to. The rescuers reached that working place Saturday or early Sunday morning, but both men had fallen where they were working. They were the second and third men to be brought out.

The first man to be brought out was a motor man operating the tail and electric motor on the train going into the mine. The train was several hundred feet into the mine tunnel – having entered the mine about ten minutes before the explosion.

The man operating the first moto was sitting just high enough above the cover on the motor so his head was above the motor and cars; he was decapitated. When it was learned that these men were killed, there was not much hope for any survivors.

There were many fires where the unmined coal was burning in the vein. They tried to get the dead men out of the areas where the rescuers could get into. The places which were on fire had to be drowned out by water. That took a lot of time and the rescuing of bodies had to be stopped until the fires were extinguished and the water pumped out. So, many of the bodies were not retrieved for many days after the explosion.

The #2 mine was in Willow Creek Canyon which drained into the Price River about one mile below the mine. Castle Gate proper was upstream on the Price River. Where Willow Creek met the Price River there was quite a large flat area, maybe as much as 10 acres. By Sunday morning this area was full of cars belonging to people as far away as Colorado, Wyoming, and from all over Utah who had come to give aid and comfort to the bereaved families who had lost husbands, fathers, and sons. Many people came from Kanarraville where we were from; it is between Cedar City and St. George, Utah. There were six or seven men killed in the disaster who had lived in Kanarraville. I think there was no community in Utah that was not affected by the disaster. Many families had a father and 2 sons who were killed.

Many people gathered at the mine portal and stayed there night and day hoping to see their relatives come walking out of the mine, but all who came out had to be carried out, as they were dead. Bill Stapley advised mother not to go up to the mine. He also advised her not even to go see father – it would be better to remember him as we had last seen him alive.

As soon as the bodies were brought out of the mine they were placed in the amusement hall as it was the only building large enough to hold that many bodies. The bodies were cleaned up as best as could be. They were so badly burned and dirty that they could not be embalmed – but were placed in canvas sacks and made ready for burial. I recall the many coffins which were shipped into the railroad yards; then were stacked near our Church house. The stack of coffins and wooden boxes which were there made a pile as big as the Church building.

We were advised to prepare to have the bodies buried as soon as possible as they had started to deteriorate before being brought out of the mine. By the middle of the week I think that all of the men who came from Kanarraville were out of the mine so we prepared to ship the bodies home to be buried by Wednesday.

This was a very sad time for the families as they were mostly leaving Castle Gate; some were going back to Italy, Austria, England and Germany. They could not take the bodies with them; so they had to be buried at the cemetery at Castle Gate.

There were many theories as to the cause of the explosion at the #2 mine at Castle Gate.

I remember that Father and Harry were talking about the change to electric cap lights from the old open flame carbide lights which some of the men were not in favor of. Harry commented that such a change had taken place at the Schofield mine just before it blew up killing 300 men. They also commented on the fact that many of the mine rats were leaving the mine which as a sign of methane gas being present in large amounts.

After the Bureau of Mines officials were able to enter the mine and conduct their investigation it was brought out that the Fire Bosses, who inspect the mine after each blast for an accumulation of methane gas or coal dust had reported a dangerous amount of gas in an entry way in the raise part of the mine; however, they had not left word that it was not safe for the workmen to enter the area.

When the rescuers entered this working place two of the Fire Bosses bodies were found there with equipment used to drive the gas away from the ceiling of the entry way, such as water hoses. According to State Mining Laws at that time, if gas was found in the amount that the safety light would be extinguished the Fire Boss was supposed to go outside and report this condition and the men were not to report to work until the Fire Boss had succeeded in expelling the gas and reporting this to the officials that all as safe.

When coal dust and methane gas mix, a small spark will cause it to explode. That is why coal miners try to control the gas and coal dust which can be controlled by the use of water spray.

On Friday, Manuosos Pologeorges of Winter Quarters, a Greek miner, aged 27, stepped on a live wire and was electrocuted. His body was brought to Price and buried from the Greek Church Sunday. He was unmarried and leaves no near relatives in this county.

James Polvie, an Italian, aged 44 years, wife and four children, employed as shot firer, was killed in room 13, on first Left entry, January 28th, 1911. The deceased, in the line of his duty in visiting the rooms on each entry for the purpose of measuring shot holes and distributing caps, went to room 13, on the first Left entry. This room was worked by two Greek miners, who informed him that their room had been stopped, as it had reached its distance. Polvie then took the miners down the room to a point about sixty feet from face, and indicated by a motion of his hands, where to commence a cross cut. While he was in the act of showing them this work, some four or five hundred pounds of coal fell from off the rib, near the roof, striking Polvie on the head, from which effects he died about two hours later in the hospital.

An inquest was held and the following verdict rendered: “The deceased, James Polvie, came to his death from shock, caused by coal falling on him, in the mine of the Independent Coal & Coke Company, and said accident was due to negligence on the part of the said James Polvie in failing to examine the roof of the room. It being a part of his duty, as inspector, to examine all rooms upon entering same.”

James Polve, fire boss at the Kenilworth mine, was killed last Saturday by a fall of coal. About 1:30 Polve, in the course of his regular duties, went into Room 8 to give the two miners working there, percussion tape for their “shots”. He stopped a minute to talk with the two men, and as the three stood there, close together, a piece of the overhanging coal fell from the roof, striking Polve squarely on the head. The fall did not weigh over 300 or 350 pounds, but it crushed the unfortunate man, breaking his neck and one leg and fracturing his skull.

As soon as the two miners realized what had happened, they did everything in their power for the injured man, who still lived. Aid was summoned, and he was taken from the mine and medical skill was called in with the hope that his life might be saved. But his injuries were too serious, and after lingering for about two hours, he passed away without regaining consciousness.

The escape of his two companions, the miners in the room with whom he was talking, was wonderful. Although they stood close to Polve when the accident happened, and although the falling coal grazed them, neither was injured.

Jim Polve was one of the best known and most respected miners, of Carbon County. He had been here about 20 years, working at Castle Gate and Kenilworth, and had made many friends by his kind, peaceable disposition and his unfailing industry and reliability. From a common miner he had worked his way up into a position of trust, and as fire boss at the Kenilworth mine he was noted for faithful attendance to his duties.

He was a 45 years of age and was born in Italy. He leaves a widow and four children, the oldest a daughter 15 years of age, the youngest a son of 7 years. Mrs. Polve is in very poor health, and may not live, and loss of her husband was a terrible shock to her. The funeral was held Monday at 4:30 p.m. and the remains were interred at Spring Glen.

Robert Fox, Shift Mine Manager for the afternoon shift beginning at 3:00 p.m., December 19, 1995, assigned James D. Popejoy (victim), mason and material person, to build isolation stoppings in the Sub South Mains set-up section. The normal material haulage vehicle was an Eimco Model 975 5th wheel unit, which had been out of service about two weeks for repair of the front axle. Fox instructed Popejoy to use an Eimco Model 975 mantrip to haul stopping material. Later, Robert Muncy, diesel mechanic, told Fox that the Eimco Model 975 5th wheel material hauler was repaired and available for use. Fox then told Popejoy to pick up the material hauler at the surface shop and use it to haul supplies.

Popejoy went to the shop area where he contacted Jerry Kinder, mechanic, about the material hauler. Kinder said that he had serviced it and conducted the weekly examination. He released the material hauler to Popejoy. Popejoy then hauled material to the Sub South Mains and built stoppings. At about l0:40 p.m., he called Fox and asked if he needed the material hauler. Fox told him to work on stoppings and bring it out at the end of the shift. Popejoy's shift was scheduled to end at 1:00 a.m., December 20, 1995.

Leroy Menzies, material person, began his shift at 11:00 p.m., December 19, 1995. Menzies told Fox he needed to haul material to the 2nd East section. Fox called Popejoy and told him to bring the material hauler outside, pick up Menzies, and help him load material at the lower material storage yard. He told Popejoy to have Menzies drop him off at the Sub South Mains section and to work on stoppings until the end of his shift.

Popejoy drove the material hauler outside to the bathhouse where he picked up Menzies. They traveled to the upper yard, dumped some trash, and went back to the bathhouse to pick up Menzies' lunch box, which he had forgotten. At about 11:30 p.m., Popejoy and Menzies proceeded down the surface haulage road, which was an eight to ten percent downgrade, toward the lower storage yard. Popejoy operated the hauler and Menzies sat in the passenger seat.

Menzies said that he felt the machine was traveling faster than the transmission would permit with the hauler in gear. The company had blocked out third gear to keep the machine speed slow. Menzies said he looked at Popejoy and Popejoy chuckled. He said that the material hauler continued to gain speed. At approximately 20 feet from the intersection with the lower storage yard road, the engine started to roar and vibrate, and the vehicle almost stopped. Popejoy told Menzies that he could not control the hauler. Menzies replied, "Are you kidding?" Popejoy said, "No." Menzies told Popejoy that he was going to jump and yelled at Popejoy to jump. Menzies then jumped, back peddled, and fell. He said the machine was going slow and that he wasn't injured, just shaken. As Menzies got to his feet, he saw Popejoy standing up facing the outside of the vehicle as if he were preparing to jump. The machine then travelled around a turn, out of sight. Menzies started running up the hill to get help. He had not traveled far when he heard a crash. He then ran to the machine. It was jackknifed against the guard rail, and Popejoy was under the left front wheel of the trailer. Menzies tried to get a response from Popejoy but was unsuccessful. He then ran up the hill toward the bathhouse to get help.

Menzies met Quentin Fratt, mechanic, above the intersection and told him that Popejoy was injured. Fratt went to help Popejoy and began first-aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Menzies ran to the bathhouse where he met Fox and Val Lynch, graveyard Shift Mine Manager. Lynch, a trained first responder, Fox, and Muncy ran toward the accident site. Fox shouted to Rob Alemeda, warehouseman, to call the Price, UT ambulance and told Larry Fernandez, forklift operator, to take the forklift to the accident scene.

As they approached the accident, Fox determined it was serious and returned to the bathhouse for the first-aid kit. He told Alemeda to call for the Skyline Mine (an adjacent mine) ambulance. Lynch, Muncy, Fernandez, and Fratt lifted the trailer with the forklift and removed Popejoy from under the wheel. They were performing first-aid and CPR when Fox returned. Oxygen from the first-aid kit was administered, unsuccessfully. Fox returned to the bathhouse to have Life Flight summoned.

First-aid and CPR were continued, and Popejoy was placed in the Skyline Mine ambulance when it arrived. Lynch and the ambulance crew transported Popejoy to the Scofield Church where they met the Price ambulance. Popejoy was transferred to the Price ambulance and transported to the Castleview Hospital in Price, UT, approximately 40 miles away. The autopsy indicated that the time of death was 11:30 p.m., December 19, 1995.

Fox secured the accident scene and MSHA was notified of the accident. MSHA started the accident investigation at 3:30 a.m., December 20, 1995.

SPRING CANYON – Jerry Potocnik, 56, was fatally injured Friday at 1 p.m. when caught under a cavein in the Maclain mine in the Spring Canyon district. Mr. Potocnik was working with several men in one of the tunnels of the mine when tons of rock fell from the roof. The other workers escaped the falling rock. Mr. Potocnik suffered a fractured skull and a broken right leg. He was killed outright. He had been employed by the Maclain mine two years. A sister, Mrs. Ella Fabian of Cicero, Ill., survives. The body was taken to the Flynn funeral home at Price.

PRICE, Utah, May 14 – For the fourth time this year death struck underground in a Carbon county coal mine last night. Clarence Powell, 55, died early this morning in the Price City hospital of injuries he received last night while working in the Lion Coal Co. mine at Wattis. Powell, a veteran timber man, was working in the old part of the mine when a rock fell from the ceiling and crushed him. When workers got to him they found him pinned under the rock. He was taken to the hospital where he died four hours later.

CARBONVILLE, Carbon County – Funeral services for Chris Pozun, 62, who died on Jan. 25, in a mine accident at Kenilworth, will be conducted Thursday morning at 10 o’clock in the Notre Dame de Lourdes Catholic church in Price. Father Thomas F. Butler will officiate. Mr. Pozun, a machine man in the mine, died from suffocation after being caught in a bounce of coal while working in the mine. He was born at Podvern, Austria, on Dec. 30, 1983, a son of Anton and Mary Pozun. He had been in the United States for many years and had worked at Kenilworth mine since 1931.

He is survived by his widow, Stan Medved; four daughters, Mrs. Mary Davy, Oakland, Cal.; Mrs. Rose Towne, Grand Junction, Colo.; Mrs. Josephine de Backer, San Francisco, Cal., and Mrs. Stacy Beck, Eureka, Cal.; two sons, William Pozun and Chris Pozun, both of Oakland, Cal., and eight grandchildren. Holy rosary will be recited in the chapel of the Mitchell funeral home Wednesday evening at 8 p.m. Burial will be in the Price City cemetery.

Research notes – name spelled as Christ Pozum on WW 1 Draft registration card

September 8th – On this date T. Pratt was killed in the Winter Quarters mine by a piece of coal falling from the roof and striking him on the head, killing him instantly.

Sunnyside Mine visit – August 16th, 1901. On this official visit I found No. 2 mine in a good condition, well timbered and watered, with good ventilation. In regard to the accident in which Benjamin Price was killed. I took all the evidence available and examined the seat of the accident and in my opinion it was purely accidental.

Benj. Price, a driver in Sunnyside Mine, was injured, afterward dying. Price was driving a spike team. He jumped off the trip to walk beside them to whip them up, he jumped on the trip again and lost his balance, falling under the cars he broke his back, from which he died. The accident occurred where spike team leaves trip to scales.

Ben Price, who has worked here a few months, was accidentally killed last Wednesday. He was a driver in No. 2 mine, his place of work being on the main entry, and out to the dump. While trying to unhitch the spike team as they were going, he fell under the cars. There were four cars on the trip and all went over him, breaking his back and otherwise bruising his body. When taken out from under the last car it was seen that he could not live. His parents live in Issaquab, King County, Washington.

John R. Price a young member of Rathbone Lodge No. 9, was a driver in the mine at Winter Quarters. He was a son of Marshall John L. Price and was much respected in the community on account of his genial disposition, always having a smile and a word of joy for everyone.

One of the saddest and most unnecessary fatal accidents was that of Norman Price, aged 13 years. Norman, contrary to positive instruction by the superintendent, went with his father into the mine, July 7, 1909, remaining all day assisting his father, Joseph Price, to load coal. At 4 o’clock, contrary to rules of the mine, Price and the boy remained in the mine until the shot firers made their rounds to fire the shots. After the shots had been lit by the shot firer, Price and the boy went to the face of the room to see how much coal the shots had brought down, when within some nine feet from the face, one of the blasts went off injuring father and son, the boy dying next day.

Scofield, Utah, July 10, Norman Price, the son of Joseph and Mary Price, died this afternoon from the injuries he received on the 6th in a mine accident while he was working with his father, who was also hurt and bruised, but he is recovering. The body was cut on the head very badly and his skull fractured. He was born in Southull, Warwickshire, Eng., August 18, 1895. Both father and son were covered nearly by coal, after their shots had been fired, and laid there nearly an hour and a half before anyone knew of the mishap.

This is the second death here this week. At Winter Quarters, on the 5th, a young Austrian was killed by a fall of rock.

Research note: He was 13

Thomas Lee Pritchett, killed in the Standardville mine disaster, was born at Fairview May 13th, 1899, the son of N. B. and Olive Sanders Pritchett. He was married in the Salt Lake temple, December 19, 1924 to Lola Clyde of Mt. Pleasant, by Elder George F. Richards.

He is survived by his wife, one son, Clyde, one daughter, Enid his parents and the following brothers and sisters: Rollin and Melrose Pritchett of Los Angeles, California, John F., Sanders and June Pritchett of Fairview; Mrs. Lauretta Epperson of Salt Lake, Mrs. Amasa Terry of Fairview, Mrs. Beatrice Budwarson of San Diego, California, and Mrs. Thelma Woodward of Salt Lake.

The five men rescued this morning from a remote part of the mine where they had bratticed themselves from the deadly gas fumes, had left notes directing rescue parties where to find them. A story of the useless sacrifice of his life by one brother for another came to light today with the rescue of Frank Pritchett; one of the five men rescued alive. T.E. Pritchett, his brother, escaped with the other four who fled from the mine after the explosion, but returned to seek Frank and lost his life.

Eli Pritza, 32, miner for the Royal Coal company at Rolapp, was instantly killed Monday morning when he came in contact with a high tension wire in the Rolapp mine. A burn in the palm of his left hand, the only evidence of electrocution, indicated that Pritza had grabbed the wire with his hand.

The miner victim was born in Yugoslavia in September, 1894, and had resided in the United States for the past 20 years. He is survived by his widow, Clara Pritza, and one child. The body was sent Thursday night to Trinidad, Colo., for burial. Services were held at the Flynn funeral home last evening before the body was sent, under the auspices of the Austrian Society.

Maria M. Galani, sister of Christ Proukos, deceased, vs. Utah Fuel Company.

On August 9th, 1923, Christ Proukas was fatally injured by reason of an accident arising out of or in the course of his employment while regularly employed as a miner by the Utah Fuel Company at Sunnyside, Utah, by a rock having fallen on him. As a result of the injury he died on the 12th day of August, 1923. At that time of the fatal injury he was earning a wage of $150.00 per month. The defendant paid for the burial of decedent according to law.

On the date of his death decedent left surviving him, his widowed sister, the applicant herein, who resides at Vamos, Apokoronou, County of Canea, Crete, Greece. The decedent had for some time prior to his death made regular contributions toward the support of his sister.

Compensation awarded to the applicant in the amount of $8.00 per week for a period of 125 weeks.

Research note: Age 39 died August 12, 1923 due to mine accident at the Utah Fuel, Kaiser Steel Coal Mine.

Photo copied from headstone in Price City cemetery.

Tom Pugh, fifteen years old, did not lose his head in the terrible hour. When he heard the detonation he seized his hat in his teeth and kept his nostrils covered while he ran through the tunnel. He was in as far as the fifth raise which is about a mile and a half from the entrance, but he reached the outside in safety while his father, with whom he was working, perished. The boy fainted on reaching the end of his long run. The remarkable part of it is that he had no light.

William Pugh, aged 43 – wife, Margaret, aged 43; David, aged 20, Mary Ann aged 18; Thomas, aged 16; Debertha, age 12; Elizabeth, aged 9; Alice, aged 5; Vivian, aged 2.

The funeral of Charles H. Quilter, who lost his life in the Castlegate mine explosion, was held in Tropic Friday, March 14, Bishop John H. Johnson presided and Maurice Cope conducted the exercises. The interment was in the Tropic town cemetery.

Charles H. Quilter was born in Birdwell, Yorkshire, England, May 4, 1896. He, with his parents sailed from Liverpool November 15, 1912, coming by way of Canada and arriving in Winter Quarters, Utah, three weeks after, where he spent one and one-half years. Having relative in Henrieville, he moved to that place in June, 1914.

He was married in the Manti temple July 5, 1917, to Miss Rebecca Pollock, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John F. Pollock. Three children, Florence, Charles G. and Franklin H., were born to them. He, with his family moved to Tropic July, 1921, where they have since resided. Being familiar with all kinds of work connected with coal mining, he naturally followed that occupation during the winter months and had only been in this mine five days when his life was taken.

Sumner Ragland, 26, was instantly killed Monday afternoon when he was caught in the degradation conveyor of the new Kenilworth tipple upon which he was working. Exact circumstances of his death are unknown as he was alone in the tipple when the accident happened. It is believed that he was either crawling through the conveyor or working on it when some other employee opened the switch which set the machine in motion.

Examination showed that Ragland suffered a broken neck, crushed head and crushed chest. Ragland had been employed by the Pittsburgh Boiler and Machine company for the past eight months as a steel worker on the Kenilworth tipple. His home is in Ontario, California, where his father and mother reside. He is believed to have several brothers and sisters in Pittsburgh, Kansas. The body was shipped to Ontario for burial by the Flynn Funeral Home.

PRICE - Sumner C. Raglund, 26, of Ontario, Cal., an employe of the Pittsburg Boiler and Machine company of Pittsburg, Kan., was killed about 3:30 p.m. Monday at Kenilworth, where he was working on a tipple. It was reported that Ragland was crawling through a conveyor used in carrying away waste on the tipple when someone, unmindful that Ragland was inside, turned on the switch and started the machinery going. According to Dr. Roy Robinson, Ragland suffered a fractured neck. Dr. Robinson believes that he died instantly. Ragland is survived by his parents, Frank and Effie Ragland, of Ontario. The body will be taken there by the J. E. Flynn funeral home.

Thomas John Ramage was born March 12, 1875 in Rigside, Lanarkshire, Scotland. His parents are William Moffat and Margaret Cherrie Givens Ramage. He married Christina Aikman Gilbert in Salt Lake City on April 4, 1900 and a month later he was killed in the Winter Quarters mine explosion. His son Thomas John Ramage was born nine months later on January 12, 1901 in Winter Quarters. Thomas John Ramage is buried in the Scofield cemetery.

Andrian Kyle Abetya, Midnight Shift Supervisor, was provided a list of those miners reassigned to his shift, and Ramirez was on that list. Based on Ramirez’s previous work during longwall extractions, he was assigned to David Lee Montoya, Longwall Support Supervisor, to operate the a Wagner ST-2DS (Wagner), No. 24-43 can setter, parked in the number two entry of the B Canyon Mains at crosscut No. 11. This is the intake access into the two entry longwall panel designated as 23rd East.

At 12:26 a.m., Ramirez called Montoya, advising him that water was needed for the exhaust scrubber on the Wagner. No other problems with the machine were relayed to Montoya. At approximately 1:22 a.m., Jesse Egbert, Equipment Operator, drove a Tamrock 980L utility tractor and trailer into 23rd East from the B Canyon Mains with instructions to pick up expended utilities and pipe. The Wagner was blocking the entry one crosscut inby the corner. Egbert honked the horn on the 980L tractor, but received no response. About the same time, coming outby from 23rd East, Hamilton and Leon were in an Isuzu pick-up truck, also blocked by the Wagner.

Egbert parked the 980L tractor and walked past the Wagner to the Isuzu pick-up. Egbert noticed the Wagner was idling. Egbert did not see Ramirez when he passed on the off side of the Wagner. Egbert asked Hamilton and Leon if they knew where Ramirez was. Both Leon and Hamilton stated they had seen Ramirez moving a pallet into the storage entry earlier, but had not had contact with him since then.

At 1:28 a.m., Hamilton tried to call Ramirez on the mine wide phone system and received no response. At about the same time, Egbert and Leon both noted a light shining under the Wagner and went to investigate. They found Ramirez in the articulation pinch point area, at the operator’s compartment entrance, with the machine pivoted in the closed position. Ramirez was observed partially out of the cab with his torso outside the machine frame.

At 1:30 a.m., Egbert called Abetya, while Leon ran into the section and notified Montoya that Ramirez was injured in the Wagner. Abetya contacted Kim Ward, Conspec (atmospheric monitoring system) Operator, while driving to the accident scene. Ward was instructed to contact the ambulance service and mine management that a serious accident had occurred. Ward contacted East Carbon ambulance and East Carbon police at 1:36 a.m. Sargent Phillip Holt, East Carbon police, arrived at 1:53 a.m. at approximately the same time as the ambulance.

Leon and Montoya both ran outby from crosscut No. 4 to the Wagner. Hamilton was instructed to support Ramirez’s upper body. Montoya could not reach the steering control from the operator’s access side so he went to the front of the machine and reached into the front canopy opening and articulated the Wagner open. The articulation released Ramirez’ body from the pinch point and Hamilton, Egbert, and Leon placed him on the mine floor. Hamilton returned into the 23rd East section and retrieved the section first aid kit, stretcher, and Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Abetya arrived at this time and no vitals were detected. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), was started immediately. The AED advised that no shock be given.

CPR was continued from the underground accident scene to the surface. Shortly after reaching the surface, care of Ramirez was turned over to the paramedics when they arrived on-site at 2:03 a.m. CPR was halted when no vital signs could be detected. Carbon County Sheriff, Sergeant David Brewer, acting in his capacity as Carbon County Medical Examiner, arrived at 2:52 a.m. and determined a time of death of 1:34 a.m., based on information he received regarding the time Ramirez was recovered.

E. A. Rapley, American, married, wife and one child, aged 29 years, employed as pump man in No. 2 mine, Clear Creek, Utah, was killed at the Deming pump, situated in the inside cross cut, between main and back slope entries, August 13th, 1910. Deceased was dead when found.

Axel A. Joose, employed as brattice man had occasion to go to the pump. Arriving there he found the pumper lying beside the pump on his face. After securing help, it was found that Mr. Rappley was dead. His face had been torn away by coming in contact, in some unknown manner, with the gearing of the pump. Three fingers on his left hand appear to have been mangled in the gear wheels and marks of the gear wheels were on the right sleeve of his coat.

It is thought by some that in passing between the rib and the pump, his coat sleeve caught in the gear wheels. Taking his left hand to pull his sleeve from the gears, the fingers of the left hand were caught. The pain from the mangled fingers may have momentarily rendered him unconscious, falling with his face into the revolving gears, or he may have stumbled while approaching the pump. Throwing his hands out to save himself, his fingers were caught in the wheels, and before he could recover his balance, his face also came in contact with the wheels.

KENILWORTH - A Carbon County coal miner was crushed to death Monday as he was caught between a dump car and a dumper at the Independent Coal and Coke Co. mine. The victim was Lawrence H. Rasmussen, 60, of Spring Glen. He stepped between cars to uncouple one on a rotary dumper and was crushed. Company officials said the accident occurred shortly after noon Monday.

Wattis, Carbon County - Willmont Earl Rasmussen, 46, Lawrence, Emery county, died Wednesday at 1:25 a.m. in a Price hospital of injuries suffered Tuesday at 11 p.m. in a mine accident. According to investigating authorities, Mr. Rasmussen was working as a car dropper. While dropping one of the railroad cars under the tipple, a gust of snow made the rails exceptionally slippery and forced the car out of control and it continued on past the tipple. The car continued sliding down the rails to a point where a frog in the rails separates two tracks. Near the point, it crashed into the corner of a railroad car which did not clear, crushing Mr. Rasmussen between the two cars.

Mr. Rasmussen was born at Manassa, Colo. May 20, 1900, a son of Erastus M. and Mary Ann Jensen Rasmussen. While he had been employed by the company since Nov. 7, 1945, he had worked there only intermittently, spending the summer months on his farm at Lawrence. He was considered a careful employee. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a board member of the Huntington and Cleveland Irrigation Co. He married Bertha Christenson at Price Aug. 27, 1923, and had lived at Lawrence the past 18 years.

Surviving are his widow; his mother, Rawlins, Wyo.; two daughters, Mrs. Elva Harper, Elmo, Emery county, and Wilma Rasmussen, Lawrence; five brothers, James T. and Roy Rasmussen, Salt Lake City; Henry Rasmussen, Wellington, Carbon county; Lorenzo Rasmussen, Duchesne, and Marion Rasmussen, Roosevelt, and two grandchildren.

John Rauhala, a Finlander, 32 years old and married, leaves a wife and 2 children, was killed March 31, 1922, in the Scofield Mine, by a fall of rock at face of room. The roof was good, except where the accident occurred. The change in roof was not observed until after the rock fell.

Soldier Canyon Mine (ID No. 42-00077)
Canyon Fuel Company, LLC
Wellington, Carbon, Utah
May 20, 1997
DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCIDENT

On Tuesday May 20, 1997, crews arrived at 7:00 a.m. for the start of day shift. Lydell Overson, mine foreman, assigned Ryan Reay laborer/utility man and victim, to haul rock dust into the mine to dust assigned areas and to bring out used belt material. Reay used a Wagner ST-3 1/2 S scoop, serial number DAO-4P0 641, and a five-ton capacity bulk rock dust trailer for these assignments.

Reay carried out his assignments without incidence until about 2:35 p.m. At this time, Reay was exiting the mine with the Wagner scoop pushing the empty rock dust trailer up an approximate 21 to 24.5% grade in the 3rd North Main intake roadway. The diesel scoop was traveling in the reverse direction with the radiator end next to the rock dust trailer. The operator's seat in the scoop was placed sideways, facing the center of the machine, such that Reay could see forward or reverse by turning his head either right or left.

Just prior to the accident, Reay was observed in the diesel scoop, stopped at the crest of the grade approximately 60 feet outby the accident site. Shortly after this, the diesel scoop, with Reay in the operator's seat, traveled back down the approximate 21 to 24.5% grade. The scoop bucket contacted the left rib under the 1st East belt conveyor overcast causing the scoop and canopy to be raised into a steel I-beam on the bottom of the overcast. The impact tore loose three legs on the scoop canopy and forced the canopy against Reay causing fatal crushing injuries. The scoop then came to rest in the left side of the roadway under the overcast.

Frank McBride, fireboss, was the first person to arrive at the scene within minutes after the accident. McBride could not find a pulse on the victim. He immediately ran to a pager phone and notified mine management and summoned certified EMT's. Several EMT's arrived at the scene and could not find any signs of life. Reay was removed from the diesel scoop and transported to the Castle View Hospital, Price, UT, where he was pronounced dead by the attending physician.

His hand was all they ever found. The explosion that killed Richard David Reese blew his son clear out of the mine. May 1, 1900, Richard and his son Thomas, aged 17 years, were on their way into the mine when the explosion occurred. The family history records the Richard was literally blown to bits. They found his hand, still gripping the pick he had been carrying. This was the only part of him buried. Thomas survived his injuries.

Richard was born 11 November, 1857, in Cardiff, Wales. He was the son of Howell Morgan Reese, and Sebelia Mary Reese. Howell was a very wealthy mill owner.

After Richard received his teacher’s license in Wales, he moved to Pennsylvania. Apparently, his parents did not take too kindly to his religious conversion to the L.D.S. faith. There he met and married Mary Jones in 1881. Since his teacher’s license wasn’t valid in America, he worked in the coal mines and in the evenings taught the other miners how to read and write. He had beautiful penmanship. In about 1890, he came to Utah ahead of the family to work in the mines of Scofield.

CASTLE GATE March 10 - Five close relatives of L. T. Davis, manager of the Wasatch store here, are entombed in the Utah Fuel company Mine No. 2. They are John Davis, his brother; Thomas Reese and Edward Cox, his uncles; David Evans, his cousin and Robert Crow, his brother-in-law. Davis’ father was killed in a cave-in in mine No. 1 twelve years ago. Many of his relatives on his father’s side were also killed in mine disasters, it is said.

William Charles Reese was born June 29, 1871 in Scranton, Luzerne, Pennsylvania. His father was Thomas C. Reese and his mother was Ann Davies. William married Sarah Jane Boweter on December 23, 1890 in Scofield, Emery, Utah. At the time of his death he was father of two sons, William Charles Reese and Thomas Reese, and one daughter, Helen Pearl Reese. He was killed in the Winter Quarters mine explosion and is buried in the Scofield cemetery. The name on the headstone is spelled Rees.

William G. Reese was a victim of an accident at the Liberty mine at Latuda Saturday, death resulting almost instantly from a compound fracture of the skull. The body was brought to Price Saturday afternoon to be prepared for burial and was shipped Tuesday morning to Lehi, where the funeral was held and interment made. The deceased was a man of fifty years, a resident of this county for many years. He is survived by four children and four sisters. He was the only living son of Mrs. Sarah Reese, whose death occurred at Hiawatha last May. The sisters are Mrs. T. W. Lewis and Mrs. H. E. Taylor of Hiawatha, Mrs. R. G Wilson of Standardville and Mrs. T. H. Miller of Baker, Ore.

William G. Reese, brother of Mrs. H. E. Taylor, 214 Thirtieth Street, who was killed in the Cameron mine at Cameron, Utah, Saturday, will be buried in Lehi tomorrow afternoon at 1 o’clock. Funeral services will be held in the Fourth ward there.

Remains of Eugene Frederick Reichert, 34, shot firer were shipped to Salt Lake City Sunday morning by the Deseret Mortuary where final rites were held that afternoon from the Forest Dale Ward Chapel. Deceased was born in Germany, December 23, 1894, the son of Emil and Elizabeth Twicked Reichert. He is survived by his mother of Salt lake, his bride of three months, Adrean Lloyd Reichert; six brothers, Hugo, Walter, Rolland of Salt Lake; Adolf and Julius C. of Park City, and Otto of Price; two sisters, Mrs. Elise Law, Springville and Louis Reichbert of Salt Lake and two sons by a former marriage, Eugene and Kenneth.

Thomas H. Reilley was born at Wilkes Barre, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania, on the fifth day of November, 1859. He was married to Miss Ada Hister, at Vanmeter, Iowa, and leaves a widow and four children, named respectively, Stephen, Earl, Mona and a baby name Dorsey.

He joined Scofield lodge No. 32, I.O.O.F., at the time of its institution, by initiation, and has served the lodge as Chaplain, treasurer, vice Grand, and was, at the time of his death, Noble Grand of lodge No. 32.

Brother Reilley was among the most active members, never missing a meeting, unless his work made it obligatory. He was also a member of Myrtle Branch Rebekah lodge No. 12.

Angelo Renni, an Italian, 28 years of age, single, was killed at Sunnyside, September 17, 1909. While working along the face of loose coal which had been mined, and his partner was working at one corner, the coal broke off at a slip and fell on both him and his partner. It seems that Renni was trying to get the coal down, while Binico was working under it. No inquest was held.

SUNNYSIDE - Edward Renner, 41, a conveyor loader for the Utah Fuel company at Sunnyside mine, was killed instantly Thursday at 10:30 p.m. by a fall of cap rock in No. 1 mine. Mine officials were investigating the accident Friday. Mr. Renner had been an employe of the company since February, 1943.

He was born June 2, 1902, in Trinidad, Colo. He is survived by his widow, Bernice, and eight children, Samuel, Pablo, Estella, Cecelia, Brestina, Jacabo, Patricia and Jose. Funeral arrangements will be announced by the Mitchell funeral home of Price.

Shooting down coal in violation of the rules was the cause of the death of Joseph Reno at Kenilworth a few days ago, according to the report of State Mine Inspector Robert Howard.

Joseph C. Renberg, an American miner, aged 46 years (wife and seven children) was injured in mine No. 2, Clear Creek, on the fifth level, back No. 5 pillar, May 4th, 1912, from the results of which he died. Renberg and partner, one Ray Mower, had done some undermining in their place on the evening of the 3rd, and it is apparent that when Renberg came to work on the morning of the 4th, he commenced to do more undermining of the same piece of coal without sounding it to ascertain whether or not it was solid. He had just started to work when the coal fell on him, causing his death.

At the time the identification was made the Utah Fuel company officials also announced that one of the unidentified dead, removed from the mine early Sunday morning had been identified as Alfred Rice, Jr. the identification was made early this morning by his wife after a number of persons had called at the temporary morgue which has been established at the Knights of Pythias hall.

Hiawatha - Funeral services for Clark A. Rich, 27, Hiawatha miner who received fatal injuries in a mine cave-in, will be conducted Thursday at 2 p.m. in the Wellington LDS ward by Grant Gerber, bishop. The accident occurred at U.S. Fuel company coal mine, when Mr. Rich was crushed between a railing and a runaway mining car.

He is survived by his widow, three children, Carroll, Janet and Dianne Rich, all of Hiawatha; three brothers, Kelvin Rich, Oakdale, Cal.; Rulon Rich, Wellington, and Glen Rich, Compton, Cal.; three sisters, Mrs. Thora Beeson, Beaver; Mrs. Elda Morgan, Hiawatha, and Mrs. Tressia Inman, Hollywood, Cal.

WATTIS - A 33-year-old Wellington man was killed here Friday in the collision of two earth movers on a pile of coal at the Plateau Mine loadout facility. Delbert Rich, an employee with the firm, was dead at the scene, according to Trooper Grant Bean of the Utah Highway Patrol.

Bean said the accident occurred about 4:30 p.m. He said Rich, who was operating one of the large vehicles, had just dumped a load of coal and was returning down the pile, when he collided with an earth mover being driven by Ernest Prettyman, 31, Price. The trooper said both drivers were ejected from the vehicles. He said Rich died either from the impact with the ground or with the windshield as he went through. Bean said Prettyman was hospitalized for shock. A spokeswoman at Castleview Hospital said he was discharged Tuesday.

WELLINGTON - Delbert J. Rich, 33, died September 17, 1982, from injuries received in an industrial accident.He was born November 21, 1949 in East Carbon, Utah, to Glen O. Rich and Estella Thompson Rich. He married Sheran Barben, November 20, 1968 in Salt Lake City and later divorced. He was a member of the LDS Church. He was employed at the Plateau Mine.Survivors include two sons, Arlo and Delbert Jr., two daughters, Molly and Sara; mother, Estella Thompson Olson; two brothers, Darwin D. Rich, Salt Lake City and Delyle Rich Price, one sister, Glenda Gentry, Price. He was preceded in death by his father, Glen D. Rich. Funeral services were at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Wellington LDS Ward chapel. Burial was in Wellington Cemetery. Mitchell Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

The truck accident occurred about 4:30 p.m. Delbert had dumped his 35 ton Wabco on the stock pile and I was headed up in a loaded 50 ton Wabco. Somehow we got too close. Delbert jack-knifed his truck and crashed his back end into my truck’s back end. The impact threw both me and Delbert out. Delbert hit his head on the windshield frame and broke his neck. He died instantly, they said. He then flew out the right side of the truck and landed about 50 feet into the coal pile. I was thrown out the passenger side of my truck and slid approximately 150 feet across the coal pile on my back. Both trucks were damaged beyond repair.

Orven Rich, son of Mr. and Mrs. John J. Rich of Wellington, was fatally injured at the Rains tipple Monday morning when he received the full charge from a 3300 voltage wire through his body. He lived until 9:30 and was able to recognize his father when the latter reached his side at 7 o’clock. The young man had spent all his life at Wellington until he went to work at the mine and was married a year ago to Miss Blanche Tidwell, daughter of W. H. Tidwell. He was 21 years of age and bore an excellent reputation. Besides his widow, he leaves his parents, four sisters and two brothers. Funeral services were held at Wellington yesterday and practically the entire community paid its respects to the memory of the unfortunate young man.

Orvin Rich, an American, 21 years old and married, leaves a wife and no children, was killed June 14, 1920, Rains Mine, by an electric shock. Unknown to anyone he got on top of the roof of the conveyor with a pinch bar in his hand, the bar came in contact with an electric wire that ran over the top of the roof of the conveyor, which carried 6,600 volts. Rich died about 6 hours after the accident.

J. M. Richards, American, aged 45, single, employed as a roller man, was killed at No. 2 Mine, Sunnyside, March 17th. Richards was working as roller man on the above date when he asked to which point the empty trip was being taken. When advised, he climbed into one of the cars and rode up the slope. The cars were stopped at the first Right entry, in order to drop some empties into this level, when the pin in some manner came out of the clevis, allowing the cars to run down the slope. As the cars passed the rope rider, he yelled to Richards to get out of the car. In doing so, Richards, when near the cabin at the first Left entry, fell, and when picked up was found to be dead.

Word was received in this city last night that the Rev. J. Moriais Richards, formerly pastor of the Congregational church in Sandy and prominent in Welsh circles in Utah, had been killed in an accident at Sunnyside, Utah. It was reported that the body has been brought to the Evans undertaking rooms here, but members of that firm denied that they had received the body. Dr. Richards had figured prominently here as an orator at Welsh gatherings before his removal to Sunnyside.

The body of the Rev. J. Moriais Richards, who was killed last Monday in an accident in the mines at Sunnyside, was taken to Salt Lake City Tuesday. Details of the fatal accident or its cause had not been received at the offices of the Utah Fuel company yesterday.

Working as a miner to be close to the laboring classes that he might carry on this chosen task of work from their own level, he met death. The clergyman was a highly educated man and an eloquent speaker, but he frequently preferred the pick to the pulpit and dug coal in the dusty, dangerous tunnels, earning his livelihood and teaching his fellow workmen the lessons that other preachers teach in their churches.

The deceased was formerly pastor of the Congregational church at Sandy. He was a member of the Sandy lodge of Odd Fellows, and that order will have charge of the funeral. Rev. P. A. Simpkin will deliver the funeral sermon.

SALT LAKE Jan. 21 - Two men were killed in Spring Canyon Coal company’s mine No. 3 in Spring canyon last night, according to word received here. One miner was Thomas D. Richards, 42, who leaves a widow and five children, at 3251 Pingree Avenue, Ogden. The other was Joe Turra, 32, who leaves a widow and child in San Francisco. A pocket of gas in the mine exploded and the two were badly burned.

Accidents in Carbon mines claimed three victims during the past week, and fatalities since the first of the month mounted to four. Frank Nemanich, 31, an employee of the National Coal Company died in Consumers hospital Thursday morning from injuries received in a fall of rock and Thomas Richards, 42, and Joe Turra, 32, a native of Italy was fatally injured by a gas pocket explosion in the Spring Canyon mine about 9 o’clock Monday evening.

The latter two men were working together as machinemen in mine No. 3 at Spring Canyon at the time of the blast and were not recovered from the mine until nearly midnight. They were dead when found by the search party and had suffered burns and concussion.

It has not been determined what caused the gas in the room to ignite, though the supposition has been advanced that a spark from the machine which the men were operating may have been the cause.

Richards was born in Utah forty-two years ago and has lived in Carbon county practically all of his life, employed in the coal fields, with the exception of a few years, when he was engaged in farming at Cleveland. He is survived by his wife, Kate, one daughter, Ellen May, 5, four sons, Durnell, 16, Hyrum, 14, Nevin, 12, David, 10 and his mother Mrs. Hannah Richards of Cleveland, Utah. At the time his family was living in Ogden. He is well known throughout this section of the state.

Turra has a wife, Reta, and one daughter, Mary, aged 1, living in San Francisco, California. His parents are both dead. He has been employed at Spring Canyon only since September. Remains of the two men are in charge of the J E. Flynn Funeral Parlors.

Nemanich was buried by a cave-in Wednesday evening at 8 o’clock and died from the injuries about 4 o’clock the next morning. He suffered a broken back, broken leg, fractured pelvis, broken shoulder and collar bone and several broken ribs all on the right side. A number of timbermen were ahead of Nemanich when the fall occurred, but they all escaped injury.

He was born in Detroit in 1898 and is survived by a wife Annie Nemanich and several children who now reside in Austria. Funeral services will be held under the direction of the Knights of Pythias at Helper January 26 with burial in Helper. Remains are in charge of the Tingley Mortuary.

In April 1921, Walter drove his Model T Ford to Carbon County, Utah, and found work in a coal mine. Shortly thereafter, his wife and two daughters moved to Carbon County. No house was available, so the family lived in a tent with boarded-up sides. It was situated across the Price River from Rolapp and next to the mountain. They had to cross the river on a suspension (swinging type) foot bridge in order to go anyplace. It always frightened the children whenever they had to cross and they held on for dear life. From the tent on the river, the family moved up Willow Canyon into a white frame duplex, then to an apartment in Castlegate, Utah.

Walter was energetic and industrious and a good provider for his little family. He always worked overtime so his family could have the very best. He purchased a brand new maroon Oldsmobile that was his pride and joy. Walter loved music and wanted his children to play the piano and violin.

On the morning of Saturday, March 8, 1924, Walter went to work in the Castlegate #2 Mine to work an extra shift, as he had already put in his full time for the week. That morning at 7:34 am, there were three loud, horrible explosions, and the greatest disaster of the family’s lives happened. Even though the children were young, they remember the loud explosions, the movement of the earth, rattling of the dishes, and all the noise, the rumbling, the crying and screaming, and the knock on their door, and the pandemonium of the community.

At the young age of 29, Walter died in the mining explosion, along with 172 other men. He was working deep in the mine—three and one half miles from the surface. He was in the next to the last room in the mine. It was a long and painful four days for Lottie as she searched each day through rows and rows of caskets in the Community Hall. On the fourth day, they brought Walter’s body to the Community Hall. He was the 81st man to be brought out of the mine. Lottie found and identified him at 11:00 on Wednesday, March 11, 1924. The tag on his body read as follows: “#81 unidentified white 3-11-24. One lace shoe and white cotton sock on left foot, left leg broken, clothing all gone. About five feet five inches, small boned, small legs boy-like features, found in room 1 8th right 7:38 a.m.”

He was the only man in one piece or in a whole state of condition, but his clothing was all blown off except for one shoe and sock. He was burnt, but at least the family was able to identify him. The body was taken back to Minersville for the funeral and burial, which took place March 13, 1924 in the Minersville Cemetery, Beaver County, Utah.

Eight months to the very day of his death, November 8, 1924, Lottie gave birth to his only son, who was appropriately named Joseph Walter Richards.

Hiawatha - A coal mine accident Thursday night in this Carbon County community took the life of a 56-year-old miner, William G. Riches of Hiawatha. A spokesman said Riches was the only person involved in the accident at the Hiawatha Mine, operated by the U.S. Fuel Co. Riches was bishop of the Hiawatha Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Hiawatha is about 30 miles southwest of Price and about 35 miles southwest of Helper, where a mine explosion last December killed nine men.

Hiawatha, Carbon County - Investigation continued Friday into the death of William George Riches, 56, Hiawatha, employe of U. S. Fuel Co., who was killed Thursday night when he was crushed between a mine car and a post.

Mine Officials said there were no witnesses, but preliminary investigation indicated that Mr. Riches was working alone on the tipple (where coal is dumped from coal mine cars into a separator) when he stumbled or fell between the moving car and the post. There were but a few inches between the car and post, the mine officials said. The death occurred about 7:50 p.m. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by a mine physician. He had been employed at the mine for 21 years.

SUNNYSIDE - James M. Ricketts, 42, a construction worker from Price, fell 112 feet to his death yesterday down a shaft being built at Kaiser Steel Co. Mine No. 2 at Sunnyside. Ricketts, a leadman of the shift who was to have celebrated his 42nd birthday, was killed instantly. He was about to return to the shaft with supplies when he fell. An investigation was being conducted by company officials, United Mine Workers of American and state and federal mine inspectors.

Charles Rigby, an American, 42 years old and married, was injured October 22, 1920, and died October 31, 1920. Clear Creek No. 3 Mine. He was driving close behind another trip. First trip stopped and Rigby’s horse ran into first trip causing Rigby to be caught between the car and the shafts. He was taken to St. Marks Hospital. His injuries were so serious that he died October 31, 1920.

Ed Rires, an American, 20 years old and single, was killed by falling in front of motor, which ran over him, November 25, 1921, in the No. 3 Storrs Mine. He had only worked six days and did not have any experience in coal mines.

Albert Robbins, an American, 26 years old and married, was killed by a fall of slate in the Mutual Coal Company Mine, October 17, 1921. He had worked in this company’s mine since September 13 as driver. Leaves a wife and two small children.

Aberdeen Mine (ID 42-02028)
Andalex Resources, Inc.
Price, Carbon County, Utah
EVENTS OF THE ACCIDENT

Bret Robertson, the foreman for the 3rd West Longwall, and his crew started the afternoon shift at 2:30 p.m. on November 14, 1996. They arrived at the longwall at approximately 3:00 p.m. and proceeded to their respective job assignments at the headgate and along the face. Jim Berryhill (Mechanic) went to the central computer, cleared all the errors and up-loaded the face. The normal daily work and production procedures were in progress as Berryhill set shield jacks and pushed the pan line for two shearing passes along the face. He stopped and fixed the leg distributor at shield no. 69 and then fixed the leg set solenoid at shield no. 81. By the time this work was completed, the first half of the third pass had been mined which brought the shearer from the tailgate to the headgate. At this time, Berryhill was told by Robertson to take a break and that he, "Robertson," would complete the third pass and make the return cut to the tailgate with the shearer.

Shane Hackney (Jack Setter) was repairing an emulsion leak at shield no. 16, when the burst occurred at approximately 6:30 p.m. Hackney and Berryhill in the headgate felt it and observed that the lights went out. Jim Cloward (Headgate Operator) who was near Hackney also felt the burst. Cloward and Berryhill went to reset the lights and the conveyor at the stage loader control panel.

At the same time, Robert Cave (Tailgate Shearer Operator) picked himself up from the force of the coal that rolled into him and traveled to the tailgate. He was looking for Robertson but didn't find him in that area. As he came back from the tailgate, the coal dust generated by the burst had cleared enough so that Cave could see the yellow rain jacket that Robertson was wearing near the tailgate shearer drum at shield no. 124. Robertson was almost entirely covered by coal. Phillip Medley (Headgate Shearer Operator) and Cave began giving CPR to Robertson after digging him out. They also notified the headgate by pager phone to get help and first aid supplies.

Medley told Berryhill that Robertson was down and that they needed first aid equipment and an ambulance. Berryhill and Hackney both went to the aid of Robertson, obtaining necessary items from the first aid kit. When Berryhill and Hackney arrived at the accident scene at shield no. 124, they helped administer CPR in hope of reviving Robertson. Robertson was then placed on a stretcher with a backboard and was carried from the longwall face. The beltmen and the EMTs met the stretcher at about mid-face. They all continued down the face, out the headgate, and then placed Robertson into the bed of a pickup truck. Robertson was then transported to the surface.

SUNNYSIDE, Utah July 3 - An accident in the Kaiser Company mine here late yesterday claimed the life of Lucius F. Roger, Jr., about 25. Roger was crushed against a mine prop when he apparently fell from the motor in the mine. Mine Superintendent R. G. Heers said an investigation was launched immediately.

SUNNYSIDE, July 2 - Crushed against a mine prop when he apparently fell from a motor in the Kaiser Co. coal mine, Sunnyside, Lucius F. Roger, Jr., about 25, died at 4:45 p.m. Tuesday a few minutes after the accident. R. G. Heers, superintendent of the mine, said that officials of the company were conducting an investigation of the accident. Mr. Roger, a war veteran, has been employed as a driller at the mine for a month, coming to Sunnyside from Oklahoma. He has no known survivors in Utah. His widow, Mrs. Hazel Rogers, is believed to reside in Georgia. The body was taken to the Mitchel funeral home, Price, awaiting word from his widow.

Shows he was married to Hasel Rogers and his birthdate is Feb. 16, 1921. He was 25 years, 4 months, 16 days old when he was killed in the Kaiser Mine. Immediate cause of death was crushing injury to chest in coal mine. He will be buried in Senimole, Oklahoma.

Sunnyside, Carbon County -A 29 year old coal miner was killed instantly Monday shortly afternoon in an accident at the Utah Fuel Co., mine. Victim was Alex Romero, resident of Sunnyside since 1943.

Mine officials said the accident occurred sometime between 12:15 and 12:30 p.m. after finishing lunch, the mine crew had returned to work. Mr. Romero and others were preparing to erect a supporting timber, they explained. Mr. Romero was leaning over a joy loader - a coal loader- preparatory to cleaning an oil screen, when a wedge shaped piece of coal fell from the roof and struck the victim across the neck.

The victim was born Aug. 2, 1918, in Boce, Colo., a son of Mr. and Mrs. Juan A. Romero. He had worked for the Utah Fuel Co. since 1943 with the exception of a few months during 1945. Survivors include his father, Durango, Colo., a sister, Mrs. Joe Hunt, Sunnydale, and several other brothers and sisters whose names were not available here.

PRICE, March 4 - Joe Romero, 35, was killed almost instantly Monday when crushed beneath a fall of rock in the Sweet mine. One other workman was at Romero’s side when the cave-in occurred, but escaped injury. According to Dr. William Merrill of Consumers, the injured man suffered a fractured skull.

Winter Quarters, Feb. 28, -- Funeral services for Harry Rose and Eliza Quilter Hainsworth were held here today. The speakers were Bishop George Ruff of Scofield, R. J. Stone and Bishop Thomas J. Parmley. There was a very large attendance, the meeting house being full and many standing at the door. Interment was in the Scofield cemetery.

Harry Rose was killed in the Winter Quarters mine on Feb. 23, by two loaded cars running over him. He was changing a switch point when the accident occurred. Harry Rose was a faithful Latter-day Saint. He came to this country in May, 1906, and made his home in Grass Creek, Summit county, until April, 1912, when he came to Winter Quarters. Last spring he moved his family to Henrieville and bought a farm and came to Winter Quarters to work for the winter after which he expected to quit mining altogether. He leaves a wife and seven children.

Mrs. Eliza Hainsworth died at the Holy Cross Hospital at Salt Lake and her body was shipped to Winter Quarters for burial. She leaves a husband, Alfred Hainsworth, two small children, one a week old.

Word was sent to Mr. and Mrs. Harry Quilter, her parents, at Henrieville, of the death of Harry Rose. They left to attend the funeral. They had to stay overnight at Thistle and upon getting on the train they learned of the death of their daughter, Eliza whose body was being carried on the train. Eliza Hainsworth was respected by all who knew her and had been a worker in the Sunday School.

SUNNYSIDE - Frank Roseman, night foreman at the Sunnyside mine, was instantly killed Wednesday at 7 p.m. when a runaway loaded coal car jumped the tracks and struck him. The car loaded with coal decapitated him after traveling about 2000 feet. Mr. Roseman was standing between two railroad tracks in the mine when he heard the car coming. When the car reached the switch it jumped the tracks, landing directly on him.

PRICE - Nov. 9 - Three miners were killed when loose coal in which they were working fell from the roofs of the coal rooms. John Alcaguirre, 33, was working at Mutual mine last Thursday, when he was killed by a cave-in. Joe Rossi, 50, a Spring Canyon miner, another victim of a cave-in, died Friday night from injuries suffered Thursday. Both men were unmarried. Alcaguirre was a native of France. He is survived by one brother, Eugene, a resident of Price.

Leo L. Whitby, 27, was killed by a cave-in of coal in the Standardville mine Friday. He was a resident of Helper, but a native of Marion, Idaho. He is survived by his widow, Blanche B. Whitby, and one daughter. His body was sent to Salt Lake Sunday, where interment will take place. Funeral services were held at Helper.

On the 4th day of November, 1925, Joe Rossi was struck by a fall of coal while employed by the defendant coal company and as a result of such injury, he died on November 6th, 1925. No application for compensation was filed by any person or persons and the commission ordered the payment of $998.40 into the State Treasury to the credit of the Employe’s combined injury Benefit Fund.

Died June 19, 1918 at Storrs, Carbon, Utah due to falling rock, crushing injuries to chest and pelvis. Fracture of left arm, pelvis, and right leg. Death was instantaneous and accidental. He was about 28 or 29 and buried in the Price City Cemetery in Plot 1-F-001-02.

SPRINGVILLE - Funeral services for Alonzo S. Roundy, 40 year old resident of Lehi and formerly of Springville, will be conducted Monday in the Lehi Third Ward Chapel at 1 p.m. Interment will take place in the Lehi cemetery under the direction of the ward bishopric.

Mr. Roundy, a Kaiser Steel Co. construction worker, was killed instantly at Sunnyside, Carbon County, on Thursday when he was caught between the frame of a rotary rock dump and a mine car. He had been employed as an electrician by the Kaiser Steel Co. construction division. The crew with which he had been working was building a new tipple for the Kaiser Steel Co. coal mines. He had been employed by the company since July 7, 1953.

Mr. Roundy was coupling two mines cars together when the accident occurred, mine officials explained. The car which he was coupling rolled down the track unobserved, and rolled Mr. Roundy against the frame of the rock dump. He was born Feb. 20, 1913 at Groveland, Idaho, the son of Samuel Edmund and Cassie Fullmer Roundy.

Survivors include his wife Aileen (Peggy); three sons and one step-daughter; Gilbert Alonzo Roundy, San Francisco; Allen Roundy, Lehi and Gordon Roundy, Lehi; and Jereldene Piette of New Orleans, La.; also one sister, Mrs. Lynn (Myrle) Fowler, Richfield; two half-sisters, Mrs. Morris (Ada) Taylor, Springville, and Mrs. Verl (Thelma) Mayne, Gypsum, Colo.; three brothers, E. Eugene Roundy, Springville, Robert Acil (Ace) Roundy, Springville, also one half-brother, Lee Dell Harmer, Springville. Friends may call at 310 Trineman Street, Lehi, Utah

HIAWATHA - Funeral services will be conducted Friday at 2 p.m. for William Kevin Rowley, 33, Huntington, Emery County, who was killed late Monday in a mining accident in Hiawatha. Mr. Rowley was killed as he walked along rail car tracks in the U. S. Fuel Co. coal mine and was struck from behind by a coal tripper on a coal car. The car company officials said, struck the victim in the back, knocked him down, then rolled over him.

A native of Huntington, Mr. Rowley was born Nov. 8, 1930, to William A. and Nettie Nielsen Rowley. He married Sharleen Fox April 23, 1955, in Orangeville, Emery County. At the time of his death he was president of the Huntington Lions Club; member, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Emery County Jeep Patrol and the Hiawatha American Legion Post. He was a veteran of the Air Force in the Korean conflict; graduate of Carbon College.

Survivors include his widow; a son, Steven; parents, Huntington; a sister, Mrs. Jerry (Annette) Anderton, Salt Lake City. Funeral services will be in Huntington First LDS Ward Chapel. Friends may call at Fausett-Etzel Funeral Home, Price. Thursday, 7-9 p.m.; Friday at home of parents, 9 a.m. to time of service. Burial will be in Huntington Cemetery with graveside services by the American Legion.

HIAWATHA - A mine section foreman in Central Utah was run over and killed by a coal car late Monday night. It was at the U. S. Fuel Co. mine at Hiawatha in Carbon County. The company identified him as Kevin Rowley, about 35, of Huntington. Investigators said Rowley was standing in the middle of one track to allow one coal car to go by on a parallel set of tracks, and didn’t see the car coming on the tracks he was standing on.

Frank Ruffena, a native of Austria, age 43, a miner, was killed in No. 2 mine at Sunnyside, on the 7th day of October, 1903, at about 9 o’clock a.m. At the time of the accident Ruffena was working along in Room 10 of 2nd Butt Entry. The coal fell from the roof, killing him instantly.

Copy of inquest: the said jurors, upon their oaths do say that on the 7th day of October, 1903, Frank Roffena came to his death by a fall of coal in room 10 off 4 raise entry, No. 2 mine, at Sunnyside, Utah, the fall of coal being due to a dry or false slip which could not be seen by any one. The jury, therefore, finds that no one is to blame for the accident.

January 28, 1907. Gust Rupakais, a Greek miner, aged thirty-six, single, was killed In No. 4 mine, Sunnyside. Rupakais and partner were working in Room 10 on fourth right entry, and in the act of taking down some rock at the face of his place, a piece of rock that he was attempting to pull down, fell striking him on the head. His partner explains that they thought this to be only a small piece of rock. The size of rock that fell on Rupakais was about five inches thick, eight feet long and four feet wide. Conditions in the room were good, props were set within eight feet of the face. No inquest.

Last Rites Conducted for Companion of Man Killed Last Tuesday in Spring Canyon Coal Mine

Funeral services for David William Rutherford, 26, who died Friday from injuries received in a mine accident at Spring Canyon last Tuesday, were conducted in the Storrs ward chapel at Spring Canyon Sunday afternoon in charge of Bishop Charles A. Carlson.

Mr. Rutherford’s head and body were lacerated and his chest crushed in the fall of coal, in which his companion, John Swazer, 36, was killed. Although his condition was considered favorable Thursday he became worse Friday until the end came. The deceased was born at Holden, Utah, the son of Nephi and Emma Thornton Rutherford both “old timers” in that part of the state. Surviving is his widow. Interment was in Price City cemetery, the grave being dedicated by Bishop Carlson.

CASTLEGATE - Orville Phillip Safford, 31, died in a Castlegate hospital Monday at 11:15 P.M. of injuries suffered in a mine accident while he was working in the Castlegate mine of the Utah Fuel Co. The accident occurred at 9:25 p.m. the same night.

Mr. Safford was working near the face of a room when a bounce occurred near him, causing a large quantity of coal to fall upon him. He suffered a dislodged vertebra, fractured pelvis and shock, causing his death.

He had come to Castlegate from Columbus, Ohio, three years ago working at the mine as a faceman. He had been in the section of the mine where he was killed for the past 18 months.

He was born Dec. 20, 1913, in Columbus, O., a son of Mr. and Mrs. David R. Safford. He is survived by his father in Columbus, his widow, Mrs. Florence Safford of Castlegate, two children, Robert James, and Larry Orville, both of Castlegate; one sister, Mrs. Ruth Cardwell, Columbus, O. and four brothers, Carl, David, Dwight and Billy Safford, all of Columbus. Funeral arrangements are pending word from relatives in Ohio, and will be announced by the Mitchell funeral home in Price.

Nick Sakiloris, Greek miner, single, aged 23 years, was killed in No. 2 mine, Clear Creek, on the 28th day of October, 1910. Deceased was working in No. 19 room on the right air course, getting coal ready, as the mine was idle on that day. Deceased drilled a hole across the face of the room, about 3 feet 6 inches in length and placed the blast in the hole 15 inches apart. He lit the squib and started out of the room to the cross-cut, which is about twenty feet from the face of the room. Before he was able to reach the cross-cut the blast went off, and the flying coal struck him, breaking his arm and otherwise injuring him so that he died at a local hospital on the 30th. All indications point to the fact that the deceased placed an excessive amount of powder in his shot, as the coal was thrown for a distance of 215 feet.

A very serious accident happened to Jack Sakick in the Moreton mine early Tuesday morning. He was "nipping" or helping on the big electric motor and while engaged in turning a switch, a car jumped the track and in some way struck Jack, throwing him down or against the rib and broke the bones in both legs and the pelvic region, lacerated his face and injured some of his ribs. He was taken to the Storrs hospital and is still living but in a very precarious condition. His home is in Mutual. He has a wife and two children and is a man of good standing and reputation.

Research note: Age 28 died Nov. 15, 1923 (possibly passed away after the article was written) and shows the accident occurred at the McClean, Mutual Mine.

S. Sakuchi, a Japanese, was fatally injured December 29, 1920, by being struck by a trip of loaded cars on the tramway. He died December 30, 1920.

The Industrial Commission of Utah, as administrator of the Employes’ Combined Injury Benefit Fund, vs. United States Fuel Company. (For the death of Ralph Salme, September 16, 1924.) On September 10, 1924, Ralph Salme of Hiawatha, Utah, was instantly killed as a result of an accident in the course of his employment while he was employed at Hiawatha, Utah, by the United States Fuel Company, an employer subject to the State Industrial Act. No person or persons have filed claim for compensation with the Industrial Commission for the death of Ralph Salme. Ordered, that the United States Fuel Company pay the State Treasury the sum of $998.40 forthwith in the death of Ralph Salme; also funeral expenses as ordered by the law.

Matt Salma, a miner in Winter Quarters Mine No. 4, was injured on the 19th day of August, 1901. Salma at the time of the accident was using a pick to take down some loose coal when he coal fell upon him, causing a fracture of the skull, bruises on face and neck and scalp wound on back of head 3 ½ inches long. Salma died four hours after the accident. There was no inquest held over his body.

Henry Salo - Scofield - Funeral services for Henry Salo, 53, who was killed Friday afternoon by a fall of coal in a wagon mine near Scofield, will be conducted Tuesday at 4 p.m. in the Scofield LDS chapel. Burial will be in Scofield cemetery under direction of Mitchell funeral home of Price. Born in Finland June 1, 1888, the victim came to the United States 36 years ago and to Carbon county 25 years ago. There are no known survivors.

Keith Smith, normally a Continuous Mining Machine Helper, was assigned as the section foreman for the 3rd Right section on the afternoon shift of March 24, 1995. Smith and a crew of eight entered the mine at approximately 3:00 p.m. They arrived on the 3rd Right section at approximately 3:30 p.m. and proceeded to their work assignments.

Hugo Luna, Shuttle Car Operator, told Smith of some bad spots on the shuttle car cable. Blue Samples, victim, with the help of Alvero Zarate, a Beltman who was assigned as a shuttle car operator, and Luna taped the bad spots on the cable. Samples, normally a Mechanic Trainee, was assigned as the continuous mining machine helper (miner helper). William Potter, Shift Maintenance Supervisor and Samples' supervisor, stated that Samples was assigned as miner helper to substitute for Smith, who was acting as the section foreman that shift. Samples had worked at the mine approximately three weeks prior to the accident and was assigned as the miner helper due to a shortage of miners on the 3rd Right afternoon shift crew. The shortage was due to absenteeism and mine rescue team training. Samples' experience as a miner helper consisted of four shifts, the four days preceding the accident. Samples, however, had not received adequate training for this task.

Martin Leon, Continuous Mining Machine Operator, who had worked the day shift, stayed over to operate the continuous mining machine for the afternoon shift. At the start of the shift, Smith told Leon to take a break at the "kitchen." Smith, using the remote control unit, proceeded to move the continuous mining machine down the No. 4 entry. During this move, he was located in front of the machine at the corner of the crosscut between the No. 3 and No. 4 entries. As he turned the machine into this crosscut, the boom hit the mine roof. He stopped the continuous mining machine, walked to the rear of the machine, and pulled down a piece of brattice that was hung across the entry. He exclaimed to Luna, who was with him, that the brattice didn't need to be there. During this time, Samples was in front of the machine watching the trailing cable.

Smith returned to the front of the continuous mining machine, positioned himself on the right side of the cutting head with his back toward the No. 4 entry, and backed the machine up a short distance. He then swung the tail-boom toward the right coal rib.

Luna attached a rope between the boom and the trailing cable to pull the cable as the machine moved toward the No. 5 entry. In his position, the lights of the continuous mining machine hindered Smith's vision when looking toward the tail-boom of the machine.

After Luna attached the rope, he went to the No. 3 entry to check the slack in the trailing cable. At this time, Smith resumed tramming the mining machine forward. Samples was located between the tail-boom and the rib and Zarate was in the No. 4 entry between Smith and Samples. Smith moved the machine to the left to avoid the coal pillar. As the machine swiveled, Smith heard the tail-boom hit the rib, but he continued to tram the machine forward. Luna, who was behind the machine in the No. 3 entry, also heard the boom hit the rib and looked and saw Samples fall. Zarate saw the boom hit Samples and waved his cap lamp at Smith and yelled for him to turn off the machine.

Smith stopped the machine and went to assist Samples. Brian Romney, Laborer, who had just arrived, went to the mine phone to call outside for help. Miles Frandsen, Section Mechanic, also arrived at the scene. He started first-aid treatment and placed Samples on a stretcher. Samples was then placed in the bed of a diesel Ford truck and transported to the surface. Luna, Zarate, and Potter accompanied Samples to the surface. Potter and Zarate administered first-aid and monitored Samples' vital signs. The ambulance from the adjacent Skyline Mine was brought to the mine and was waiting at the surface. Samples was transferred to the ambulance and transported to Scofield, UT, about 10 minutes away. A "Life Flight" medical crew, which was waiting at Scofield, pronounced Samples dead.

PRICE Aug. 24 - Falling coal claimed a third victim in two days when Joseph Sanchez, 35, was killed yesterday by a cave-in at the Spring Canyon mine. The miner’s head was crushed against a car.

Names and addresses of relatives of six men fatally injured in industrial accidents in various parts of the state were being sought by the state industrial commission Saturday. The commission desires to advise them of the rights of dependents of deceased persons in case dependency exists under provisions of the state Industrial act. The names of the deceased persons, the date of their injury and their place of employment at the time they were injured have been announced by the Industrial commission as follows:

Jose Sanchez, fatally injured August 23 at Spring Canyon while employed by the Spring Canyon Coal company as a coal digger. Frank Zelts, fatally injured August 22 at Castle Gate while engaged as a coal digger by the Utah Fuel company. Angela Barcelo, fatally injured August 26 at Bingham Canyon while employed by the United States Smelting, Refining and Mining company. Tony Gomez, fatally injured September 2 while working as a coal miner for the Columbia Steel Corporation at Columbia.

Tom Aldrich of Helper, fatally injured while employed as a helper by the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad company on August 16. Steven Sunich, fatally injured while working as a miner for the New Quincy Mining Company at Park City, July 21.

Rhea Sanders, widow of Harry Winfield Sanders, deceased, for and on behalf of herself and Tennyson Sanders and Harry Winona Sanders, minor children of deceased, vs. Utah Fuel Company.

Under date of April 12, 1924, the Industrial Commission rendered a decision directing the Utah Fuel Company to pay to Rhea Sanders for the benefit of herself and Tennyson Sanders and an unborn child, widow and minor children of Harry Winfield Sanders, deceased, compensation in the sum of $16.00 per week. The unborn child was born on the 23rd day of April, 1924, and was named Harry Winona Sanders. On July 31, 1924, Rhea Sanders, widow of Harry Winfield Sanders, remarried at Vernal, Utah to one Albert Mott.

Under date of March 19, 1925, the Industrial Commission of Utah received a communication from Mrs. Pollock of Castle Gate, Utah, advising the Commission that she has had the care of her daughter’s (Rhea Sanders) babies most of the winter; that she still has them and that Rhea Sanders had gone away, she does not know where; that she is willing and happy to keep the children, but asks that the compensation check be sent to her as she will be prepared to take care of them properly. The communication was considered by the Commission and an application to determine as to what disposition shall be made of the remaining unpaid compensation heretofore end to Rhea Sanders for the benefit of herself and two minor children. The Utah Fuel Company has untofore paid to Mrs. Rhea Mott (nee Rhea Sanders) compensation at the rate of $16.00 per week up to and including the 3rd day of April, 1925.

Ordered, that Utah Fuel Company deposit with the Loan & Trust Co. as Trustee in Trust, compensation of the sum of $16.00 per week for the whole and sole care of Tennyson Sanders and Harry Winona Sanders, the children of Harry Winfield Sanders, deceased, beginning on the 4th day of April, 1925, and to continue for a period of 256 weeks, representing the remaining unpaid portion of the 213 weeks compensation period, Utah Fuel Company having heretofore paid 56 weeks compensation to the said Rhea Sanders, widow of Harry Winfield Sanders, deceased.

Salt Lake, May 10 – Legal questions which have never before confronted the state industrial commission are being brought up from time to time in connection with hearings for compensation claims for the Castle Gate mine disaster.

Whether double compensation should be paid to Mrs. Mary Kimball, widow of Martin Kimball, and mother of Anton Kostello, both of whom were killed, is one problem, while the question of the legality of the marriages of Mrs. Sam Saris and Mrs. Arviell Sanders, whose husbands were killed has arisen.

The Utah Fuel company contended that the marriages were performed within less than a year after interlocutory divorces had been granted and therefore illegal. Attorneys for the sisters claimed that each had lived with her husband for more than six months as man and wife and although the marriages would have been annullable during the lifetime of the men, the Fuel Company should not be permitted to void the marriages at this time to avoid paying compensation.

Sam Saris, an employee of the Utah Fuel company, lost his life in the explosion of the Castle Gate mine on March 8, 1924. On April 12 Eliza Clark Saris filed with the industrial commission of the state an application for an adjustment of claim for compensation, alleging that she was the wife of Saris and that he was the father of her unborn child.

At the hearing it was brought out that on June 16, 1923, in Evanston, Wyo., Sam Saris and Eliza Clark attempted to be married and went through a marriage ceremony at that place; that after the performance of the said marriage ceremony the decedent and Eliza Clark, his alleged wife, returned to Utah, lived at Castle Gate up until the time of the injury and death of Sam Saris, and that ever since the performance of the afore-said marriage ceremony they lived together as husband and wife; that as a result of this relationship a child was born to Eliza Clark on August 2, 1924, at Mapleton, Utah and is now living with his mother at Mapleton; that had the decedent, Sam Saris, not been killed the child, which had not been named and who will be called John Doe Saris, would have been dependent upon its father, Sam Saris, for its maintenance and support.

It was further brought out at the hearing that in April, 1923, an interlocutory decree of divorce was entered in the Seventh district court of Carbon county decreeing that ground for divorce existed between Ruby Saris and Sam Saris and that said decree became final after six months from its entrance; that about two months after the granting of the decree the applicant, Eliza Clark Saris, and Sam Saris went through the marriage ceremony cited and that, as said, the applicant and Sam Saris lived together as husband and wife and that she was wholly supported by him.

The industrial commission, after hearing all the evidence in the case, denied the application of Eliza Clark Saris and directed that compensation be paid by the Utah Fuel company to John Doe Saris, minor child of Sam Saris, in the sum of $16 per week for a period of 312 weeks, the same to, be deposited with the Tracy Loan and Trust company designated as the trustee, said trustee to pay to Eliza Clark Saris at Mapleton, Utah the sum of $20 per month. The compensation awarded John Doe Saris.

Salt Lake, Nov. 4 - A wedding in Evanston, Wyo., on June 16, 1923, is the point on which depends the support of a two-months-old infant.

The Utah Fuel Company Monday carried to the supreme court of Utah the case of Sam Saris who was killed in the Castlegate mine explosion last March 8. The state commission awarded workmen's compensation payments to the child. The company contends that Sam Saris and the child's mother, Eliza Clark Saris, went through a marriage ceremony in Evanston two months after Saris and his wife's sister, Ruby Clark Saris, were divorced, and that therefore the marriage was not legal, as six months had not elapsed after the preliminary decree. The widow's claim for payments has already been denied.

The divorced wife, Ruby Clark Saris, married Orville Sanders at Evanston the same day. The four went there together by motor. Sanders was killed in the same disaster and her claim for payments was also denied.

Re-marriage before the expiration of the full six months provided for in an interlocutory decree of divorce was held illegal by the supreme court last Wednesday at Salt Lake City, through Chief Justice A. J. Weber. The court affirmed an order of the state industrial commission denying compensation to Ruby Clark Sanders, widow of O.R. Sanders who was killed in the Castle Gate explosion last March. The widow was divorced in Utah courts from Sam Saris, but before the expiration of six months she was re-married to Sanders at Cheyene, Wyo.

Decision rendered on Castle Gate Compensation Claim Arising From Woman’s Violation of Six Months’ Interlocutory Provision of Divorce

Common law marriages are not valid in Utah, nor does this state recognize as legal such marriages as are performed in other states where one party to the ceremony is separated from a previous marriage by an interlocutory decree not yet become final by the elapse of six months at the time the marriage ceremony is performed.

That is the opinion of the state supreme court written by Chief Justice S.J. Weber and handed down Wednesday in affirming the order of the state industrial commission denying workmen’s compensation to Ruby Clark Saris Sanders claiming to be the widow of Orville R. Sanders, who was killed in the Castle Gate mine disaster last March.

In the language of the opinion of marriage contracts in another state following a Utah divorce and prior to the interlocutory degree becoming final, excepting where such marriage is a renewal of the marital relation between the divorcing couple, can “not be recognized as having any legal status in Utah” Touching directly upon the case under review, where Sanders and Mrs. Saris went through a pretended marriage in Wyoming before her divorce from Saris in Utah had become final, the Chief Justice writes: “Sanders was under neither legal nor moral obligation to support his alleged wife. Their relationship was adulterous and this the parties were presumed to know when they contracted the old marriage. The workmen’s compensation act does not create a –gh or impose a liability growing out of such illegal relationships.

The Sanders case has been one of the most discussed complications growing out of the Castle Gate disaster and its record runs through hearing and argument for hearing before the industrial commission with finally, the appeal by applicant to the state supreme court. The opinion of that court in this case. It is said, fixes the illegality as far as the jurisdiction of this state is concerned of the similar marriages.

Ruby Clark Saris, according to the record, applied for a divorce from Sam Saris and a decree of divorce was entered in a Utah court on April 25, 1923, carrying the court provisions that it should not become absolute until the expiration of six months from the date of entry. On June 16, 1923, Ruby Clark Saris was married to O.R. Sanders at Evanston, Wyo., under a license of that state. They returned to Castle Gate, where they resided to and claimed to be, husband and wife up to the date of Sanders’ death. claiming to be the widow of Sanders the woman filed an application for compensation under the workmen’s compensation act, which was denied by the industrial commission on the grounds that she was never legally married to Sanders because she had an undivorced husband living at the time of the marriage ceremony.

This stand, Chief Justice Weber __rlies, was in accord with the statues which are “clear and plain. There is nothing to interpret, nothing to construe,” and he quotes liberally from the statues which make it mandatory for a resident of Utah to be married according to the statutory provisions or else be considered unmarried.

---lin speaking of the evasion of –ead statues by Sanders and Mrs. Saris in going to another state for said ceremony, Chief Justice Weber writes:“The marriage was a nullity from inception, was void and initlo, and that was simply a fact which had been presented to the industrial commission, which could not possibly validate the marriage or in any way affect it. No other decree or court nor finding of any other body was needed to determine that the Wyoming marriage ceremony is a nullity and could not be recognized as having any legal status in Utah. Such a marriage could not be ratified or validated in Utah as claimed by plaintiff. Holding each other out as husband and wife, believing in good faith that they were legally married – all these things are of no avail in this state where common law marriages are not valid, and where marriages to be valid must be solemnized as by statute provided.”

Frank Sanpoli, an Italian miner, was killed in the Union Pacific mine last Tuesday. He is survived by a brother, who was with him when he was killed.

Frank Sanipolo, an Italian miner, aged 42 years, single, was killed on No. 4 incline, Pleasant Valley mine, March 21st, 1911. Deceased and brother were working on the 4th incline on an up hole extension, on main slope. Two timbers had been set on either side of slope, with cap pieces to protect the men from broken roof. Sanipolo was in the act of withdrawing the drill from a hole he had been drilling in the face of Left rib, when a slab of cap rock, 7 feet long, 3 feet 6 inches wide and 1 foot thick fell from between the cap pieces, from the center of their working place The inside end of this slab caught Sanipolo on the head, crushing his skull and otherwise injuring him, from which injuries he died while under the rock.

PRICE - Dec. 6th - A miner who lived while rescuers broke a boulder, that pinned him to the ground, died here more than 24 hours after he was taken from the mine. Louis Santi, 44, died in a Price hospital Sunday of injuries received Saturday in a mine cave-in. Two others, Dee Smith, 23, and Louis Safley, 30, were expected by hospital attaches to recover. Officials of the Lion Coal Company’s Wattis mine, 23 miles southwest of here, said the three men were working on a loading machine at the time of the slide. Santi is survived by his widow, a daughter and three sons.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Sept. 21. - Five men are reported to be entombed in the Rains Mine of the Carbon Fuel Company at Rains, near Castlegate, about 100 miles south of here, as the result of an explosion at 6 o'clock Sunday night.

Although more than 200 men are employed in the mine, only five drill men, who were cutting out work for Monday, were on shift when the explosion occurred, according to meager reports from the mine. The explosion is said to have occurred in the second left entry way which caved in, leaving the main way and main entry clear.

Rescue crews from five camps and Spring Canyon, in which the mine is situated, are being sent to the scene. It is expected the entombed men will be reached in a few hours unless gas or other cave-ins hamper the work.

On the 8th day of December, 1925, Gus Santon, while employed as a miner by the Liberty Fuel company at Latuda, Utah, while loading coal was struck by a piece of coal, sustaining injuries from which he died two days later. No application for compensation was filed by any person or persons within one year and the commission rendered Decision ordering the payment of $998.40 into the State Treasury to the credit of the Employe’s Combined Injury Benefit Fund

Research note: Age 45 died Dec. 10, 1925 from a crushed chest at the Latuda, Liberty Mine.

KENILWORTH, SEPT. 29 - Joe Saracino, 57, workman in the Kenilworth mine, was killed Monday when an ore train struck him. Mine officials said Saracino was struck as he walked up a track incline, apparently failing to see the oncoming train.

KENILWORTH - Rosary was said Thursday at 8 p.m. at the Mitchell funeral home for Joe Saracino, 57, of Kenilworth, and the body was taken to Pueblo, Colorado for burial. Mr. Saracino was killed September 28 in a mine accident at Kenilworth. He was born in Italy, March 15, 1887, son of Pasquel Saracino.

John Satyetch, Greek, miner, single, age 37, was killed October 29, 1915, in the second left back entry, No. 1 mine, Storrs, Utah. Satyetch, with Nick Tumburas, James Dunnias and Mike Dunnias, was leaving the mine at the close of the day’s work and as they passed through the second left back entry, which is a traveling way, the deceased stopped to fill a sock with coal from the rib of the entry. He was in the act of picking coal from the rib when a piece of coal fell from the roof, striking him on the head and killing him instantly.

[Joseph Sargetakis died on March 8, 1924 in the Castle Gate mine explosion.] Steve Sargetakis, a Salt Lake City resident, was only one and one-half years of age at the time of the disaster. Too young to remember, his life was nevertheless changed when his father and several other relatives were killed in the disaster.

"My mother wore black for the rest of her life; we had black curtains at our windows and we had no parties or celebrations," he said. Also he and his brothers worked hard selling newspapers and other small jobs to help the family."

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Sept. 21. - Five men are reported to be entombed in the Rains Mine of the Carbon Fuel Company at Rains, near Castlegate, about 100 miles south of here, as the result of an explosion at 6 o'clock Sunday night. Although more than 200 men are employed in the mine, only five drill men, who were cutting out work for Monday, were on shift when the explosion occurred, according to meager reports from the mine. The explosion is said to have occurred in the second left entry way which caved in, leaving the main way and main entry clear. Rescue crews from five camps and Spring Canyon, in which the mine is situated, are being sent to the scene. It is expected the entombed men will be reached in a few hours unless gas or other cave-ins hamper the work.

PRICE - Dec. 7 - Perry Takaichi Sasaki, 54, was fatally injured last night when a rock fell on him at the Hudson mine camp at National, Utah, breaking his back. Sasaki died while being carried from the mine. He came here a month ago from Idaho.He leaves a brother in Idaho whose name and address were not immediately available.

PRICE - Perry Takaichi Sasaki, 54, was killed at 6:30 p.m. Monday night at the Hudson mine camp at National in Carbon county, when a rock fell on him, breaking his back. He had been at the camp a month, previously having lived in Idaho. At the time of the accident he was cleaning up in one of the rooms of the mine, and had bent over to pick up a rail when the rock fell and broke his back. He was not instantly killed, but died while being carried from the mine. He is survived by a brother in Idaho whose name and address are unknown.

S. Sasashi, a Jap, 40 years old and married, leaves a wife and one child, was fatally injured February 17, 1922, No. 2 Mine Castlegate, by a slab of coal falling off side of pillar. He died February 19, 1922, at St. Marks Hospital, Salt Lake City.

PRICE - Funeral services for Katsuke Sato, 68, who died of injuries in an accident in the Sweets mine will be conducted at the Mitchell funeral home Sunday at 3 p.m. Burial will be in the Price City cemetery.

COLUMBIA - Struck by a runaway car in the Columbia Steel company mine, 28 miles east of Price, Friday noon, S. Sato, about 35, was injured fatally. Sato, according to meager reports of the accident, was employed in loading coal cars, and in some manner was crushed between a wall in the mine and the careening car, an official T. C. Harvey, superintendent, said Friday night. The injured man was taken to the company’s emergency hospital shortly after the accident occurred. He died at 4 p.m. of a fractured back, crushed chest and other injuries. His body was taken to Price late Friday for burial. Company records show the man was unmarried and his only survivors reside in Idaho.

James Scalise, Italian, motor rider, aged 24 years, single, was killed June 28, 1913, at Sunnyside Mine No. 2, on the main haulage road. Mine No. 2 was working night shift, and according to custom, after the man trip had been brought out, the motor was run back for another trip of coal. While coming out with the last trip, the motor man noticed that a plank had been dislodged from the stringers of an unused overcast, presumably by a piece of falling rock. One end of the plank was resting on the stringer, and the other end was between the rails. The trip at this point was on an incline, and the motor man was unable to bring the trip to a standstill, before striking the plank with the motor. When the motor struck the plank, the plank was broken. One end of it struck Scalise, who was riding on top of the motor, inflicting seven injuries, also knocking him from the motor. He was found dead when picked up.

PRICE - A Price man was killed Tuesday afternoon in an accident in the Plateau Mine, about 20 miles southwest of Price. Carbon County Deputy Sheriff Mike Martinez said Robert W. Scott, 45, was crushed in an accident involving a roof-bolting machine. Scott was a roof bolter in the mine. The victim was pronounced dead at Castleview Hospital. His body was taken to the Utah medical examiner’s office.

PRICE - John Scrubis, 45, a coal miner, was instantly killed in the Standardville mine about noon Monday, when he came in contact with a high-voltage wire, according to reports reaching Price Monday evening. Scrubis, it was reported, was walking through a portion of the mine which was rarely used when he stumbled. As he fell forward, he grasped the electric line. There was considerable water on the floor of the tunnel. Little is known of the man’s personal history. He was born in Russia and is known to have two sons living, one of whom, Roy Scrubis, lives in Marble, Colo. The body is at the J. E. Flynn funeral parlors in Price, and no funeral arrangements will be announced until the relatives are heard from. Scrubs had worked at Standardville only two weeks prior to the accident.

The state industrial commission on Friday awarded $9.50 a week for 312 weeks to Mike Soruby, 16, of Long Beach, Cal., as a result of the accidental death of his father, John Soruby, killed by electricity while loading coal. November 24, 1930, in the mine of the Standard Coal company, Carbon County.

Frank Selan, 41, an Austrian, met instant death as he walked along the Peerless Mine company’s tramway in the semi-darkness near Price. He did not see the car, apparently, and was crushed to death by being rolled for some distance under the mantrip. Nearly every bone in his body was crushed.

December 25th, 1928, Peerless Coal Company, Peerless, Utah. Frank Selan, Austrian, age 41, single. Sela was badly injured by a fall of cap rock. While lying at the curve of a parting and waiting for the trip to be carried from the mine was killed by the trip which broke away and derailed at the parting.

Florence Selan et al, minor daughter of Frank Selan, deceased, by their Guardian, vs. Peerless Coal Company.

Frank Selan, a miner, was injured on December 24th, 1928, by a fall of coal and rock in the mine of Defendant company and was placed on the stretcher which was placed on a trip between the tracks to be taken out of the mine when a trip of cars got out of control and ran over him, killing him instantly. The defendant paid for the burial of decedent as provided by law. Decedent left surviving him two minor daughters; he was divorced from his wife. He had maintained and supported his two minor daughters up to the time of his death. Compensation was awarded at the rate of $16.00 per week for a period of 312 weeks, same to be deposited with Bankers Trust Company for the benefit of the minor daughters of deceased, and $15.00 per month to be paid out of said trust fund to the mother of the minor daughters of Frank Selan for their maintenance and support.

Martin, Carbon County -- Funeral arrangements for nine men killed in the mine blast here were completed Tuesday. The blast occurred Monday at Carbon Fuel Co.’s No. 2 mine west of here.

John Senechal, Jr. 32, Kenilworth, Carbon County, was born Nov. 28, 1931, at Latuda, Carbon County, to John and Elizabeth Bostitch Senechal. He married Merleen Pilling on April 23, 1959, in Las Vegas, Nev. Survivors include his widow and three daughters, Lorene Renee, Ginger Marie and Ann Elizabeth, all of Kenilworth, parents, Sunnyside, Carbon County; sister, Mrs. Henry Nadine Skriner, Spring Glen, and grandfather, Frank Bostich, Amu, Kan.

Requiem Mass will be celebrated Thursday at 10:30 a.m. at the Helper St. Anthony Catholic Church. Holy Rosary will be recited Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Mitchell Funeral Home in Price. Burial will be in the Price Cemetery.

The body of John Serapas, 32, miner for the Utah Fuel company of Castle gate, was found under a mine car of the company’s mine there about 9 o’clock Monday morning. There were no witnesses to the accident, but it was presumed Serapas slipped under the car and was run over.

Serapas, was a native of Greece, and had worked for the Utah Fuel company at Castle Gate for only five months. He was unmarried. Funeral services were held here yesterday, with burial at City cemetery. Arrangements were in charge of the Flynn funeral home.

A second mine accident in Carbon county this week took the life of James Ernal Shaw, 32, of Wattis, who died in the city hospital Tuesday morning after sustaining injuries at the Wattis coal mine. At the time of the accident, Mr. Shaw was moving the loading machine. He suffered a broken pelvis and internal injuries. The victim was born in Elsinore, April 15, 1910, and had been employed in Wattis for the past seven and a half years. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Lillian Orrell Shaw; his mother, Mrs. Juliet Shaw; five brothers, Ervin, Lee, Eugene, and Gerald Shaw of Wattis; and Roldo Shaw of Price, and one sister, Mrs. Helen Gunter of Wattis. Funeral services will be held at two o’clock Friday afternoon in the L. D. S. tabernacle at Price, with burial in the city cemetery under direction of the Mitchell Funeral home.

PRICE - Feb 24 - Funeral services for James Ernal Shaw, 32, of Wattis, who died in a Price hospital Tuesday morning, will be held in the Price Tabernacle Friday at 2 p.m. Mr. Shaw suffered injuries early Monday in the Wattis Coal Company mine. He was a loader operator and was injured while moving the loading machine in the mine He suffered a pelvic and other internal injuries

He was born in Elsinore April 15, 1910, and had been employed in the Wattis mine for the past seven and one-half years. Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Lillian Orrell Shaw; his mother, Mrs. Juliet Shaw; five brothers, Ervin, Lee, Eugene, and Gerald Shaw, all of Wattis, and Roldo Shaw of Price; and a sister, Mrs. Helen Gunter of Wattis.

PRICE - An autopsy is being considered today on the body of an employe of U. S. Steel Corp. who was found Monday afternoon behind the wheel of a wrecked company truck about 35 miles east of here. Carbon County sheriff’s officer report Oran E. Shiner, 66, Price, a mechanic at U. S. Steel’s Geneva coal mine near Dragerton, was found dead. The truck had plunged into a burrow pit. It was reported that Shiner had suffered head injuries. However, exact cause of death had not been determined.

PRICE - A U. S. Steel Co. employe was found dead Monday behind the wheel of a company truck which had run off a private road about 35 miles east of Price. The victim was identified as Oran E. Shiner, 66, of Rt. 1, Price. Lawmen were attempting to determine cause of death late Monday night.

CASTLE DALE - Emery County officers Tuesday said the death of Oran E. Shiner, 66, Rt. 1, Price, on Monday will be counted as another Utah traffic fatality. Mr. Shiner was found dead behind the wheel of the truck which had run off U-124, east of Price. Officers were uncertain Monday if the road on which the accident occurred was a private or state road. Jack Leamaster, Emery County sheriff, Tuesday said the road was state maintained.

Mr. Shiner was born July 22, 1894, at Fremont, Wayne County, a son of Elmer David and Elizabeth Palmer Shiner. He married Lafinta Ashcroft, Jan. 16, 1922 at Castle Dale. Survivors include his widow; a son, Robert Shiner, Twin Falls, Idaho; two daughters, Mrs. Jack (Geraldine) Dimick and Mrs. Rex (Shirley) Guymon, both of Price; 14 grandchildren; two sisters, Mrs. Ada Barlow, Grand Junction, Colo. And Mrs. Doris Stringham, Kemmerer, Wyo., and four half-brothers, Vern, Lem, Roldo, and LaVell Shiner, all of Price. Also surviving is his stepmother, Mrs. Marie Shiner, Price. Funeral services will be conducted Friday at 1 p.m. in the Price First Ward Carbon Stake Center, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Salt Lake City, Utah, March 11 - To be twice widowed by coal mine disasters is the experience of Mrs. George Shurtleff of Castle Gate, according to local officials of the Utah Fuel Company. In May, 1900, Mrs. Shurtliff’s first husband, a Mr. Evans, was killed when the Scofield mine exploded. Later she married Shurtliff, whose body was among the first to be recovered from the wreckage of the Utah Fuel Company’s No. 2 mine at Castle Gate.

William Sidwell, a stableman, age 55, was killed at Winter Quarters Mine, January 5th, 1905. Directly in front of power house on railroad track. Right leg crushed through between knee and ankle, injuries from which he died at St. Marks Hospital, Salt Lake City.

At the time of the accident Sidwell had been to the company stable and was returning home, walking on main side track, when near the power house he was knocked down and his leg run over by locomotive engine 704 which had been taking coal at the chute and was backing down when accident occurred.

Antoni Siebert, Austrian miner, aged 22 years, single, was injured in mine No. 1 of the Utah Collieries Company, on the 28th day of January, 1910, at 2:20 o’clock p.m. from which injuries he died the same day. Deceased was drilling a hole in the coal face with a drilling machine and was in a stooping position when a piece of clod fell from the rib and caught him on the back. Siebert had been warned by mine foreman to take down the rock and promised to do so as soon as the hole had been drilled. The rock broke his back.

Jacob Silien was born in Finland and came to American sometime between 1882 and 1893 with his wife and four children. His wife's name was Susanna Louise Koski. His daughter, Christina was born April 1882 in Finland and was a step daughter to Susanna Louise Koski. Jacob and Susanna had a son, Fred Silien, born 22 Jun 1893 in Omaha, Nebraska. He died 29 July 1959. Another son Yalmur Silien was born 20 Jan 1895 in Omaha, Nebraska. Jacob and his family moved to Utah between 1895 and 1898 where Sakarias was born April 1899 in Utah. Susanna was born Nov. 9, 1848 in Finland and died December 16, 1926 in Council Bluff, Iowa.

PRICE Jan. 24 - George Sillitoe, 28, fire boss for the Blue Blaze coal company at Consumers, was killed instantly yesterday by falling rock in the mine. A power car he was switching jumped the rails and struck a prop, causing a cave-in.Surviving are his widow, two children, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Sillitoe, and seven brothers and sisters.

Castlegate April 15 - Funeral services will be held Sunday for Samuel LeRoy Sillitoe, 27, of Castlegate, killed Friday when the locomotive motor he was driving in the Castlegate No. 2 mine ran away and threw him against a wall. Sillitoe was bringing three cars up a slope in the mine when the motor stalled and started rolling backward. Sillitoe was thrown out as the machine rounded a curve.

CASTLEGATE - APRIL 15 - Funeral services will be conducted here tomorrow for 27-year-old Samuel Elroy Sillitoe, who was killed yesterday in an accident in the Castlegate No. 2 coal mine. Investigators said Sillitoe, a motorman at the mine for the last four years, was bringing a train out an incline tunnel when his motor stalled. The train started backing down the tunnel rapidly and Sillitoe was thrown against the wall when the careening train rounded a curse. The motorman suffered a fractured skull and died shortly after the accident.

Luigi Silvestri, an Italian, 23 years old and single, was killed May 28, 1920, Hiawatha No. 1 Mine, by fall of coal. He was pulling a spike from an old tie and was bent over resting on his knees when a chunk of coal, 5 feet long, 2 feet 4 inches wide and 2 feet thick at the top and tapering down to a feather edge at the bottom, fell without giving any warning, striking Silvestri on the back, dislocating it. He died about 2 hours later. A circular wet slip, 5 feet long, 2 feet 8 inches wide, was the cause of this coal falling off the corner of the crosscut without giving any warning.

A cutting machine operator’s helper and shot firer was killed in a roof fall accident. Sunnyside, Kaiser Coal Mine.

Sunnyside - A 37 year old Sunnyside coal miner was killed instantly Wednesday in a cave-in at Kaiser Steel’s No. 3 coal mine in this Carbon County community. Forrest Simmons, a powder man, was crushed under several tons of rock falling from the mine roof. It took four hours to uncover the victim’s body.

John Simons, an Austrian, 52 years old and single, was injured April 6, 1919, Utah mine by fall of slate. He drilled and tamped two shots, one on the top and one on the bottom. He fired the top shot first and sent back into his place to light the bottom one and was stooped over in the act of lighting it, when the slate fell upon him.

John Simonich, Austrian miner, single, age 33, was killed instantly in No. 4 room, fifth entry, No. 3 Mine, Sunnyside, February 12, 1914. Simonich and two partners were pulling pillars on the fifth entry and had finished the last strip on the room pillar. A hole had been drilled in the top coal for blasting down the remaining top coal, which was practically laying on the props and to get another car or two of coal to finish out his shift, he attempted to knock out a prop to bring down a portion of the top coal. As he knocked out the prop all of the top coal fell, burying Simonich. When removed from under the coal he was dead.

Horace Simpson was born March 26, 1880, in Swinton, Yorkshire, England. He married Laura Annie Bruck (1880 - 1932) at age 22, on December 25, 1902 in Rotherham Parish Church, Lankishire, England. Their second child, Olive, my grandmother, was born on the ship while crossing the ocean. Horace, Laura Annie, and child Clarence came to America in 1905. He died March 8, 1924 in Castle Gate, Carbon, Utah, at age 43, from a coal mine explosion and cave-in, along with his oldest son Clarence, age 18, while working in the Castle Gate, Utah mine. Laura was a widow for eight years. Clarence was married to Ethel Harriet Balser on September 19, 1923 in Price, Carbon, Utah. Their first child, Clenis Afton Simpson, was born May 30, 1924, three months after the Castle Gate mine explosion.

Simpson went through the Winter Quarters disaster in 1900 which cost 200 lives. He had served in that property as a fire boss and also as a mine boss. Because of his advanced age he was employed in the ill-fated mine as a track man. Rescuers entering the mines early this morning found his small tin pail in which he carried rail spikes and his tools along the side of the track in the main entry, but were unable to find any trace of his body. It is believed that it is buried beneath a pile of fallen coal.

Funeral services were held in Helper for Frank Singer who died here Wednesday. Mr. Singer had lived here for a number of years. His brother came down from Wyoming to help his two daughters who came from Salt Lake City to make the arrangements.

Research notes: Age 59 died Feb. 17, 1943 due to a fracture skull at the Castle Gate mine

Alger Larsen Skain, a Norwegian, 38 years old and single, was killed September 9, 1918, Clear Creek Mine, by a fall of slate while in the act of drilling hole. Caused by a smooth slip unobserved until after the accident.

Standardville, March 5 - Caught by caving ground at the Standard mine John Zdonich and Adam Shirl, miners, were killed Saturday. They were working at the three-quarter mile crosscut when the cave occurred, burying them completely. The bodies were recovered and will be sent to Price today. The cause of the cave-in has not been established; but an investigation will probably be made. The body of Shirl will be sent to Cleveland, Ohio, where relatives live. Zdonich’s body will be sent to his family in Murray.

Adam Skerl, 41, and John Zdmuch, 41, both of Austrian birth, were killed in an explosion of gas in an old drift of the mine at Standardville Saturday. They had no business in the drift. The body of Skerl will be sent to Columbus, Ohio tomorrow, according to Undertaker J. E. Flynn. The man had been in this country for ten years and was a resident of Carbon County for the past four years. Zdmuch’s body was sent to Murray, where his people reside, Monday. He had been in this country seventeen years, according to the death certificate, and in the county for the past five months.

William D. Elder, 59, was crushed beneath a fall of coal and rock by the mine at Storrs Tuesday morning. The body was brought to Price during the afternoon and will be sent to Ferron where the funeral and interment will take place.

LATUDA, Jan. 29 - Funeral arrangements were pending today for Matt Skerl, 52, an employe in the Liberty Fuel company mine in Carbon county, who was injured fatally yesterday by falling rock. Skerl, a native of Austria, had been employed at the mine as a track layer and timberman.

LATUDA - Matt Skerl, 52, an employe of the Liberty Fuel company mine here, was fatally injured Thursday at 2 p.m. when he was struck by falling rock from the roof of the mine. Mr. Skerl had been employed at the mine for several months as a track layer and timberman. He was born at Kenezak, Austria, February 6, 1890, a son of John and Mary Skerl. He married Johanna Novak in Austria and came to the United States 20 years ago and since had resided in Carbon county. He formerly was employed by the Castlegate mines.

LATUDA, Jan. 29 - Matt Skerl, 52, was killed late yesterday when struck by a falling rock while working in the Liberty Fuel Co. coal mine. He is survived by his widow, three daughters and a son, all of Latuda.

HELPER - Funeral services for Matt Skerl, 52, track layer and timber man at the Liberty Fuel company mine at Latuda, who was fatally injured in a mine accident here Thursday, will be conducted Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Helper civic auditorium. Burial will be in the Helper cemetery. Friends may call at the home of Mr. Skerl’s brother, John Skerl, at Spring Glen Saturday evening and Sunday until time of services.

Chris Scordes, a Greek miner, aged 24 years, single, was injured in the Aberdeen mine

Kenilworth, on the 14th of May, 1912, from which injuries he died the next day. Scordes was assisting in running two loaded cars of coal from the face of his room to the entry, and was in the act of spragging the wheels, when he stumbled over a small pile of coal lying near the room track, and was thrown in front of a loaded car, suffering a compound crushing and fracture of the right knee region. Amputation of the right leg was necessary at the local hospital, and further amputation was necessary at the St. Mark’s Hospital, Salt Lake City, where he succumbed to his injuries.

One man was killed in an underground fall of coal accident at Wattis, Lion Coal Mine.

Ursula Skufca, mother of Andrew Skoft, deceased, vs. Spring Canyon Coal Company.

Andrew Skoft, on the 2nd day of February, 1927, was killed by reason of an accident while regularly employed by the Spring Canyon Coal Company, when a falling rock crushed his head and shoulders. On February 15, 1928, application for compensation was filed by the Consul of the Kingdom of Serbs for and on behalf of Ursula Skufca, claiming that the said Ursula Skufca was the mother of the deceased and that she was dependent upon him for support.

The Commission dismissed the application for compensation for lack of jurisdiction on the part of the commission to proceed and consider the application on its merits, due to the fact that the application was not filed within the time prescribed by law, and ordered the Spring Canyon Coal Company to pay to the Treasury of the State of Utah the sum of $998.40, for the death of Andrew Skoft.

The Utah State industrial commission is passing on the claims for compensation made by the dependents of the victims of the explosion in the Castle Gate mine No. 2 of the Utah Fuel company on March 8. The commission is anxious to help the dependents and is endeavoring to expedite the adjustment of the claims. Saturday twenty-five cases were passed upon, the dependents being awarded $16 per week for 312 weeks - accrued payments to be made in lump sum, plus funeral expenses not to exceed $150. The cases disposed of Saturday and which the Utah Fuel company was directed to pay were: …Matilda Sluga, widow of George Sluga and five children, one unborn; (Julia Sluga was born July 8, 1924. Four months after her father’s death.)

DRAGERTON - Abraham Owen Jr., 51, died Wednesday; funeral Saturday at 2 p.m., Sunnyside LDS Ward Chapel.

Research notes: Cause of death was a broken neck and crushed chest when boom fell on miner at the Utah Fuel, Kaiser Coal mine.

KENILWORTH. Carbon County —Death toll in the Independent Coal and Coke Co. coal mine dust explosion was swelled to three Thursday, with two more miners in critical condition in Price hospital, and six more listed as serious. The blast occurred Wednesday. The rest of the 16-man crew was back at work, four uninjured, and one back on the job after emergency treatment for burns and shock.

The three died of severe burns and injuries. They are Gilmer Nielsen and Clem Hawks, Kenilworth, and Ivan Russell Jackson, Price.

Being treated are Richard Sarrimond, Arthur Smith, David Bennett and Arthur Lermusiax in Price hospital, and Nick Markakis, Iven Jensen, George Archibque and Felipe Armizo are in Kenilworth hospital. Alcaria Quintane was treated at Kenilworth and was back at work Thursday.

Ivan Russell Jackson, 27, who died Thursday at 3 a. m., was born in Lehi Dec. 1, 1917, a son of John S. and Victoria College Jackson. He had lived in Price two years. Survivors include his widow, Mrs. Vola Holley Jackson, Price; parents, and four sons and daughters, Erven, Verla, Lloyd and LeEarl. Price, and the following brothers and sisters, Lester W. Jackson, Lehi; Forrest Jackson, Draper; Floyd Jackson, Washington, D. C.; Mrs. Violet Chidester and Mrs. Fay Lamb, Price; Mrs. Myrtle Lovendale, Riverton; Mrs. Virginia Rasmussen, Salt Lake City, and Norman and Ronald Jackson, Lehi. Funeral services to be conducted in Lehi will be announced later by the Wallace mortuary, Price.

Gilmer B. Nielsen, 35, who died Wednesday at 9:10 p.m. in Price hospital, was born June 27, 1909, in Manti, Utah, a son of James and Florence E. Anderson Nielsen. He was a resident of Helper, Survivors include his widow, Mrs. Delma Rostron Nielsen, Helper: his mother, Gunnison; three children, Gilmer Regnol, Bobby J. and Cora Lou Nielsen, Helper, and three brothers, Melvin Nielsen, Lehi; Roldo Nielsen, Long Bench, Cal., and Alfonzo Nielsen, Salt Lake City.Funeral services will be conducted Sunday at 11 a. m. at the Helper civic auditorium. Burial will be in Manti under direction of Mitchell funeral home, Price.

Funeral services for Eugene Wendell Smith, 34, of Castle Gate will be conducted Friday afternoon at 2:30 in the Castle Gate Ward Chapel, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with Bishop Fay Thacker officiating. Mr. Smith died Monday afternoon from injuries suffered in the Castle Gate No. 2 mine. He was working with a coal loading crew, when a large section of top coal fell, pinning him against the machinery. Co-workers Remo Ariotti of Helper, Bert Huff and Bob Reynolds of Castle Gate, rushed to his aid and carried him to a coal car and took him to the surface where he was rushed to the City-County hospital in Price, where he died shortly after. At first his injuries had been thought not serious, but on arrival at the hospital examination showed he had a severely crushed chest.

He was born April 20, 1916, at Christman, Ill., a son of Herman and Ruby Dailey Smith. He married Luella Davies at Helper October 4, 1939. He had been a resident of Castle Gate for the past five years and was a member of Castle Gate local, UMWA.

A World War II veteran, Smith held many army service decorations, including Normandy, North France, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe battle stars; European, African and Central Europe Service ribbons; a good conduct medal, a victory medal, a distinguished unit badge and a purple heart.

Surviving him are his widow; two daughters, one son, all of Castle Gate; his mother, two sisters, and a grandmother.

Price Post of the American Legion will conduct military rites at the graveside in the Price City cemetery. Friends may call at the Mitchell funeral home until Friday noon and at the chapel in Castle Gate from 1 p.m. to time of the services.

Henry Eugene Smith was born January 29, 1894 in Meadow, Millard, Utah. He was the son of Prince Henry Smith and Katria Birgitta Sonberg. He married Ardith Barney on May 21, 1917 and they became the parents of one daughter and two sons. The second son, Hylon Eugene Smith was born May 17, 1924 in Clawson, Emery, Utah. His birth was just over two months from the date of his father’s death in the Castle Gate Mine Explosion. Henry Eugene Smith is buried in the Spring Glen cemetery.

James Smith, a driver, age 18, was killed in the Winter Quarters Mine on August 11th, 1905. Smith was making his last trip for the day and was riding on the shaft in front of three cars when the car next to horse became derailed, jamming Smith between mine prop and end of mine car. Causing injuries from which he died three hours after accident occurred.

Thomas Smith, a youth 19 years old, was killed in the Winter Quarters mines last Friday by being caught between some cars coming out of the mine and the timbering.

James M. Smith, 20, Wellington, was killed a few minutes before 1 p.m. Monday when he fell beneath the wheels of rolling railroad cars at the Savage Coal Service loadout at Sunnyside Junction about 15 miles east of Price.

In a report filed by Carbon County Deputy Sheriff Michael Martinez, it was reported that Smith had been operating the brakes of some free-rolling coal railroad cars that were being filled with coal at the loadout.

Above the cars being filled was a string of 14 cars on the same track. The procedure is that seven of the cars are loaded at a time and then seven more empty cars are rolled down an incline to be filled at the loadout.

According to Jeff Green, Price, another employee at the loadout, Smith was riding between the fourth and fifth cars operating the brakes. The fifth car was being loaded. Wayne Cartwright, Kenilworth, was at the string of cars attempting to drop seven of the 14 and allow them to roll down the rail incline to the loadout. According to the report, Cartwright released the brakes on the first seven cars only to have the cars stop rolling after only a few feet.

"Cartwright stated that he reset the brakes holding the front cars and went to the rear to release the brakes holding the rear group of cars," Martinez’ report stated. Once those brakes were released, all 14 cars began rolling down the incline toward the loadout, the report said. Cartwright said he ran after the cars but couldn’t keep up with them and he yelled to workers at the loadout to warn them. Cartwright said a truck driver saw what was happening and started honking his horn to get the attention of the workers below.

Green reported to Martinez that he was up in the tower eating lunch when he saw the other cars coming down the incline and that he ran out to yell at Smith to jump. Green reported that Smith must not have been able to hear him because he saw his hardhat between the cars and after the collision he couldn’t see him anymore. Green ran along the tracks looking for Smith but couldn’t find him so he called the Sheriff’s office for an ambulance.

Green testified Tuesday in a hearing with Mine Safety and Health Administration, state mine inspector’s office, Utah Industrial Commission, Savage coal Service, and sheriff’s department officials that "there have been a lot of problems with the brakes on the coal cars they have received from Denver and Rio Grande Railroad."

Martinez reported that the runaway cars rolled down a 1 ½ percent grade for about 2,000 feet before the collision and estimated the speed of the cars at near 20 miles per hour when they impacted with the cars at the loadout. Following the collision, the cars rolled another 1,800 feet before coming to a stop.

Martinez reported that Smith apparently fell onto the east track and was run over by all 17 cars behind him, severing his body. The deputy sheriff said Smith did not on a safety belt at the time of the accident but it could not be determined if the safety line had been attached to the car on which he was sitting.

"Also, we found on the car which was first in line of the 14 runaway cars that the chain holding the brake had a broken link," Martinez reported. Martinez said it was not determined whether the link was broken before or as a result of the accident. The deputy also said that investigation by MSHA and the industrial commission is continuing. He added that the railroad is also sending some people to determine the cause of the accident. Funeral services for Smith will be held on Friday at 2 p.m. at the Olpin Family Mortuary in Pleasant Grove.

HELPER - A Helper coal miner, Joe Smith, 47, was killed yesterday when he was struck by falling coal while working in the Royal Coal Co. mine four miles west of Helper. Smith died 10 minutes after the mishap. He was survived by his widow and three children.

John Smith, aged about 49 years, a miner and single, was killed by falling rock and coal in the Castle Gate mine last Friday. When the accident occurred the man was putting in a prop. An inquest was held by Justice Reese Friday afternoon, the jury holding the company blameless. Smith came here from Michigan a few months ago with a partner, but had not been over long from England. Nothing is known of his relatives in the old country. He was buried at Castle Gate on Saturday. Out of respect for the dead man the mines were closed down Saturday.

John Smith, a miner, was killed in the Castle Gate Mine, on September 23rd, 1904. His back was broken, causing instant death. Copy of Coroner’s verdict: That the said John Smith came to his death by not taking the necessary precautions, having been warned of the danger by his partner, George Danson, and Inspector Wm. J. Howard. We find that he came to his death by a fall of rock, through neglect, and attach no blame to anyone.

PRICE, Utah, Oct. 24 - T. Woodrow Smith, 26, was instantly killed late yesterday at the Independent Coal and Coke company mine at Kenilworth, near here, when he was crushed between a car and a mine locomotive. Smith was working with Abe Crawford, his assistant, who discovered the accident and attempted to administer first aid. However, Dr. R. W. Robinson, mine physician, said Smith must have died instantly, so severely were his head and chest crushed. He was born at Myton on February 20, 1913, a son of Abraham Owen and Emma Jane Housekeeper Smith. He was unmarried.

SALT LAKE CITY - Jan. 18 - Arnold Snow, 40, a miner in the Utah Fuel company’s No. 2 mine at Castle Gate, was killed early today in a coal cave-in. Mine officials said the accident occurred when Snow and his partner Jack Hreinson, were "shooting" coal. Hreinson said the cave-in came without warning. Snow’s skull was fractured and he died a few minutes after a rescue crew reached him. He is survived by his widow, a son and two daughters.

Award of $16 a week for six years is made by the state industrial commission to Mrs. Bessie Snow, in behalf of herself and three minor children, on account of the death of her husband, Arnold Snow, working as a shot-firer for the Utah Fuel company at Castle Gate, who was killed January 18. Mr. Snow had attempted to fire two sets of shots. Only one detonated. While he was attempting to connect the set of missed shots again a mass of coal fell from the first shot and killed him instantly.

Daddy and Mother were active in all aspects of their children's lives. They were very instrumental in fund raising for the Carbon High band's trip to Chicago. Montie was in the band at that time. They were highly supportive of this group.

Since Mother was President of the Relief Society and her health was fragile, one night she and Daddy decided that they should go down and talk to the bishop and see about a possible release from her calling. After they had talked to him, they came home and Bulah remembers Daddy resting a while and asking her to play him a tune on the piano. She played "Rippling Waters." He asked her to play it again and she did. He and Mother then said a prayer and he left some crackers by her bedside to help her feel better in the morning. He then left for work. However, that was the last time the family saw him alive, as he was killed early the next morning in an accident in the mine.

Part of his job was to go in and inspect the gas levels of the mine. He went into an area inspecting where a "cross cut" had started to be driven. He had his light off and safety lamp on testing for gas. As he moved around the rib, or wall, it wasn't secure and the roof fell in on him, burying him in the coal. Montie said that in looking over his body, the only mark on his face or head area was a bruise on his head, probably from a large piece of coal.

The bishop came early in the morning to Mother and told her. Montie and Bulah can remember Mother screaming and everything in confusion. Daddy was so needed with his family and was so loved by everyone, that it was indeed a tragedy for the whole town. It was especially hard for Montie. He was about 16 years old and he and Daddy were so close. Bulah was about 13, and Bonnie Mae was about 8 years old.

He was killed January 18, 1934. He was 42 years old. They had two big funerals - one in Castle Gate and one in Orangeville. In those days, when someone died, they brought their body to their home to stay the night before the funeral. One of the things that Montie, Bulah and Bonnie Mae remember vividly, and still makes them cry, occurred the morning of the Castle Gate funeral. As they brought Daddy's body out of the house to go down to the Hall for the funeral, there at the top of the hill by our house, was the Carbon High School band in full uniform. They followed the casket down the hill to the Hall, playing "Nearer My God, to Thee." It was a bitter, cold winter day, but they showed their love and respect to our Father. . .

Savage Industries Inc. (ZP4)
Salt Lake City, Utah
Pinnacle Mine
Andalex Resources, Inc.
Price, Carbon County, Utah
I.D. No. 42-01474

On Wednesday, February 27, 2002, at about 5:05 p.m., Bryon Snow, age 43, a coal truck driver employed by Savage Industries Inc., an independent contractor trucking company, was fatally injured at the Pinnacle Mine while loading his Kenworth, double-trailer truck with coal. Snow had 1 year 9 weeks experience with Savage Industries operating coal haul trucks. There were no witnesses to the accident. It appears that the rear trailer was not properly positioned beneath the coal spreader chute and about 3 to 4 tons of coal spilled down the right side of the rear trailer. Snow, after becoming aware of the spill, pulled the truck forward, set the tractor parking brakes, and got out of the truck. The tractor and trailers then started to move forward down an 8 to 9 percent grade toward the main road. Snow apparently ran after the truck and attempted to get in and stop it. The truck traveled downgrade, left the road, and entered the left drainage ditch. It stopped after traveling approximately 200 feet. The back trailer struck the hillside along the ditch and turned on its side. Snow was thrown from the truck, ran over, and fatally crushed by the tires. He was found lying on the ground about 1 foot from the left dual tires on the rear trailer. This was Snow's first trip to the Pinnacle Mine to load and transport coal.

On Wednesday, February 27, 2002, Brian Snow started his shift at approximately 4:05 p.m., at Savage Industries' Coal Service Operations shop, located on the Nine-Mile road near Wellington, Utah. Snow conducted a pre-operational check on his Kenworth coal haul truck and then traveled to the Pinnacle Mine coal loadout. He followed John D. Wimmer in his coal truck to the mine. Robin Beason left the shop after Snow in a third haul truck.

Wimmer arrived at the Pinnacle Mine and loaded his truck without incident. He then parked the truck, secured the brakes, and walked to Snow's truck. He stood on the truck's running board to instruct Snow in loading his first load at the mine. Snow loaded the first trailer without incident. Wimmer then left and started toward the Wildcat Train Loadout facility.

Wimmer received a radio call from Snow when he was about a mile from the mine. Snow thought he was getting more coal loaded in the rear trailer than he should. He thought he was getting a double feed. Wimmer told him to shut off the feed belt. That was his last conservation with Snow. Information indicates that Snow pulled his truck forward, set the tractor parking brakes, and got out of the truck to shut off the belt and check the coal that had spilled. After Snow exited the truck, it started moving forward, down an approximate eight to nine percent grade. Snow apparently ran after the truck and attempted to get in and stop it.

The truck continued down the road and turned into the left drainage ditch alongside the main road. The rear trailer hit the hillside beside the drainage ditch, turned over on its left side, and threw coal out on the hillside. The truck then came to a stop with the engine running, the transmission in neutral gear, and both parking brake buttons pulled out. The truck stopped with the rear trailer in the ditch and the tractor on the roadway surface. The truck traveled approximately 200 feet from the loadout.

Beason arrived at the accident scene at 5:08 p.m., a few minutes after the accident occurred. He found Snow on the ground approximately a foot from the left rear dual tires of the back trailer. He immediately notified the Savage Industries dispatcher, who called the 911 County emergency number. The Carbon County Ambulance was dispatched at 5:20 p.m., and arrived at the accident scene at 5:30 p.m. Officers with the Carbon County Sheriff's department and the Highway Patrol also arrived at the scene. The ambulance crew examined Snow and detected no vital signs. His body was removed from the site and transported to Salt Lake City, Utah, for autopsy.

Bryon Sharp Snow, age 43, of Price, passed away February 27, 2002, in Price, Utah. He was born March 12, 1958, in Los Angeles, CA to Barney Ray and Beverly Marie Sharp Snow. Bryon married Michelle Dianne Benedict on Jan. 7, 2002 in Orem, Utah. After graduating from Bullard High School, in Fresno, Bryon joined the United States Air Force and was stationed at Nellis, AFB in Las Vegas, NV, where he served as a fireman. Bryon was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and most recently he and Michelle were active in the Westwood Ward in Price, Utah.

He is survived by his wife, Michelle; daughter, Erin; three sons, Ryan, Sean, Samuel; an unborn child; parents, Beverly and Ray Snow of Fresno, CA; two brothers, Eric S. Snow of Clovis, CA, and Keith S. Snow of Orem, Utah; and a sister Shireen S. Malan of Fresno.

A viewing for Bryon Snow will take place on March 5, 2002 at 12 noon at the Suncrest 9th Ward Chapel, 130 North 400 West, Orem. Funeral services will immediately follow at 2 p.m. Interment in the Provo City Cemetery under the direction of Berg Mortuary. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to the Bryon Snow Memorial Funds set up at Wells Fargo Bank.

John Schneider, an Austrian, 34 years of age, married, wife and one child, was killed at Sunnyside, Utah, November 9, 1909. He was shoveling coal into a car, when a bounce came in the coal, throwing coal against him and knocking him into an old cave twenty-five feet from face, fracturing the base of his skull.

A fatal accident occurred at Mine No. 1 of the Utah Fuel Co. at Sunnyside last Tuesday. It was reported ten were injured and two killed. One was a Greek, one Italian and the rest Austrians. The accident was caused by what is known as a "bounce."

The injured are being cared for at the company hospital. It is almost impossible to get a report of the accident on account of the secrecy maintained at Sunnyside. State Coal Mine Inspector Pettit is now there investigating the cause of the accident.

One of the most peculiar accidents in the history of coal mining occurred in the Utah Fuel Company’s Sunnyside No. 4 mine, on November 2, 1909. On this date eleven miners were at work drawing the room pillars, stumps and the chain pillars on the third right entry. Already some 1,300 feet had been pulled, being the end of the chain pillar opposite room No. 11. Local bounces had occurred at intervals, but had always given sufficient warning to allow the workmen to be withdrawn until the superincumbent strata had broken down or otherwise come to rest.

On the day of the accident the workmen had gone to work at the usual time (about 7 am) and had worked until the casualty happened and nothing unusual had taken place.

The work of drawing the chain pillars was carried on by two squads working under the direction of D. V. Smith, an American of long experience in coal mining. The squad working in the third right entry on the upper side of the chain pillar consisted of five men, John Schnidar, Joseph Zorka, Matt Thomas, John Borich and Matt Borich, all Austrians, while the squad was working on the back third right entry on the lower side of the chain pillar consisted of six men, James Pappas, Mike Pappas, Jim Vitakis, Andrew Taurikis, John Maradakis and George Minas, all Greeks.

At 1:30 pm on the above date a terrific bounce, without the slightest warning, took place, throwing a large quantity of coal out of both the upper and lower sides of the chain pillar (estimated by me to be approximately 200 tons), the greatest quantity, however, being thrown out on the lower side and the lesser quantity from the upper side. Although the quantity thrown out on the upper side was smaller, it was projected with much greater force, and here the only casualty obtained.

On the upper side of the chain pillar the bounce threw several tons of coal a distance of thirty to forty feet, pushed the mine track, on which a loaded car was standing, a distance of seventeen feet, and turned the loaded car through an angle of ninety degrees. The blast also blew Joseph Zorka about thirty feet into the gob. Immediately under the track a block of the floor, practically parallel with the track and about ten feet in width, burst up a distance of fourteen inches, showing clean fracture on each side, and a median fracture arching the upheaved portion an additional eight inches, making an uplift of fourteen inches along the side fractures, and twenty-two inches along the median line.

The conditions just before the accident, as far as can be determined from a close investigation made by myself in company with the Utah Fuel Company officials, and a later examination by Robert Forrester, the consulting engineer and geologist of the Utah Fuel Company, shows that John Schnidar, Joseph Zorka, Matt Thomas, John Borich and Matt Borich had finished loading a car of coal, and as the coal was loose and easily obtained these men were resting when the bounce occurred. From the conditions after the accident, it shows that John Schnidar was sitting or leaning on top of his shovel immediately over the median fracture of the floor. At the time of the accident the portion of the floor between the two lateral fractures was thrown up with explosive force and John Schnidar was thrown head first against the roof, and before he fell the coal was thrown out from the pillar under him so that he was found lying on top of the blown out coal and alongside of the mine car. Joe Zorda was thrown a distance of about thirty feet into the gob and against a large rock on the edge of the cave; John Borich and Matt Borich were pushed around with a loaded car; Matt Thomas was thrown with his legs under the end of the car.

The casualties of the accident all occurred on the upper side of the chain pillar and resulted as follows: John Schnidar, killed instantly; Joe Zorka, skull fractured; died 7 p.m. November 2. Matt Thomas head cut back bruised, died 9 a.m. November 3; John Borich, two ribs broken; Matt Borich, right leg broken below the knee.

The accident was directly attributable to an earth wave (earthquake) which passed through the town of Sunnyside and the mine at 1:30 p.m., November 2, 1909. This earth wave was of short duration but very acute. In the school house some of the children’s heads were brought in forcible contact with their desks, and in some of the houses the effect was equally pronounced.

PRICE Aug. 23 - Two miners were killed in cave-ins in the coal mining region Thursday. Mike Dekleva, for 11 years an employe of the United States Fuel company at Hiawatha, was killed at 3 p.m. in the company’s mine. He was an Austrian and leaves a wife and five children.

Frank Tizek, 40, was killed at 11 a.m. within 50 feet of the entrance to mine No. 2 of the Utah Fuel company. He was placing support timbers against the roof when a part of the surface caved down upon him. Tizek was a bachelor.

Names and addresses of relatives of six men fatally injured in industrial accidents in various parts of the state were being sought by the state industrial commission Saturday. The commission desires to advise them of the rights of dependents of deceased persons in case dependency exists under provisions of the state Industrial act. The names of the deceased persons, the date of their injury and their place of employment at the time they were injured have been announced by the Industrial commission as follows:

Jose Sanchez, fatally injured August 23 at Spring Canyon while employed by the Spring Canyon Coal company as a coal digger.

Frank Zelts, fatally injured August 22 at Castle Gate while engaged as a coal digger by the Utah Fuel company. (Soitz on record)

Angela Barcelo, fatally injured August 26 at Bingham Canyon while employed by the United States Smelting, Refining and Mining company.

Tony Gomez, fatally injured September 2 while working as a coal miner for the Columbia Steel corporation at Columbia.

Tom Aldrich of Helper, fatally injured while employed as a helper by the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad company on August 16.

Steven Sunich, fatally injured while working as a miner for the New Quincy Mining company at Park City, July 21.

August 22d, 1929, No. 1 Mine of Utah Fuel Company, Castle Gate, Utah. Frank Yietz, Austrian, age 39, single. Employed as miner, deceased was killed by fall of rock caused by bounce while in the act of setting props.

Jack Sompa, a Finn, single, aged 20 years, was killed In room No. 4, main back entry of the Utah mine, at 9:00 a.m. May 23rd, 1911. He and his partner, Matt Sompa, a brother, prepared a shot near the floor of their working room, mining their shot near the roof. After the mining was completed, they fired the shot which appears to have had too much powder, as two props, one on either side of the track, were knocked out. When the Sompa Brothers had lit the squib, they ran back to their tool box, which was located on the right side of the room near the rib, 65 feet from the face of the room. As soon as the blast was fired, they returned to the face of their working place. When Jack Sompa had reached a point 14 feet from the face of left side of the room track, a slab of rock that had been supported by the prop and cap piece which was knocked out by flying coal from the blast, fell upon him. It forced him to the floor, with his head between his knees, breaking his back, from which effects he died shortly after the rock was removed from off him. The rock which caused his death measured 5 feet by 3 feet by 10 inches in thickness, the height of the place being 7 feet 3 inches.

Martin Kink, a company timber man, was replacing timbers in the room about 30 feet from the miner’s box. He saw the men come to the box, but neither of them warned him that they were about to shoot. Looking towards the face of the room, however, he saw that a squib was burning. He left his work and made for the mouth of the room, but before he was able to reach the entry, the shot went off. He immediately returned to his work and saw the miners go to the face of the room without allowing the smoke to clear away. He heard something fall, and then heard a groan. Looking towards the face of the room he saw no light. He ran to the face of the room and saw Matt Sompa in the act of trying to lift a large rock off his brother. Kink assisted to remove the rock from off the injured man, and helped carry him to the box, where he died.

The United States Fuel company was also directed to pay $998.40 into the state treasury for the death of Poledeukes George Londrakis, who was killed while in the employ of the company and who left no dependents, the payment to go to the combined injury benefit fund. The deceased had relatives in Greece who applied for compensation as dependents, but the commission denied the claim.

K. Sone, Japanese coal loader, aged 34, (wife and two children in Japan), was injured in No. 1 room, on the fourth level, No. 2 mine, Castle Gate, January 23, 914, from the results of which he died the same day. Sone and partner had been instructed to load coal from the face of the fourth left entry, but instead of working at the place designated to them by foreman, he and partner found that No. 1 room on the fourth left entry had been shot and considerable loose coal was there. They commenced to load the coal from No. 1 room when the roof caved, with the result that Sone was killed.

On the 30th day of June, 1921, the Utah Fuel Company petitioned the Commission to modify the decision rendered in the above entitled case on the 13th day of September, 1918, for the reason that Rosa Soter, widow of the decedent, George Soter, was remarried on the 24th day of May, 1921, to Mr. Frank Ule of Sunnyside.

In view of the petition of the Utah Fuel Company and the fact that Rosa Soter was remarried, the Commission makes the following findings:

That George Soter of Clear Creek, Utah, on the 26th day of July, 1918, was injured by accident arising out of and in the course of his employment, while employed by the Utah Fuel Company as a miner; while in the regular course of his duty a prop "kicked out" at the top and struck Soter on the head just as he was passing, causing him to sustain fracture of the skull, compound fracture of the left leg, contusions of left shoulder and resulting in his death four hours after said accident.

That Rose Soter, his widow, on the 27th day of August, 1918 elected to accept the benefits provided in the Compensation Act on behalf of herself and her minor child, Bertha Soter, fourteen months old.

That on the 26th day of July, 1918, Rosa Soter, the wife, and Bertha Soter, the fourteen months old minor child of the decedent, were living with him and were dependent upon him for their maintenance and support.

That the Utah Fuel Company paid compensation to the said Rosa Soter, for the benefit of herself and minor child at the rate of Fifteen Dollars per week for a period of One Hundred Fifty-one weeks, amounting to the sum of $2,265.00 to and including June 16, 1921, leaving a balance unpaid of One Hundred Forty-nine weeks, or $2,235.00.

That on the 24th day of May, 1921, Rosa Soter was married to Frank Ule of Sunnyside, Utah. That the wage earned by the decedent at the time of his injury was $40.00 per week, working six days per week.

In view of the foregoing findings, the commission concludes: That the Decision rendered by the Commission on the thirteenth day of September, 1918, should be modified and that Utah Fuel Company should pay to Mrs. Rosa Ule, guardian of the person and estate of her minor child, Bertha Soter, compensation in the sum of $15.00 per week for a period not to exceed 149 weeks, or exceed the sum of $2235.00.

Research note: Age 45 died July 26, 1918 due to a skull fracture at the Clear Creek, Utah Fuel, Eagle, O’Conner Mine.

S. Ochi, a Japanese, 43 years old (divorced) was killed February 26, 1920, Hiawatha No. 1 Mine, by fall of coal. He was loading a car of coal, when all of a sudden a piece or chunk of coal fell from the left side corner of the pillar, striking him on the head and killing him instantly.

Jos. M. Soyc, a miner, age 24, was killed in the Sunnyside Mine number 2 on September 9th, 1905. At the time of accident Soyc and his partner Frank Sajz, were working at the face of their room, Sajz had gone back from the face to get a sharp pick, when coal fell from the roof from a smooth slip. Causing injuries from which he died a few hours afterwards.

John Spigarella, age 42 years, an Italian, married, wife, four children, two boys and two girls, was killed at Scofield, Utah, November 1, 1909. He had pushed his last car down the room and put a paper on a lump of coal to show the shot firers how many shots he had, and started to pick up his pick when the coal fell and crushed him. No inquest held.

HIAWATHA, -- Cecil Spigarelli, 26, Hiawatha, a nipper at the Hiawatha coal mine of the U. S. Fuel company, switched his job to that of motorman for a day Tuesday and met his death under the wheels of the motor he was operating. Mr. Spigarelli fell from his seat on the motor and the vehicle ran over him, according to W. N. Weizel of Hiawatha, superintendent of the mine. The accident occurred Tuesday at 11 a.m. As a nipper, Mr. Spigarelli’s job was to connect coal cars to the motor. Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Fern Christensen Spigarelli of Hiawatha; his mother, Mrs. Mary Bladig of Price; a brother, Remo Spigarelli of Hiawatha; a sister, Irene Spigarelli of Oakland, Cal., and three half-sisters, Mrs. Perena Basso, of Price; Miss Ellen Bladig of Price and Miss Mary Bladig of Salt Lake City.

Michael Pan Steffanos met death in the disaster at Castle Gate on March 8, 1924. His parents, who reside in Cardara, Mantineas, Greece, applied for compensation to the Industrial commission and the Utah Fuel company was directed to pay to them $8 per week for a period of 126 weeks., the amount not to exceed $1008, which accrued payments to be made in lump sum.

Enagelas Staikos, a Greek miner, aged 45 years, wife and four children, was killed at the face of No. 1 room, 2nd Right entry, No. 2 mine, Castle Gate, Utah, on the 5th day of August, 1911. Deceased had been mining on the Left rib of his room, near the face, but for some reason got up from the position of mining and walked across the room near the face, where a rock in the roof, known as a pot hole rock, fell without warning, crushing him so that he died before he could be removed from the mine. Both the mine foreman and the fire boss had ordered him to put up props in his place, the morning of the accident and the day previous. This, in a measure, might have averted the accident, but the deceased had neglected to do so. The pothole rock measured about 5 feet by 6 feet, and was two feet in thickness in the center.

In this case the employer admitted liability for the death of Earl J. Staker, who was struck by a car in the mine of defendant November 16th, 1928. The commission ordered the payment of compensation at the rate of $16.00 per week for a period of 307 6-7 weeks to the widow of deceased for the benefit of herself and one minor child.

Research note: Age 26 died Nov. 16, 1928 due to infection of leg caused by accident at Kenilworth, Independent coal and Coke, Royal Blue, Aberdeen mine.

James Stackos, Greek, aged 18 years, working as a coupler on the bridge at Castle Gate Mine No. 1, was killed by a runaway car, May 15th at 8:10 a.m.

An empty trip of cars was going into the mine and had about reached the old fourth entry, when in some unknown manner the rear car became uncoupled from the trip, running wild out of the mine onto the bridge. The former loaded trip having been dumped, the wild car had a clear track to the curve in the track, some 25 feet outside the entrance to the tipple shed, and some 5 feet from the stop block. The car coming down the incline had reached a tremendous velocity. Reaching the curve, it jumped the track and passing over and striking the iron brace of the stop block, it struck the corner of the tipple shed, the car falling to the railroad tracks below. Stackos was on the lower or empty track, and upon hearing the runaway car, was presumably making for the shelter of the bridge formed by the loaded track passing over the empty track, when the bumper or wheel of the flying car struck him on the head, causing his death before reaching the hospital. The car coming so swiftly and unexpectedly did not give Stackos time to get to the safety switch to throw it and ditch the car. At any rate, the car did not take the switch, but the switch was thrown from the fact that the next loaded trip out of the mine was derailed at the safety switch.

Funeral services for Esmond E. Staley, who was killed in a mine accident at Storrs last week, were held at Storrs Friday afternoon under the auspices of the Storrs Odd Fellows. Interment was made Sunday at Scofield, where a second service was held. Mr. Staley was born in Upton, Utah, in 1882 and had spent most of his life in the state. He had lived with his family at Storrs for the past six years. He is survived by his wife and six children, as follows: Conrad, 15, Ruth, 13, Esmond, 11, Howard, 8, Levall, 6, and Ethel, 2. The father of the deceased, Esmond Staley, resides at Upton, where the mother died some months ago. Five brothers and five sisters also survive him. They are John C. and Eugene Staley and Mrs. Lizzie Parry of Scofield; Richard and Elmer Staley, Mrs. Myrtle Gulliguly and Mrs. Edith Saxton of Upton; Jess Staley, Mrs. Sadie Saxton and Mrs. Ethel Saxton of Nevada.

George Stamatelos, 35, was killed by a fall of rock and coal in the mine at Sunnyside Monday, the chest and pelvis being crushed by the weight of the fall. Funeral services were held yesterday afternoon from the Greek church in Price and interment made in City cemetery.

Sam Stamatiou, aged 27 years, a Greek laborer (wife and two children) was killed at the north drift of the American Fuel Company’s mine, near Thompson’s March 18, 1912. He was working at the north drift, west side of Canyon, driving an open cut consisting of earth and boulders, preparatory to the opening up of a seam of coal. The cut was 35 feet from the point of commencement, the face of cut being 10 feet 9 inches high. A large rock or boulder was encountered about 7 feet back from the present face of cut on the left rib, 7 feet 6 inches from the floor. This rock was too solidly imbedded in the dirt to be taken down when it was first uncovered, but it later became loosened as the frost left the ground. Stamatiou and partner, one Smith, were working together when Smith noticed that the rock was loosening and warned Stamatiou to go away from the rock while he went to the upper edge of the cut to bar the loosened rock down. As Smith started for the upper edge of the cut, Stamatiou walked directly under the rock to make sure (it is presumed) that it was loose, when it fell down upon him, tearing away the back part of his skull and killing him instantly.

Mike Stamblakis, a Greek, 35 years old and married, leaves a wife and two daughters who reside at Hiawatha, Utah, was fatally injured August 14, 1920, and died October 10, 1920. He had worked seven months in No. 1 Mine at Hiawatha. He was injured while visiting John Apostalakis, who was killed by top coal falling upon him. Some of the coal rolled over, striking Mike and throwing him against a car, breaking his legs, also fracture at spinal junction.

Dan Stankovich, an Austrian, 25 years old and single, was fatally injured January 4, 1922, in the No. 1 Sunnyside Mine, by a fall of coal while he was undercutting it with a hand pick. He had no sprags to keep coal up. He died five hours after accident.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION COAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH REPORT OF INVESTIGATION UNDERGROUND COAL MINE EXPLOSIONS JULY 31 - AUGUST 1, 2000

WILLOW CREEK MINE - MSHA ID. NO. 42-02113 PLATEAU MINING CORPORATION HELPER, CARBON COUNTY, UTAH

The longwall crew consisted of Wesley Ellner, tailgate shearer operator; Kyle Medley, headgate shearer operator; Tyson Hales, stageloader operator; Ronnie Gonzales and Shane Stansfield, longwall mechanics; and Cory Nielsen, propman. At approximately 3:50 p.m., the longwall crew, along with McKinnon, Whitten, Berdan, and Jas Mills, boarded the mantrip on the surface and traveled underground to the D-3 section.

At 11:48 p.m., a methane explosion occurred on the headgate side of the D-3 gob. Outside in the mine office, Dean LaCotta, Jr., AMS attendant, observed that the system was reporting communication failures with many sensors surrounding the D-3 section. All of the miners on the D-3 section, and those in close proximity to the section, felt the forces of the explosion, but most miners interpreted the forces to be a result of a major 7 cave in the gob. The physical effect of the explosion varied for each miner depending upon their proximity to the origin. Stansfield, probably located near Crosscut 49, was thrown by the forces and suffered rib injuries. Burton, located at Shield 3, was knocked down. Medley’s hard hat was knocked off. Ellner felt a blast of air traveling from the headgate toward the tailgate and turned toward the face to shield his eyes from the suspended dust. When Ellner turned back toward the shield line, he observed sporadic blue flames in the toes of Shield 8. He shouted "fire" to alert the miners at the headgate. Medley and Ellner then observed flames at Shield 6.

At approximately 11:55 p.m., a second explosion occurred in the D-3 gob. The forces of the explosion threw Medley to Shield 6, where he ended up on his hands and knees in a pool of water and burning hydrocarbons. Nielsen, who was located on the shield line outby Medley, was thrown to Shield 4 and was asphyxiated as a consequence of carbon monoxide poisoning. The forces of the explosion threw Burton outby in the No. 1 entry and he ended up by the stageloader near Crosscut 49. McKinnon was thrown into Crosscut 49 facing the outby rib. He lost his cap lamp. Burton and McKinnon felt intense heat and each received burns and other injuries. Burton lost consciousness. McKinnon attempted to don his own personal SCSR. However, he dropped it and was unable to find it. Whitten was knocked down and thrown back into Crosscut 49 against the outby rib. He lost his hard hat, but not his cap lamp. Whitten made his way to the No. 2 entry where he saw Berdan.

Berdan was in No. 2 entry near Crosscut 49. Tyson Hales was nearby. Gonzales, Stansfield, and Ellner were located in the No. 2 entry close to Crosscut 48. Gonzales heard the explosion, felt slight forces and observed dust and debris coming out of Crosscut 49 into the No. 2 entry. Marvidikis, in the belt entry near Crosscut 25, felt a small rush of air and believed that it was another cave. He continued the preshift examination in the No. 1 entry, traveling inby.

Gonzales and Stansfield signaled the miners near Crosscut 49 to evacuate. Ellner was at the driver’s door of the mantrip and was entering the vehicle. Gonzales opened the back door on the driver’s side while Stansfield was preparing to enter the passenger side.

At approximately 11:56 p.m., a third explosion occurred in the gob. The forces of the third explosion likely resulted in Stansfield being fatally injured.

As McKinnon walked to the mantrip, he saw Tyson Hales lying on the mine floor. McKinnon, due to his injuries, was unable to assist Tyson Hales. McKinnon, Berdan, and Medley traveled out of the mine. At this time, Tyson Hales, Burton, Stansfield, and Nielsen were the only miners remaining underground.

Powell, Robinson, and Montoya remained with Tyson Hales to stabilize his condition and load him on a stretcher. Robinson proceeded outby and backed one of the trucks inby to Crosscut 48. Haigler, Wood, and Moosman found Burton in the No. 2 entry, halfway between Crosscuts 48 and 49 lying partially under a shop car. Burton was conscious, alert, and was able to describe his injuries to the team members. He also relayed to the team that he thought Stansfield was outby his location and that Nielsen was probably still inby him. They pulled Burton from under the shop car, stabilized his injuries, and loaded him on a stretcher. Burton was carried outby toward the truck at Crosscut 48 where Tyson Hales had just been placed onto the truck by Powell and Montoya.

In order to place Burton onto the truck, it was necessary to clear more space. The team members began to unload some of their equipment and while throwing fire extinguishers toward the rib, Moosman discovered another miner lying against the outby corner of Crosscut 48 in the No. 2 entry. The miner was identified as Stansfield. He was positioned against a timber set along the rib and was covered with brattice cloth. Powell determined that Stansfield had received fatal injuries.

PRICE Aug. 8 - John Statakikis, 40, was killed in the Standard company mine Tuesday night, when a rock fell, crushing his skull. He is survived by a wife and a child.

PRICE April 7 - Funeral services will be conducted today for Frank Stavar, Sr. 57, of Spring Glen, who died in a Price hospital Wednesday of complications following an accident in the Peerless mine March 23. Death resulted from pneumonia. Stavar suffered chest injuries when he was crushed between two mine cars. He was the father of Corporal Frank Stavar, Jr. now stationed at Ogden.

A miner’s widow was awarded a pension of $8.04 a week for six years by the state industrial commission. Her husband, H. V. Paulson, was killed October 26 when run over by a mine car. The award is the maximum allowed by law and is based on an average weekly salary of $13.40. The widow of Mike Stavros, killed in a mine accident October 19, will receive $8.74 per week.

October 8th, 1929, No. 1 Mine of the Standard Coal Company, Standardville, Utah. Charles Stephens, American, age 36, married. Employed as machine runner, deceased was killed by a fall of rock while loading the machine onto the traveling trucks, against which action he had been warned because of the condition of the roof.

Benjamin Stevens was born on September 14, 1896 in Orderville, Washington County, Utah to Charles Franklin Stevens and Olive Emily DeMille. He was the eleventh of their thirteen children. In his early years he was known as Benjamin but as he grew older, he went by the name of Bennie.

He went to Castle Gate, Utah in April of 1922 and his wife, Freda, went to Salt Lake to stay with her parents. In October of 1923 he started working as a driver for the Utah Fuel company.

Five month later "On March 8, 1924, in the second major mine disaster of the twentieth century in the Utah coal fields, 172 men lost their lives, including one worker who inadvertently inhaled deadly carbon monoxide during the rescue effort. At 8:00 A.M. two violent explosions ripped through the Number Two Mine of the Utah Fuel Company, located at Castle Gate in the canyon north of present-day Helper and Price, in Carbon County. The cause of the disaster was attributed to inadequate watering down of the coal dust from the previous shift’s operations, as well as the use of open flames in the workers’ headlamps. No workers in the mine survived the explosion; fatalities included 49 Greeks, 22 Italians, 8 Japanese, 7 English, 6 Austrians (Yugoslavs), 2 Scotch, 1 Belgian, and 76 Americans, including 2 African-Americans. The ethnic make-up of the victims of the disaster reflected the international character of Utah’s mining industry".

Benjamin Stevens was one of the men who died instantly.

Oliver Carlos Stevens, Bennie’s brother continued writing in his history: "My brother Nephi and his brother in law and I went in my car to take turns in driving and … reached Spanish Fork just at daybreak. By inquiring we found the way to Castle Gate and witnessed the dead men being brought from the mine, we saw our brother’s form but not his face. He was buried in the Mount Olivet Cemetery in Salt Lake City and I had the honor of dedicating his grave.

His obituary reads: "Funeral services for Benjamin Stevens, 28 years of age, who lost his life in the Castlegate mine disaster, will be held at 2 o’clock this afternoon in the Seventeenth ward chapel. Bishop N. G. Smith officiated. Interment will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery.

Mr. Stevens was born in Orderville September 14, 1896, the son of C. F. and Olive E. De Mill Stevens. Besides his parents, three brothers and three sisters, he is survived by his widow, Mrs. Freda Stevens, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Leming, 231 West North Temple Street. The young couple had made their home in Cedar City. Mrs. Stevens was in Salt Lake recovering from an operation at the time of her husband’s death".

Quoting from the DeMille Family History & Genealogy written by Issa M. R. Teeples Stapley and published in 1953. "Born 14 Sept. 1896, died 8 Mar. 1924. Attended school and church in Orderville and Enoch, Utah. Milked cows, raised lambs, drove school bus, helped farm. Married Freda Leming. No children. Was killed in gas explosion in Castle Gate mine disaster in 1924 with 174 other men. Buried in Mt. Olivet cemetery, Salt Lake City. Played harmonica, was expert step dancer. Had many friends. Was a friend to many.

Had he listened to the "still small voice" or acted according to his intuition, Ben Stevens, described as a handsome and athletically built young man, would have been alive today. Stevens was a boarder at the Castlegate hotel. According to Mrs. Rose Knowlden, proprietor of the hotel, Mr. Stevens spent Friday night in the parlor with Mrs. Knowlden and her daughter who has just graduated from Berkeley.

During the evening Mr. Stevens brought from his room several pictures, among which were some of his wife, whom it is understood had left him, and is said to be working in a Salt Lake drug store. In showing the pictures he expressed himself as being lonesome, and the rest of the evening he seemed very downcast.

When he arose the next morning to go to work in No. 2 mine, Mr. Stevens is said to have told his roommate that he felt very blue and that something oppressed him.

"I hate to go to work this morning," Stevens is quoted. "I feel just like something is going to happen today. I’ve got a hunch and I really ought to heed it. If I followed my inclinations I would stay home today rather than go to the mine.

H. B. Stevens, an American, 19 years old and single was injured October 14, 1918, Clear Creek Mine. He was working nights and the mine foreman told him that he wanted him to sprinkle the mine. The young man went after the hose and on one of the double partings he saw a motor standing there. He got on it and loosened the brakes and started down a 3 per cent grade. He got excited and forgot how to apply the brakes. After running down the entry for 1,500 feet the motor ditched on a curve and the young man’s leg was crushed between the motor and the lower rib of the entry. He died from his injuries two days later.

Price - James "Jim" Clive Stevenson, 22, died January 20, 1977, of injuries received in a Soldier Creek coal mine accident. Born May 10, 1954, Sunnyside, Utah, to Jack C. and Marian Robinson Stevenson. Served LDS mission to Washington, D. C., 1974-1976. Student, College of Eastern Utah.

Survivors: parents, Price: brothers and sister, Bill, Mrs. Kenneth (Terri) Tubbs, both Price; Dan, serving an LDS mission to Washington, D.C., grandmother, Mary Ann Stevenson, Price, step grandfather; Ray Reed, Buchanan, West Virginia. Funeral services, Saturday, 2 p.m. Price, Utah Stake Center. Friends may call Fausett Mortuary, Friday, 7-9 p.m., and Saturday, one hour prior to services at the church. Burial, Price City Cemetery.

PRICE, Utah - A 22-year-old coal miner from Price was killed Thursday in an accident at the Soldier Creek Coal Co. mine about 20 miles northeast of Price. A company spokesman said James Stevenson died "in a small coal fall from the rib (wall) of the mining area," but declined to give any further details. The fatal mishap at the mine, located in Soldier Canyon, was under investigation by company officials as well as the federal Mining Engineering and Safety Administration and the Utah State Industrial Commission.

Will Stevenson, 22, was found smothered under the body of a mule in the mine at Castle Gate Monday. How the accident happened cannot be told. He had been dead but a few minutes when found. The body was taken to Huntington for burial.

CASTLE GATE June 29 -- Duane M. Stewart, 29, was instantly killed Friday afternoon in No. 2 mine here when an unblocked car partly loaded with coal turned over on him, crushing him against the wall. Stewart was a native of Moab and had been employed at the mine several years. He is survived by a wife and three small children.

William Preston Stewart, 59, of Fairview died Friday evening of injuries suffered in an accident at the Kenilworth coal mine of the Independent Coal and Coke on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Mr. Stewart, who was a motorman for the Coal company, was attempting to pull a derailed mine car back onto the track with his motor at the time of the accident. He evidently realize how small the space was between other cars attached to his motor and a building by which he was working investigators said. One of the cars caught him between it and the building, badly crushing his chest and causing internal injuries. He had been loading the mine cars with materials which were to be taken into the mine.

Mr. Stewart was born in Milburn, Sanpete County, Utah, on March 31, 1886, a son of Edmund H. and Lee V. Terry Stewart. He lived in Milburn all his life, engaging in farming until he moved to Price, Utah four years ago. Since going to Price he worked for two years at the Horse Canyon mine and the last two years at the Kenilworth mine.

Mr. Stewart was an active L D S Church worker. He had been Superintendent of the Milburn L D S Ward Sunday School for eight years and was a member of the ward choir. Both Mr. and Mrs. Stewart were Ordinance workers in the Manti Temple and he was a member of the High Priests quorum of the Second L D S ward at Price. He married Ethel Olive Morley Jan. 11, 1911 in the Manti Temple.

Survivors include his widow, three daughters, Miss Olive Stewart, Miss Sherryl Stewart of Ogden, two sons, Y1c Lee K. Stewart of the U S Navy, and Harry M Stewart of Price and one grandchild, three sisters, Mrs. Reta Stewart Allred, Canada, Mrs. Almeda Poulson, Murray, Utah; Mrs. Valera Cheney, Fairview; C L Stewart and Ora Stewart, Fairview and Winn Stewart, San Francisco, California. Funeral services for William Preston Stewart were held in the Fairview South Ward Chapel Tuesday, Oct. 30th at 2 p.m. with Bishop Howard W. Rigby conducting the services.

Thomas Lorenzo Stocks, 34, died at a local hospital Sunday of a crushed chest he received in an accident at a coal mine in Columbia, November 26. He was born in Moab, November 18, 1896. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Grace Stocks; a son, Leon, and a daughter, Ann Louise Stocks, all of Columbia; his mother, Mrs. A. M. Stocks of Moab, and the following brothers and sisters: Mrs. Claude Irish, James stocks, Leonard Stocks, Archie Stocks, and Edwin Stocks, all of Moab; Mrs. David Chamberlin of Salina, Mrs. G. A. Branson and Mrs. Henry J. Lemmon of Mountain Green, and Mrs. Fred Ames of Gateway, Colorado.

STOCKS - Funeral services for Thomas Lorenzo Stocks, of Columbia, Utah, will be held Wednesday in the Moab ward chapel. Bishop W. D. Hammond officiating. The body was shipped Monday evening at 7 o’clock. Interment in Moab cemetery, under the direction of the Deseret mortuary.

Price - Trapped under a fall of top coal Tuesday night while working in the United States Fuel company mine at Hiawatha, James Stokes, 44, Cleveland, and Simone Simons, 43, Price, were killed instantly. Four others miners working near the men escaped the fall of coal, mine officials said.Mr. Stokes was employed at the mine as an operator of a coal loader and Mr. Simons was his helper.

Mr. Stokes was born at Cleveland. He had worked at mining since 1921. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Zelia Stokes; two daughters, Helen and Reva Stokes, and three sons, Kay, Jerry and Garth Stokes, all of Cleveland.

Mr. Simons was born in Kerrasous, Turkey, and had been employed at the mine for three years. Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Artensia Simons; three children, Folios, Despina and George Simons, all of Price.

PRICE, Apr. 6 - James Stokes, 44, of Cleveland, and Simon Simons, 43, of Price, were killed by a fall of top coal in the Hiawatha mine Tuesday night. Four other men working nearby escaped injury.

Amy Pitman Staley was born in England in 1879 and is the daughter of John and Amy Pitman. The family first went to Canada and then arrived in Winter Quarters about 1885. Mother, Amy Pitman died three years later when Amy Staley was nearly 10 years old, leaving her father with five small children to raise. At age 19 Amy, married Edwin T. Street, they had two girls and she was carrying a third child with the Winter Quarters mine exploded killing her husband Edwin, father John Pitman, two uncles, Daniel and Meshach Pitman and a cousin, John B. Pitman. The mine exploded in May and though they were able to find the others they didn’t find the Father, John Pitman, until August.

Storrs - The explosion of a boiler in the Spring Canyon Coal company’s power house here Monday killed two men and seriously injured five.

A. B. Elliott, Storrs, master mechanic, scalded by escaping steam, died a few moments after the explosion. A. C. Strong, Storrs, fireman, hurled through the roof; died instantly; body mangled. W. C. Pennington, Kansas City, boilermaker; back injured, hip fractured, severely scalded; injuries may prove fatal. Guy Hackney, Kansas City, boilermaker; scalded about the face and body, leg broken. L. A. Gooding, Kansas City, boilermaker; ankle fractured, bruised by flying debris, scalded about face, arms and back. J. H. Ellen, Storrs, teamster; injured by flying debris, bruised by fall. Carl Limburg, Storrs, fireman, internally injured, back sprained.

The boiler was of the marine high-pressure type and it is said had been recently repaired. According to stories of bystanders, the master mechanic and boilermakers were at work caulking a patch on an adjoining boiler when the accident occurred. Live steam filled the boiler room in an instant and with a crash that was heard for miles, sections of the boiler tore through the roof of the fire rim, carrying rafters and skylights.

With a roar that could be heard for miles, a boiler in the power plant of the Spring Canyon Coal company at Storrs, this county, blew up Monday morning, completely wrecking the power plant, killing two outright and injuring five, one of whom will probably die. The explosion occurred at 8:00 o’clock, shortly after the day shift had gone to work. The killed and injured are:

DEAD
A.B. Elliott, chief engineer, formerly of Salt Lake.
A.C. Strong, fireman
INJURED
Carl Limberg, electrician, head split open.
J.H. Elliot, farmer, leg torn open.
W. C. Pennington, boiler maker, Bristol Tenn.
L. A. Gooding, boiler maker, Kansas City.
Guy Hackney, boiler maker, Denver.

The explosion was due to a patch in the boiler giving way. The boiler had been giving trouble for about three weeks, the crown having burned out. Boiler makers had been sent from Kansas City to repair it. A patch was placed over the opening but it is supposed the steam pressure was too great for it and forced it out.

The explosion was terrific. Miniature geysers of steam and boiling water shot forth and enveloped the power room in a maze of scalding vapor. Like a shell from a howitzer the boiler was hurled through the roof of the building, landing on the hillside, 100 yards away. The power house was practically demolished, the sides of the rock building, 100 x 40, crumbing like dust. A second of the five boilers, on which the mine depends for its power, was likewise demolished and the others put out of commission.

Elliot and Strong met instant death. Elliot was scalded from head to foot and buried under heaps of debris, from which he was extricated half an hour after the explosion by mine workers and residents of the town.

Strong was literally blown to pieces.

The three boiler makers were at a distant corner of the power house when the explosion occurred. All were enveloped in the clouds of hissing steam and were more or less badly scalded in addition to being struck by flying debris.

The body of Elliot was shipped to Butte, Mont. And that of Strong to Springville, Pace & Tingley of this city preparing the bodies for burial.

Cause of accident not known - boiler had recently been inspected and overhauled by the men who met death.

Two men were killed and three more injured Monday morning at 7:45 o’clock when one of the boilers of the Spring Canyon Coal Company exploded. The dead are A.B. Elliott, age 49 and Fireman Asa Strong, 33, the injured are W. C. Pennington, face burned; L. A. Gooding, burned and bruised, Guy Hackney, right leg broken and face and arms severely burned. None of the injured will die. The cause of the explosion is not known. The boiler house is located one half mile from the mine. It furnishes power and light and the mine is closed down for three days while repairs were being made. The roof of the boiler house was blown off, the engine room, separated from the boiler room by a rock wall was left intact.

The boiler which blew up was one of a set of five of the marine type, Springfield boilers, which are considered among the safest boilers made.

George A. Storrs said after the accident that no estimate could be made of the loss entailed by the explosion and the consequent in-action of the mine. He said there is no explanation of the accident. The men at the boiler house were on duty, everything seemed to be working under normal conditions and there was nothing to give "warning of the explosion. It is one of those things that happen of which nobody seems to be able to give an account." Said Storrs.

The explosion was terrific. The iron boiler was blown into sections, and the huge pieces of boiler were hurled through the roof and high into the air. The bodies of the dead men were found among the debris badly bruised, burned and scaled. Those who escaped said the building rocked with the concussion of the wreck of the house was complete.

They attribute their escape and good fortune as all five of the men that were in the boiler house were at the machinery when the explosion occurred.

Citizens from Storrs were soon on the scene and assisted in taking the bodies of the dead to their homes, leaving a sorrowing wife and family to be told at each home of the death of the husband and father.

A.B. Elliott came here from Montana. He is survived by a wife and one child. Mr. Strong formerly lived in Springville. He is survived by a wife and four children.

Asa Strong has a brother returning from Europe. He arrived Saturday in Quebec. Word has been sent to Chicago to intercept him and tell him to come direct to Storrs instead of his home in Springville. Word has been sent to other members of the dead men’s families in the places where they formerly lived.

The local office of the Spring Canyon coal company it was declared that the boiler had just been overhauled and that the three men injured were boilermakers who had just hoisted up and the boiler was being fired up. The men had already started on another boiler when the explosion occurred. At present it is impossible to tell the cause of the accident.

All injured men were all taken to hospital at Storrs. The body of Mr. Strong was taken to Springville where the deceased was interred. The explosion broke the water lines and the steam lines so that it was necessary to close down the property for three days. Work was resumed today.

Asa Strong, American, aged 35, married (wife and four children), employed as fireman at the power house, Storrs, Utah, was instantly killed on the 28th day of September, 1914. It is presumed that Mr. Strong was in the act of throwing on a fire on the No. 3 boiler when the same suddenly exploded and Strong was literally torn to pieces. No. 3 boiler had been undergoing repairs for some days and was fired up on the night of the 27th, about 10 p.m. Steam was brought up gradually until a pressure of 150 pounds was reached. At 7:40 on the morning of the 28th the boiler exploded directly on the flange from some cause, at present unknown, and it was thrown some 125 feet in a westerly direction.

Ervin Joseph Struhs, 41, died at the Rolapp hospital Wednesday of injuries sustained Monday at the New Peerless mine when a cable broke as he was loading coal. He suffered a fractured skull and a broken leg. Remains will be forwarded by the Deseret mortuary to Tooele where funeral services and interment will be held. Struhs was born in Rexburg, Idaho, October 10, 1889, the son of Joseph and Veronica Wallen Struhs. His family lives in Grantsville.

STANDARDVILLE - On his fourth day of work in the Standard Coal Inc. mine here, Mike Sublett, 47, was fatally injured Monday at 12:45 p.m. when the mining machine on which he was working ran over him, severing his left leg. He died at 4:30 p.m. in the Standardville hospital of shock.

Mr. Sublett came here from Colorado only four days ago and had moved his family to Standardville on the day of the fatal accident.

He was employed as a machine runner and was helping move the mining machine into the workings of the mine. Eddie Edwards, driver of the mine locomotive which was pushing the machine down the tracks, said Mr. Sublett accidentally stepped in front of the engine, was knocked down and run over.

Names of survivors were not immediately available, but it was reported that he had a wife and three children.

PRICE - The body of Mike Sublett, 53, who was killed Monday by a mining machine in the Standard Coal, Inc. mine at Standardville, was taken to Rock Springs, Wyo., for funeral and burial. Mr. Sublett died of shock in the Standardville hospital four hours after his left leg had been severed by the mining machine which ran over him. He came here from Colorado last week. The victim was born January 29, 1888, at Langston, Ala., a son of Elisha and Rebecca Gilbreth Sublett.

Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Violet Sublett of Standardville; a son, Elva Sublett of Denver; five daughters, Mrs. Beatrice Dusenberry, Mrs. Arlie Gazdill, of Superior, Wyo., and Mrs. Ina Grippando, Mrs. Katie Hererra of Superior, Wyo., and Mrs. Sylvia Heavener of Oklahoma; two brothers, Wallace Sublett of Altus, Ark., and E. W. Sublett of California; two sisters, Mrs. Bluha Blansett and Mrs. J. T. Blansett of Oklahoma, and 12 grandchildren.

STANDARDVILLE, June 26 - Sam Succurro, 43, of Price, died in a Standardville hospital yesterday, a few hours after he was injured in a rock slide in the Spring Canyon coal mine. Witnesses said Succurro was removing rock when a large boulder crashed down, pinning him to the floor of the mine and inflicting a broken back and internal injuries. No other miners were hurt.

PRICE - Funeral services for Sam Succurro, 44, who died as a result of a falling rock in the Spring Canyon mine, will be conducted in the Notre Dame church in Price. Tuesday at 10 a.m. with the Rev. Thomas F. Butler conducting. Rosary was said Monday at 8 p.m. at the Mitchell Funeral home.

He was born in San Clovanni, Italy, the son of Tony and Katherine Succurro, July 27, 1898. He came to America in 1921 and had been in Carbon county since. He was employed as a rock contractor, taking out the rock and waste from the mines for the last six years. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Frances Gallo Succurro, and two daughters, Miss Katherine Succurro, Arlington, Va., and Miss Rose Succurro, Price.

K. Sigmura, a Jap was killed by a fall of coal in the Standardville Mine, January 17, 1921. (Coal miner did not take down loose coal after shot).

Toro Sugimura, mother of Kanhishi Sugimura, deceased, applicant, vs. Standard Coal Company, Defendant.

While in the employ of the Standard Coal Company at Standardville, Utah, Kanhishi Sugimura was killed by some falling coal. At the time of death he was unmarried and his mother, residing in Japan, made application for compensation.

From the evidence disclosed and depositions taken it was evident that the mother was neither wholly or partially dependent upon her deceased son for support. Compensation was denied and the payment of $750.00 was ordered to be paid to the State Treasurer.

Eugene Santchi came down from Hiawatha Saturday to attend the funeral services for Joe Suianni who was killed at the tipple Thursday.

Sam Scalvo, the Italian notary of Hiawatha, was down Saturday to assist at the funeral over the remains of Joe Sirianni.

Andrew Subab, an Austrian miner, aged 45 years, married (wife and four children), was killed on the inside slope, top seam, just below the overcast at the 3rd Right entry on the hoisting slope, Sunnyside Mine No. 1, January 2nd, 1913. Upon leaving his working place on the above date, Subab walked up the hoisting slope, meeting an empty trip of cars that were coming down the slope at the 3rd Right entry, and it is presumed that while he was attempting to get clear of the empty trip, he fell, three cars passing over him. This fatality was caused by Subab violating the rules of the company in walking up the hoisting slope instead of the manway, which is maintained for men traveling to and from the mine.

Carbon County’s fifth mine fatality of 1948 and the second within six days occurred yesterday morning at about 3:00 a.m. in the Sunnyside mine of the Utah Fuel company when Sidney Sutphin, 39, was killed by a fall of rib coal caused by a bounce. Mr. Sutphin was employed as a shovel operator and had been at Sunnyside about three months. His home is in Hillsville, Virginia. The only known survivors are three children residing with Mr. Sutphin’s mother in the Virginia community. The body was shipped to the man’s Virginia home last night by the Mitchell funeral home.

John Swazer, 36 years of age, was almost instantly killed about noon Tuesday by a fall of coal in the Spring Canyon mine of the Spring Canyon Coal company. His companion, William Rutherford, 26, who was working near him, was seriously injured by the fall. He sustained deep lacerations about the head and chest and his chest was crushed. Although his condition was at first considered critical, reports from the Spring Canyon hospital this afternoon are that he is somewhat better. Rutherford is married but has no children.

Funeral services for Mr. Swazer were conducted from Notre Dame de Lourdes church here this afternoon in charge of Monsignor A. F. Giovannoni. Interment was in City cemetery. The deceased was a widower, his wife having died about ten years ago when their only daughter was three years old. The daughter has been keeping house for him at Spring Canyon.

Price - Trapped under a fall of top coal Tuesday night while working in the United States Fuel company mine at Hiawatha, James Stokes, 44, Cleveland, and Simone Simons, 43, Price, were killed instantly. Four others miners working near the men escaped the fall of coal, mine officials said.Mr. Stokes was employed at the mine as an operator of a coal loader and Mr. Simons was his helper.

Mr. Stokes was born at Cleveland. He had worked at mining since 1921. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Zelia Stokes; two daughters, Helen and Reva Stokes, and three sons, Kay, Jerry and Garth Stokes, all of Cleveland.

Mr. Simons was born in Kerrasous, Turkey, and had been employed at the mine for three years. Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Artensia Simons; three children, Folios, Despina and George Simons, all of Price.

PRICE, Apr. 6 - James Stokes, 44, of Cleveland, and Simon Simons, 43, of Price, were killed by a fall of top coal in the Hiawatha mine Tuesday night. Four other men working nearby escaped injury.