Miners Memorial Documentation

Miners Memorial Book Cover

The following information is a collection of obituaries, newspaper articles, mine reports and other documents that were collected during the research process while gathering names for the Miner Memorial. In order for a miner to have his name on the memorial he had to have died in a coal mine accident or from injuries received in a coal mine accident in Carbon County. Currently there are 1350 miners listed on the memorial with two additional names to be added. The names of these miners can be found on this page: Miners Memorial.

This information was included in a book and was published for the dedication (7 Sep 2015) of the memorial and contained information about each of the miners. The book is no longer available, in book form, but is available in PDF form on a CD. If you are interested in obtaining a copy of the CD please e-mail Kathy Hamaker. Special thanks is given to Doris Prettyman for compiling all the information for the book, the CD and for this webpage.

Additional information will be added about the miners as it becomes available. If you are related to any of these miners and have information, stories or photos of them that you are willing to donate please e-mail Kathy Hamaker.



A- B- C- D- E- F- G- H- I- J- K- L- M- N- O- P- Q- R- S- T- U- V- W- X- Y- Z

T

Tachibana, Magiochi
Report of Industrial Commission
Page 47 Claim No. 1318 - Decision rendered Nov. 15, 1926

?? Tachibana, mother of Magoichi Tachibana, deceased, vs. Columbia Steel Corporation and Hartford Accident and Indemnity Company. On March 25th, 1924, Magoichi Tachibana was in the employ of the Columbia Steel Corporation as a coal miner at Columbia, Utah. On said date he was crushed between face of room and empty car, and died as the result of said injury. The mother of decedent, residing in Japan, was found to be partially dependent upon him. He had made regular contributions to her for some time prior to his death. Compensation awarded, $8.00 per week for 425 weeks.

Takagi (Takaki), Shosuke

Report of Industrial Commission of Utah July 1, 1920 to June 30, 1922
Page 935 - FATAL ACCIDENTS - 1922

S. Takaki (or Sakai), a Jap, 40 years old and married, leaves a wife and one child in Japan, was fatally injured June 29, 1922, in the Rains Mine, by fall of top coal.

Takahashi, Hideo Harold

Daily Herald Thursday, Feb. 23, 1956
Injuries Fatal To Price Miner

PRICE - A 49-year old Price coal miner, Hideo H. Takahashi, died here yesterday of injuries suffered last Friday in an accident at the Lion Coal Co. Wattis coal mine. Takahashi was buried beneath coal which fell after a “bounce’ in the mine. He is survived by his widow, Dorothy, a daughter, Irene, and a son, Dalton, all of Price. Funeral services will be held Saturday at the Price Second LDS Ward with Bishop Ross Boyack presiding.

Takaya (Taakaya), Kenzo

Report of Industrial Commission of Utah July 1, 1920 to June 30, 1922
Page 932 - FATAL ACCIDENTS - 1921

Kenzo Taakaya, a Japanese, 33 years old and married, was killed by a fall of rock while working a pillar in No. 1 Sunnyside Mine on the Seventh Right off Fowler Dips, August 11, 1921. Caused by a bounce.

Tallerico, Joseph

Salt Lake Telegram, 1924-04-13
Compensation is Ordered Paid by Fuel Company

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: … Tresa M. Tallerico, widow of Joe Tallerico, and eight children…

Tanaka, Sengoro

News Advocate, May 27, 1927
JAP MINER KILLED AT CASTLE GATE BURIED

Funeral services for S. Tanaka, 42, who was killed last Friday by a fall of coal in the Utah Fuel company’s mine at Castle Gate, were held at 4 o’clock Sunday afternoon from the Flynn Funeral home, with burial in Price City cemetery.

Tangaro, Frank

The Deseret News Mar 6, 1941
Utahn Killed In Coal Mine - Slab of Coal Falls On Hiawatha “Nipper”

HIAWATHA, Utah. March 6 - Instant death came to Frank Tangaro, 25, of Price, when a slab of top coal fell on him in the United States Fuel Company Mine here last night at 8:30. Tangaro, who was employed as a “nipper” was working a mile and a half from the portal of the mine when the accident occurred. His neck was broken and his skull was fractured. He was pronounced dead upon arrival of the body at the Hiawatha Hospital. No one else was injured in the accident. The body was taken to Price to the Mitchell Funeral Home, which will announce funeral arrangements. The services will be held when arranged, in the Greek Orthodox Church.

Tangaro was born Nov. 29, 1915 in Sunnyside, son of Joe and Agatha Madia Tangaro. His father died and his mother remarried, her last name now being Rendazzo. Tangaro had lived in Price for 16 years. Besides his mother and step-father, he is survived by the following brothers and sisters, all of Price: Mrs. Katherine Fratto, and John, Tony, Eugene, Mary Velia, Joe and Anita Tangaro, two grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Madia of Murray, Utah and an uncle, Dan Madia of California.

Tangaro, Giuseppi

News Advocate, Sept. 30, 1927
FALL OF ROCKS IS FATAL TO MINER AT CASTLE GATE
Falling slate snuffed out the life of Price, Loses Life When Rock Falls, Leaves Wife and Family

Falling slate snuffed out the life of Guiseppi Tangaro Tuesday at Castle Gate in the number two mine of the Utah Fuel Company. Tangero was liberated by fellow workers and taken too serious, that he never recovered consciousness, passing away a few hours later. Tangero is survived by his wife, Rosa Tangero, and eight children, ranging in ages from 12 to two months. The following children survive: Katherine, Frank, John, Tony, Jane, Mary, Vella, and the infant daughter.

Guisseppi Tangero was born in Italy July 23, 1890. He came to the United States fifteen years ago and has resided here ever since. Most of this time has been spent in Price. High requiem mass was said over the body by Monsignor A. F. Glovan at 10 a.m., Thursday at Notre Dame de Lourdes. Interment was made in the Price City Cemetery.

Taslich, John (Telich)

Utah Industrial Commission 1922/24 Biennial report page 349

While employed by the Lion Coal Company at Wattis, Utah, Janko Taslich sustained injuries from which he died on April 13, 1923. A Claim for compensation under the Workmen’s Compensation Act, in behalf of Mrs. John Taslich…

Cause of death: Shock following operation for fractured right femur, accident at Lion Coal Co. Wattis Feb. 5, 1923 - struck by large boulder.

Taylor, Chester H.

News Advocate - June 21, 1923
Killed in Mine

Chester H. Taylor, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. William H Taylor, was killed in the mine at Wattis yesterday morning when a fall of rock struck him in the back, fracturing the pelvis and the spine and probably severing the aorta, the large blood vessel descending from the heart into the trunk. A tragic turn to the accident is in the fact that his brother was beside him in the mine at the time the rocks fell. They had entered the room and begun work only a short time before. The young man was born in Orangeville where funeral services and interment will take place tomorrow, Friday.

Taylor, Jesse Franklin

Salt Lake Tribune, Thursday, Jan. 22, 1942
Mine Accident Kills Worker at Kenilworth

KENILWORTH - Jesse Taylor, 42, of Spring Glen, a machine runner’s helper for the Independent Coal and Coke company, was instantly killed Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and Fred Weller, 44, Kenilworth, a machine runner, was seriously injured, in a fall of top coal at the company’s mine here, according to George B. Jackson, superintendent. The two men were cutting coal when a faulty structure in the rock above the coal seam caused a break in the roof, burying the men under several tons of coal and rock.

Weller was able to reach the out edge of the coal before being struck and was released shortly by a rescue crew. Three hours were required to remove Taylor’s body. Weller’s right leg was so severely crushed that amputation above the knee was necessary. He also suffered a broken back and lacerations of the right arm. Treatment was given at the company’s hospital at Kenilworth.

Teasdale, William Henry

Salt Lake Tribune Feb. 27, 1929
William Henry Teasdale Victim of Accident at Castlegate

CASTLEGATE - William Henry Teasdale, former resident of Springville, but a resident of Castlegate for three years, was instantly killed by a rock fall in Castlegate No. 1 mine of the Utah Fuel company Tuesday. The rock caused several injuries to the spine. Mr. Teasdale was a driver in the mine.

The man’s father was victim several years ago of a somewhat similar accident in a Tintic mine, and was buried at Springville. The son will be buried beside him, following funeral services in Castlegate Wednesday at 7 p.m. in charge of Bishop W. P. Staley of the L.D.S. Church. The body is at the J. E. Flynn Funeral home.

William Henry Teasdale was born in England in August, 1889, the son of William and Ann Dutton Teasdale. He came to the United States about 22 years ago. He is survived by his wife, Ellen Biggs Teasdale, and four children.

Tempfer, Paul (Kemfer, Paul Louis)

SL Telegram -- 1943-06-29 (part of first three lines missing on right side)
Hiawatha Worker In Mine Accident

HIAWATHA - Paul Tempfer, 48, machine operator U. S. Fuel company mine at Hiawatha, was about noon Tuesday when a piece of top coal crushed his machine at the mine.

No other persons were injured in the accident, which cost the life of Mr. Tempfer, a veteran miner who had been with the company for 15 years. He was born in Yugoslavia on January 23, 1895. Surviving are his widow, Mary; and a son, Paul L. Tempfer, who is scheduled to leave Friday for the armed forces. The body is at the Mitchell funeral home in Price pending funeral arrangements.

Salt Lake Tribune, Friday July 2, 1943

PRICE - Funeral services for Paul Louis Kemfer, who was accidentally killed Tuesday in the United States Fuel mine at Hiawatha, will be conducted Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Mitchell funeral home in Price. Burial will be in the Price City cemetery.

Thimakis, Charles (K)

1914 Biennial Mine Report - page 124 - 125

K. Thimakis, Greek, age 23, single, was instantly killed in room No. 8, on the main back entry of Clear Creek Mine No. 2, on the 11th day of August 1914.

Thimakis and his brother, who was working as his partner, had driven a crosscut through the pillar in which they were working to No. 9 room, leaving a stump on end of pillar to protect themselves. They had finished the crosscut and the day before the accident the mine foreman told them to take the track out of their place and take down the top coal in the room opposite the crosscut. They had shot down some of the top coal and from the position in which the body was found it is evident that K. Thimakis had gone to the corner of the pillar on the right side of his room and had either knocked or attempted to knock out some standing props to let down more top coal, when a large mass of coal and rock fell from the roof, burying him. When the body was removed, life was extinct.

Thomas, Benjamin F. Jr.

Ogden Standard-Examiner March 10, 1924
ENTER MINE FOR FIRST TIME

CASTLE GATE - March 10, -- Bob Dodd and Ben Thomas, two of the victims of the mine disaster in Mine No. 2 of the Utah Fuel company last Saturday were killed less than an hour after they had entered the mine for the first time as regular employes. The men had been employes of the company in other properties in the district for a number of years, but on Saturday morning were assigned to the ill-fated mine as a result of a partial closing of the operations at the other mines of the region.

Thomas, Daniel

Salt Lake Telegram March 19, 1924
Crushed in Mine, Coal Worker Dies

Dan Thomas, an employee of the Independent Coal and Coke company, while at work in the company’s No. 1 mine at Kenilworth, was caught between the wall and a train Tuesday and was so badly crushed that he died today. Following the accident Thomas was rushed to a hospital. The state industrial commission was advised of the accident.

Thomas, Fred

Report of the Coal Mine Inspector 1915-1916 - page 21

Fred Thomas, American, age 26, single, employed as motorman, was injured December 7, 1914, in Mine No. 1, Storrs, Utah, from the effects of which he died a few days later in the Provo General Hospital. Thomas, in connection with Ben Sellars, his helper, was operating an electric motor on the 4th right entry. They had brought a trip of loaded cars into the 4th right parting, and were in the act of heading onto the empty trip with his light motor when the accident occurred.

His helper, Sellars, by this time had gone to the far end of the empty trip and it is presumed that Thomas was running his motor faster than he anticipated, because when the motor hit the empty trip it moved the trip some ten feet. It is also presumed that his trolley pole was knocked off the trolley line by the frog on the trolley wire, and when Thomas stood up to adjust the pole the motor struck the cars and he was thrown off his balance and fell under the motor, where he was found a little later.

From history written by Gwen Thomas Grant

On December 15, 1914, Fred Thomas was hurt riding a motor in the mine in Storrs, Utah. He died in the Provo hospital.

Thomas, Joseph Parry Edwards

History written by Gwen Thomas Grant (daughter of Joseph Sanders and sister to Joseph Parry Thomas)

Father (Joseph Sanders Thomas) and Joe (Joseph Parry Thomas) were both killed on the first of May in the Scofield Mine Disaster (Winters Quarters Mine explosion) along with 198 others. Joe didn’t like working in the coal mine. The night before, at suppertime, Joe kept worrying about going to work the next day. Father said, “Oh, there’s no danger in that mine.” Dad thought everything was all right.

“Besides,” Dad said, “I won’t make you work very long tomorrow. I just want you to be there for a little bit to help me. We’re going out to Cleveland to that nice big farm of ours and we’ll all have horses and everything else down there. That’s where we’re going. We need just a little more money and you need to help us get it.”

The next morning they went up a steep grade of track to Number 4. It was right square in front of our house.

In the mine Joe usually didn’t work. He would just sit and talk to Dad. Maybe he would occasionally help pick up a piece of coal.

At about 10:00 that morning, I was sitting on the front porch and Jerry and Lenz were sitting right beside me. Josephine hadn’t been born yet. We were sitting on the step of the door. Mother was fussing around, washing dishes, and singing like she always did. All of a sudden the whole side of the mountain went up in a cloud of smoke and dirt and rock. People began to run but they didn’t know which way to go or what to do.

History written by Gwen Thomas Grant

Joseph Thomas was a hardworking man and a good citizen. He made many friends and was the Justice of the Peace of Carbon County. He was a good church worker, and an inventor, as well as a tailor, and a lover of music.

On May 1, 1900 Joseph Edwards Thomas and his first son, Joseph Parry, age seventeen, was killed in the Scofield mine explosion, of the number four mine in Winter Quarters. Young Joseph had complained that morning that he wasn’t feeling well and wanted to stay home. (He was a sickly slightly built boy). His father told him that they needed the money so badly so he would have to put in his shift. When they removed father and son from the mine Joseph was in his father’s arms.

Thomas, Joseph Sanders Edwards

History written by Gwen Thomas Grant (daughter of Joseph Sanders and sister to Joseph Parry Thomas)

Father (Joseph Sanders Thomas) and Joe (Joseph Parry Thomas) were both killed on the first of May in the Scofield Mine Disaster (Winters Quarters Mine explosion) along with 198 others. Joe didn’t like working in the coal mine. The night before, at suppertime, Joe kept worrying about going to work the next day. Father said, “Oh, there’s no danger in that mine.” Dad thought everything was all right.

“Besides,” Dad said, “I won’t make you work very long tomorrow. I just want you to be there for a little bit to help me. We’re going out to Cleveland to that nice big farm of ours and we’ll all have horses and everything else down there. That’s where we’re going. We need just a little more money and you need to help us get it.”

The next morning they went up a steep grade of track to Number 4. It was right square in front of our house. In the mine Joe usually didn’t work. He would just sit and talk to Dad. Maybe he would occasionally help pick up a piece of coal.

At about 10:00 that morning, I was sitting on the front porch and Jerry and Lenz were sitting right beside me. Josephine hadn’t been born yet. We were sitting on the step of the door. Mother was fussing around, washing dishes, and singing like she always did. All of a sudden the whole side of the mountain went up in a cloud of smoke and dirt and rock. People began to run but they didn’t know which way to go or what to do.

History written by Gwen Thomas Grant

Joseph Thomas was a hardworking man and a good citizen. He made many friends and was the Justice of the Peace of Carbon County. He was a good church worker, and an inventor, as well as a tailor, and a lover of music.

On May 1, 1900 Joseph Edwards Thomas and his first son, Joseph Parry, age seventeen, was killed in the Scofield mine explosion, of the number four mine in Winter Quarters. Young Joseph had complained that morning that he wasn’t feeling well and wanted to stay home. (He was a sickly slightly built boy). His father told him that they needed the money so badly so he would have to put in his shift. When they removed father and son from the mine Joseph was in his father’s arms.

Thomas, Wyndham

Report of the Coal Mine Inspector 1901-1902

Wyndham Thomas was killed in the Winter Quarters Mine No. 1 on the 24th day of August, 1901. Thomas was working in the rock tunnel and at the time of the accident, was standing on a loaded car drilling a hole in some rock when the rock fell upon him, killing him instantly.

Thompson, Grant

News Advocate 1926-07-22
NEGRO MINER MEETS DEATH IN COAL FALL

Grant Thompson, 66, a coal miner employed by the Carbon Fuel Company at Rains, was instantly killed late Friday afternoon when his head and shoulders were crushed in a fall of coal in the Rains mine. It was reported that Thompson was working alone in an untimbered section of the mine when he was killed. Thompson has worked in this section of the country for the past eight years. A widow and two daughters, both grown survive, the family living at Rains.

Thompson, John Eddie
Ogden Standard Examiner, Sunday, Feb. 10, 1924
Negro Miner Killed

Rolapp, Feb. 9 - John Thompson, negro coal miner, was instantly killed in the Royal mine here Friday when he was buried under tons of falling coal as he was removing pillars.

Thorpe, John

Excerpts from Growing Up in Carbon County
A Short Story taken from the journal of Lena Thorpe Wade
http://www.carbon-utgenweb.com/history6.html

EVA'S DREAM; It was about that time Mama had a dream. She saw streams of light come down on so many houses. She didn't know what it (dream) meant. We always went to Church on Sunday. They had a speaker from Price. He talked about the different planets. After the meeting, she told the bishop about her dream and asked him what he thought of her dream. He said he didn't know. It was still bothering her so many of her dreams came true. Sometimes I would take off because I didn't want to hear it (her dreams), but this time I stayed to hear what she had to say. About a month later, there was a mine explosion that killed 172 men. Some families had 2 or 3 men in the mine. At the entrance of the mine, there were the big steel doors. It blew them clear across the canyon. As it hit the doors, the gas went back into the mine. What it didn't kill on the way out, it got them on the way back into the mine. Some had their heads blown off. Others were in running position and others were badly burned. This was on Saturday morning at 9 a.m.

My dad was the last man in the mine and the second one to be brought out. We knew if anyone had the chance to get out, he would. He studied mining for years through correspondent courses and worked his way up. He didn't have the chance. They found him at the side of one of the coal cars that brought the coal out of the mine. He was burned as black as coal from the waist up.

That was my mother's dream. Where each light or stream came down, there was someone killed in that house. It was a sad town.

Salt Lake Telegram, 1924-03-10
PICTURE SHOW FATAL

His attendance at a motion picture show given for the benefit of the employes of the Utah Fuel company here Friday night cost John Thorpe, mine inspector for the company his life Saturday.

Thorpe on Friday afternoon turned in his reports concerning his inspections of other properties operated by the company in the Castlegate district.

“Well, Joe, I don’t believe I will go into No. 2 tomorrow if the mine is going to be idle.” He told Joseph Parmelee, chief clerk of the company.

Parmalee had just told him that the company had decided not to work the mine Saturday. Thorpe later in the evening, in company with his wife, attended the company picture show and while there learned that the company had changed its plans and had decided to send the regular day crew into the workings on the following day.

He had been in the mine less than ten minutes when the explosion occurred that snuffed out his life along with 174 of his fellow workers.

Tidwell, Elden Samuel

Daily Herald (Provo, Utah) Aug. 20, 1963
Miner Killed at Dragerton

DRAGERTON, -- A U. S. Steel Corp. employe was killed Monday in a fall at the firm’s Geneva coal mine here. A company spokesman said Elden S. Tidwell of Dragerton apparently lost his footing and fell between two loaded coal cars being moved from the mine tipple. He was a “car dropper” for U. S. Steel. The fatality, the first at the mine in more than four years, was under investigation today. Tidwell, an employee of the company since 1943, is survived by his widow, Blance Tidwell, and two children, Gretta and Jay.

The Ogden Standard Examiner 20 Aug 1963
Dragerton Mine Worker Killed

DRAGERTON - Elden S. Tidwell, 52, of Dragerton, was killed Monday when he fell between two loaded coal cars near the tipple of U. S. Steel Corp.’s Geneva coal mine. Tidwell worked as a car dropper at the tipple. He had been a Geneva mine employee since 1943. Officials said this was the first fatality at the Geneva mine in more than four years. Tidwell was a native of Smithfield. Survivors include his widow, Blanch, and two children.

Tile, John (Tite)

Report of the Coal Mine Inspector 1913-1914 - page 22

John Tite, an American, aged 30 years, single, employed as a driver, was killed on the 1st raise, Utah Mine, April 9th.

Tite was coming down the raise in the afternoon, driving his horse with two loaded coal cars attached and when one hundred and sixty feet from the passby, in some unaccountable manner, the small gun pin that holds the shafts and gun together, worked or was pulled out. It is presumed that Tite was standing either on the gun or the car bumper and fell forward. He was caught by the first car and dragged for some twenty feet under the car. The mine superintendent and foreman were standing on the passby, and saw his lamp drop. Thinking that some accident had happened, they ran to where the cars were standing, and found the lifeless body of Tite under the car, with his head up the raise. The horse was standing some twenty feet in advance of the two loaded cars. The gun pin was hanging, attached to shafts by a short chain.

The raise at this point averages 6 feet 6 inches in height and ten feet wide, and there was sufficient room on either side of the car for Tite to have stepped off, unless he lost his balance and fell forward.

Tofoya, M.A.

Dallas Morning News, Dallas, TX 22 Sept 1924
FIVE ARE REPORTED ENTOMBED BY BLAST IN UTAH COAL MINE WORKERS TRAPPED IN DEEP SHAFTS --NEARLY 200 OTHER EMPLOYES OFF DUTY WHEN EXPLOSION OCCURS.
By the Associated Press.

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.

Tomac, Matt (Thomas)

Report of the Coal Mine Inspector 1907 - 1910 - page 22

Matt Tomac, an Austrian, 29 years of age, married, wife and two children, was killed at Sunnyside, November 23, 1909. While he was loading a car, a bounce came, throwing coal, which knocked Tomac under car and almost buried him. Coal came with such force as to break props and tracks.

Carbon County News 1909-11-05
Accident at Sunnyside

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.

Report of the Coal Mine Inspector 1909-1910 page 8, 9, 10 and 11

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.

Torno, Augusto

Salt Lake Tribune Sat. Dec. 3, 1938
Fall of Coal Kills Miner

KENILWORTH - August Torno, 45, miner for the Independent Coal and coke company at Kenilworth for 20 years, died soon after being caught in a fall of coal Thursday night in a company mine. Thomas Kosmos, working beside Mr. Torno, said the roof fell without a warning and although he was able to jump to safety, Mr. Torno was caught. Torno’s back was broken and he died before he could be removed from the scene of the accident. The victim was unmarried and no known relatives in this section. The body is at Flynn funeral home in Price pending arrival of a sister from the east.

Traulakis, Stavros Paulos

News Advocate July 22, 1927
FALL OF COAL KILLS MINER AT SUNNYSIDE

Stavros Paulos Traulakis, 39, miner for the Utah Fuel company at Sunnyside, was instantly killed at the Sunnyside mine at 3 o’clock Monday afternoon by a fall of coal. The body was brought to the Flynn funeral home. Funeral services were held here at 2 o’clock Thursday afternoon from the Greek Orthodox church in charge of the Rev. D. Smyrnopoulos.

Mr. Traulakis was born in Crete and came to this country fifteen years ago. For the past twelve years he had resided at Sunnyside. He was unmarried, and except for a cousin, Nick Zakis, of Price, he has no relatives in this country. His only other survivor is a brother in Europe.

Trauntvein, Neldon Joseph

Newspaper Article - Thursday, August 22, 1946
MINE FATALITIES AT CASTLE GATE, HIAWATHA HIKE ’46 TOLL TO EIGHT

Carbon county’s mine fatalities for the first eight months of 1946 rose to eight during the past week with the death of Charles Ralph Hartman, 22, at Hiawatha on Friday, August 16, and the death of Neldon J. Trauntvein, 30, at Castle Gate Monday afternoon at about 12:30 p.m.

The Hiawatha accident which claimed the life of Mr. Hartman was reported to have been caused by a shuttle car backing into a joy loader which Mr. Hartman was repairing. Investigation revealed that he had been sent into the mine to repair the joy loader and while stooping under the conveyor an operator of a shuttle car backed into the conveyor, crushing the victim between the bumper and the loader. Hartman was given emergency medical treatment by D. A. S. Needles and was later being transferred to a Salt Lake hospital. He died enroute Friday evening. Injuries sustained were a crushed hip and abdomen.

A mechanic for the U. S. Fuel company, Mr. Hartman was born on October 31, 1923, at Kanoplis, Kansas, a son of Ralph Leyner and Mayme Powell Hartman. He served four years in the U. S. Navy before coming to Hiawatha in January of this year. He was a member of the Hiawatha American Legion post and of Miners post 2379, Veterans of Foreign Wars.

He is survived by his mother and father of Hiawatha and one sister, Ruth Evelyn Walters, San Diego, California. A brother, Roy Hartman, was killed on June 15, 1946 while serving with the navy on Okinawa.

Funeral services were conducted Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. in the Price Community church with R. J. Vaughn officiating. Burial was in the Price City Masonic cemetery under the direction of the Mitchel funeral home. The American Legion conducted the funeral.

The victim of the accident in the Castle Gate No. 2 mine of the Utah Fuel company was killed instantly Monday by a fall of rock from the room.

It was reported that Trauntvein was working as a shovel operator when about 600 pounds of rock fell from the roof of the mine without warning, striking his head and shoulders and pinning him underneath. A co-worker, Verdis Magann, escaped without injury. Mr. Trauntvein was born at Clear Creek on April 17, 1916, a son of Henry and Christine Sorenson Trauntvein. His parents moved to Mt. Pleasant while he was still a child and it was there that he received his education. He had been working at Castle Gate since August, 1937. Surviving are his widow, Betty Stevenson Trauntvein, a son and daughter, Neldon Lee Trauntvein, 1, and Carol Trauntvein 5, Castle Gate; four sisters, Mrs. Clara Laurence, San Francisco; Mrs. Eva Renos, Salt Lake City; Mrs. Mary Brown Sayre, Pennsylvania and Mrs. Thomas Grundy, Castle Gate; two brothers, Henry Trauntvein, Kenilworth and Verne Trauntvein, Hollywood, California. Funeral services for Mr. Trauntvein will be held tomorrow under the direction of Bishop Thacker of Castle Gate. Burial will be in the Price City cemetery.

Trikouris, George

Ogden Standard Examiner Fri. Sept 4, 1942
Search Continues For Body of Miner

HIAWATHA, Utah, Sept. 4 Crews of miners today continued to dig into a debris-choked tunnel of the Hiawatha mines of the U. S. Fuel company in an effort to locate the body of George Trikouris, 50. Trikouris was buried under a fall of coal, rock and dirt Wednesday. Mine Superintendent Charles McConnell said the miner’s body might not be found for several days because of the narrow space in which the men must work.

Trujillo, Aniano Jose

Daily Herald Monday March 29, 1943
Coal Miner Meets Death In Mishap

PRICE - March 29 - Aniano Jose Trujillo, 31, Price, was fatally injured yesterday while working in the Sunnyside mine of the Utah Fuel Company. Trujillo suffered a fractured skull when he was struck on the head by falling cap rock at the mine. He was working as a member of a conveyor crew at the time of the accident.

Ogden Standard Examiner - Monday March 29, 1943
Miner Killed by Falling Rock

PRICE March 29 - Aniano Jose Trujillo, 31, of Price was killed Sunday when he was struck by falling rock at the Utah Fuel Co. mine at Sunnyside. He had been working with a conveyer loading crew. Survivors include his widow and two children.

Trujillo, Willie

Daily Herald Thursday January 14, 1954
Miner Killed In Cave-In

DRAGERTON --- Rescue crews early today recovered the body of Willie Trujillo, 45, trapped in a cave-in at the Geneva Horse Canyon mine yesterday afternoon. A fellow worker, James Cassano, said the accident occurred at the fourth raise, second level, just as Trujillo turned on a water faucet. Mine officials said the cavein apparently was due to a “bump” the miners’ term for a miniature earthquake or readjustment underground. The body was taken to a Price mortuary.

Tsouroupakis, Mike (Tsoouroupakis), Mike

Report of the Coal Mine Inspector 1918-1920 - page 279

Mike Tsoouroupakis, naturalized Greek, 24 years old and single, was killed July 17, 1919, Winter Quarters Mine, while employed as a machine helper. He was holding the jack pipe which slipped, on account of not being sunk deep enough in the top coal. He was caught in the chain picks of the mining machine.

Tucker, Abza Ruebin aka Reuben Naylor Tucker

Salt Lake Tribune, Wed. Jan. 31, 1945

Reuben Naylor Tucker, 53, Scofield, Carbon County, died in a Salt Lake hospital Tuesday at 1 a.m. of coronary occlusion. Born in Fairview, Sanpete county, Oct. 24, 1891, a son of George and Mary C. Madsen Tucker, he was a machinist for Utah Fuel Co. and a member of the L.D.S. church.

Survivors include his widow, Gussie Tucker, Scofield; two sons, Donald R. Tucker, U. S. Army, and Blaine G. Tucker, army air forces; four daughters, Mary and Jean Tucker, Salt Lake City; Mrs. Doris Pazour, Rio Tinto, Nev., and Mrs. Emile J. Cances Jr., Bastrop, Tex.; three half brothers, Frank Tucker and Fred Christiansen, Fairview, and William Christiansen, Spanish Fork; two half-sisters, Mrs. Anna Van Noy, Los Angeles, and Mrs. Hettie Helm, Byron, Wyo., and two grandchildren.

Research notes: Death certificate for Rueben Tucker shows cause of death was due to accident that occurred Jan. 25, 1945.

Tucker, Henry Moses

Ogden Standard Examiner - Thursday July 28, 1955
5,000 Volts Kill Utahn

HIAWATHA - A Carbon County Man touched a live power line yesterday, dying when 5,000 volts of electricity surged through his body. Henry Tucker, 46, Hiawatha, was pronounced dead upon arrival at a Price hospital. Tucker contacted the wire while pouring cement for a new transformer base at the U. S. Fuel Co.’s mine. Artificial respiration was applied, to no avail.

Daily Herald Thursday July 28, 1955
U S Steel Employe Electrocuted

PRICE - A 46-year old United States Steel Corp. employe was electrocuted today while working on the company substation at Hiawatha, Utah. Henry Tucker reportedly came in contact with a high-tension wire with his shoulder. He was killed instantly. He is survived by his widow and two children. His death will be considered a mine fatality. This is the fourth accidental death in Carbon County this year.

Turen (Turin), Gust

Report of Industrial Commission of Utah July 1, 1920 to June 30, 1922
Page 930 - FATAL ACCIDENTS

Gust Turin, a Finlander, 50 years old and single, was instantly killed December 12, 1920, in the Standard Mine, by a fall of top coal and rock while he was in the act of setting a prop. He was working in No. 8 room pillar on first west entry.

Turner, Ben

Sun Advocate, April 10, 1985
Miner killed in accident

SUNNYSIDE - Ben Turner, 32, Sunnyside, was killed in a mine accident here shortly after 2 p.m. Tuesday. Joe Clark, public relations spokesman for the company in California, said it was his understanding that Turner “was killed outright” and that the accident involved a piece of mining equipment inside the mine. He said officials from Mine Safety and Health Administration, Utah State Industrial Commission, the United Mine Workers of America and the company have begun investigation into the cause of the accident. No others were injured in the accident, he said.

Sun Advocate, April 12, 1985

SUNNYSIDE - Ben Turner, age 32, died April 9, 1985 in a mining accident. Born May 10, 1952, in Price, to Phillip and Ora Swenson Turner. Married Susan Hunt August 30, 1974, in Price. Worked for Kaiser Steel for 15 years, graduate East Carbon High. Survived by: wife, Susan; children, Jenny, 10, Melinda, 8, Lorraine, 5, all Sunnyside; father, Phillip Turner, East Carbon; mother, Ora S. Owen, Delaware; brothers, Dan, East Carbon; Tim, Price; sisters, Peggy Valdez, East Carbon; Leah Owen, Delaware. Funeral services will be held Saturday April 13, at 2 p.m. in the East Carbon LDS Chapel. Friends may call Friday, 7 to 9 p.m. at Fausett Mortuary in Price, and one hour prior to services at the church. Burial Price City Cemetery.

Turner, Daniel William

Milford News, 1930-03-21
MINE TOLL TAKES WOMAN’S THREE SONS

Among the scores of women and children who waited anxiously at the mine portal for news of their loved ones was Mrs. Ella Turner, 55. Three of the five victims of the Peerless mine explosion were her sons a fourth, a son-in-law. William Curtis is a son by previous marriage, while Clement and Danny Turner were sons by second marriage. Lester Curtis married one of Mrs. Turner’s daughters. Patiently the anxious woman waited for the sight of her boys. “They’ve just taken out one of the boys and he is all right, Mrs. Turner,” someone told the woman and her face brightened in the dusk that settled around picturesque Castle Gate Rock.

A few minutes later word came that her three sons and son-in-law were victims. The aged woman collapsed and the cries of the four wives were heard above the crowd. Nine grandchildren, a bereaved daughter and three grief - stricken daughter-in-laws were all that she had to remind her, as she lay prostrate at her home, of the happier days when her life and family were young. - Price Sun

Turner, Elmer Clement

Ogden Standard-Examiner, 1930-03-13
MINE VICTIMS BURIED

Price, March 13 - (AP) - Quadruple funeral services were held at the Latter-day Saints tabernacle here Wednesday for four of the victims of the New Peerless mine disaster. Dan Turner, Clement Turner and Will Curtis, sons of Mrs. Clara Turner, and Lester Curtis, the woman’s son-in-law, received last rites together.

Turner, John Thomas

The Sun October 24, 1924
AN OLDTIMER HERE IN CARBON COUNTY PASSES ON

Jack Thomas turner, mine foreman for the Mutual Coal company, died at Rains last Sunday after an illness of three weeks. He came to Utah from England in 1905 and had been a mine foreman here for eight years. He is survived by his wife and seven children, Thomas, Joseph, James, Isabel, Ethel, Scott and Robert Turner. Funeral services were held yesterday under the auspices of the Knights of Pythias Lodge No. 13 of Castle Gate of which he was a member. Interment was at Price.

Research note: Age 48 died Oct. 19, 1924 due to pneumonia resulting from rescue work on September 21, 1924 at Rains Mine.

Turner, Wade F.

Salt Lake Tribune, Wed. Jan. 10, 1945
Mine Car Kills Carbon Man

PRICE - Wade F. Turner, Sunnyside miner, died in the Dragerton hospital Tuesday morning after an accident Monday in the Sunnyside mine where he worked at dropping cars. He was thrown from a car which then crushed him.

He was born July 22, 1918, in Sunnyside, a son of Orson Pratt and Bernice Hansen Turner. He had been a miner for seven years. He is survived by his parents, his widow, Mrs. Catherine Evans Turner; three children, Sherily, Dorun and Kenneth Wade Turner; four brothers and sisters, Phillip Turner, with the army in England; Frank D. Turner, Beth Turner and Bonnielu Turner, Sunnyside.

Funeral services will be conducted in the LDS ward at Sunnyside Sunday at 1 p.m. by Bishop Peacock. Burial will be in the Price cemetery under direction of the Wallace mortuary. Friends may call at the mortuary Friday and Saturday until 8 p.m. and at the family home from 10 a.m. to time of the funeral Sunday.

Research note: Age 26 died Jan. 9, 1945 due to falling under the wheel of a railroad car working as a car dropper at the Utah Fuel, Kaiser Steel Coal Mine.

Turra, Joe

The Ogden Standard Examiner - Tuesday, January 21, 1930
OGDENITE DEAD IN MINE BLAST - Thomas Richards Leaves Widow and Five Children Here

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.

News Advocate 01-23-1930
Accidents Claim 3 Miners in Week

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 cavein 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.

Tuttle, Orlando Fred

Salt Lake Tribune - Sat Nov. 17, 1951
Coal Fall Kills Worker in Wattis Mine

WATTIS, Carbon County - Orlando F. Tuttle, 21, Orangeville, Emery County, was killed here Friday at 10:30 a.m. when a fall of coal from the roof of Lion Coal Co. mine struck him on the head while he was operating a hydraulic drill. According to eyewitness accounts, the crew that Mr. Tuttle was working with had sounded the roof before entering to prepare the face of the coal for shooting. The slab of coal that fell was about a foot square and about three or four inches thick. Mine officials said it “probably” broke his neck. A doctor, called to the mine, said Mr. Tuttle was dead when he arrived. The body was taken to Witbeck Funeral Home, Castle Dale.

The young man had worked in the mines about four months and at the Wattis mine about six weeks prior to the accident. His father, Fred O. Tuttle, also of Orangeville, worked on the same mine crew with him. Mr. Tuttle had been a student in Emery County schools, and had worked his farm near Orangeville. He also worked for some time as a truck driver for the county. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He had sought employment at the Lion Coal Co. mine here to supplement his income while building a home for his family. The mine will remain idle Saturday for an investigation by L. L. Arnett, Price, state mine inspector. Mr. Tuttle was born at Orangeville, on July 26, 1930, a son of Fred O. and Louis Sitterud Tuttle.

Survivors include his widow, Mrs. Jean Johansen Tuttle, a 2 year old son, Danny, and an infant daughter, Orjane, all of Orangeville; his parents; two brothers, Kenneth and Howard Tuttle, Orangeville, and a sister, Mrs. Beverly Neilson, Huntington; also his maternal grandfather, George Sitterud, Orangeville.

Tyler, Lorenzo

Report of the Coal mine Inspector 1896-1900

On the 4th day of August, 1898, at about 8 o’clock, a.m., Lorenzo Tyler, a roller-man in Castle Gate Mine, was fatally injured on the main Entry.

It was the duty of said Tyler to oil the rollers to the 10th raise on the Main Entry. On the morning of the accident he started to oil the rollers at the bottom of the 10th Raise from there he went towards the mouth of the mine, oiling the rollers as he went along. He had reached and passed the roller at the mouth of the main Entry Hoist, which was running at the time, when a trip came past knocking him down with his leg under the trip, most all of the cars passing over him. It seems he did not see or hear the trip coming. His leg was amputated at the hospital, from the results of which he died the next morning.

Colliery Engineer, Volumes 19, 20 (google books)

Mr. Lorenzo Tyler was killed on Thursday, Aug. 5, at the mines of the Pleasant Valley Coal Co., Castle Gate, Utah. While attending to his duties of oiling and keeping clean an inclined plane a trip of cars ran over and severed his leg. He was taken to St. Marks Hospital, Salt Lake City, but died next day from the loss of blood and was buried in the same city the following Sunday in accordance with the rites of Knights of Pythias. Mr. Tyler was 54 years of age and 38 years ago came from England to this country. He was a student of the International Correspondence School of Mines and had only recently received his diploma from the same.

Salt Lake Herald 1898-08-06 Town Talk

Lorenzo Tyler, who was injured in the coal mine at Castle Gate recently, died yesterday in this city, as a result of his injuries. The funeral will take place on Sunday at 2:30 p.m., at Castle hall, under the auspices of the K. of P.

Salt Lake Herald 1898-08-06
Attention, Knights of Pythias!

All Knights of Pythias are requested to meet at the Castle Hall at 2; 30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 7 to assist in the funeral services of Brother Lorenzo Tyler, a sir knight of company no. 4, U.R.K. of P. of Castle Gate, Utah. Ed. W. Duncan, Chairman Committee

Attention, Sir Knights!

All members of company I, uniform rank, K. of P., will assemble at the armory at the Castle Hall, in full dress, to attend the funeral of Sir Knight Lorenzo Tyler, of company 4, U. R. K. or P. Visiting sir knights are invited to assemble with us. N. W. Sonnedecker, Captain Company I.

Tziblakis, Mike

Report of Industrial Commission of Utah July 1, 1920 to June 30, 1922
Page 928 - FATAL ACCIDENTS

Mike Tziblakis, a Greek, 31 years old and single, was killed September 27, 1920, Clear Creek Mine No. 3 Mine, by being run over by trip. Mike, coming out from his work on the first south entry, seeing a motor coming stepped into a crosscut, which was 10 feet wide, 6 feet high. At this crosscut on the opposite side it was 6 feet wide from the rail to the side of the entry. The motor was in front of 7 empty cars. At No. 6 room, the motor was uncoupled from the empty cars so that it could be switched into No. 6 room so that the cars could coast down by themselves past No. 7 switch, then the motor ran out of No. 7 switch onto the main track and pushed the cars in front of it on to the big parting; when the motorman passed Mike he told him to look out for the empty cars and just then Mike stepped on the track and was knocked down by the front car. He was dragged 24 feet before the trip stopped. His back was broken. He died fifteen minutes after the accident.


U

Ungricht, Orson
Findagrave.com & FamilySearch

Orson Ungricht was born April 16, 1888 in Murray, Salt Lake, Utah. He was married to Erma Nielsen on July 30, 1921 in Castle Gate, Carbon Utah. His daughter Annabelle Ungricht was born in 1922 and his son Orson Ungricht was born April 20, 1924, six weeks following the death of his father in the Castle Gate mine explosion on March 8, 1924. Orson Ungricht is buried in the Price City Cemetery. He also served in the 26th Inf. 1st Division in World War I.

Urtado, Frank
Ogden Standard Examiner Feb. 15, 1957
Cave-In Kills 2 at Price

PRICE – A coal-mine cave-in today killed two miners in southeastern Utah’s Carbon County. The cave-in occurred about 9 a.m. in the Royal Coal Co. mine about 20 miles north of here, but the bodies of the two victims were not extricated until shortly after noon. It was not known whether any other miners had been injured. The dead were identified as Sefrino Gonzales of Standardville, and Frank Utardo, Helper.

Ogden Standard Examiner Feb. 16, 1957
Inspectors Probe for Blast Cause

HELPER – State and federal mine inspectors today probed causes behind a Carbon County coal mine cave-in that fatally crushed two miners yesterday. The mishap occurred in the Royal Coal Co. mine seven miles north of here. Some 70 other miners were working in various parts of the tunnel when the cave-in buried the two men but no one else was injured. Rescue teams dug through tons of rock and coal for more than three hours to uncover the bodies of Frank Urtado, 34, Helper, and Sefrino Gonzales, 55, Standardville. They had been operating a joy-loading machine when the cave-in trapped them. Urtado had five children and Gonzales had 11.


V

Valdez, Benjamin
Salt Lake Tribune Dec. 18, 1963
Funeral Services set for 9 miners

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.

Valdez, Benjamin, 39, Helper, was born August. 10, 1924, at Monevo, N.M. to Clestino and Delfino Martinez Valdez. He married Genieve Trujillo, March 30, 1956, in New Mexico. He was a member of the Catholic Church and was a veteran of World War II.

Survivors include his widow; two sons, Donald and Arthur, all of Helper, parents, Helper; brothers and sisters, Joe and Mrs. Horace (Sencion) Alcon, both of Springville; Daniel, Price; Bobby, Mrs. Joe (Josephine) Manazares, Mrs. Phil (Susie) Nunez, Mrs. Pat (Stella) Gutierrez, all of Helper; Mrs. Abe (Julia) Martinez, Murray, and Eileen, Blanco, N. M. Requiem Mass will be celebrated Friday at 10:30 a.m. in the Helper St. Anthony Catholic Church. Holy Rosary will be recited Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Fausett-Etzel Mortuary, Price. Graveside services will be conducted at the Mountain View Cemetery by the Helper American Legion Post No. 21.

Valdez, Joe Cornellio
Ogden Standard Examiner Tuesday Dec 31, 1946
Coal Miner Killed

PRICE, Dec. 31 – Injuries suffered in a mining accident at the Kaiser Coal Co. mine at Sunnyside proved fatal yesterday to Joe H. Valdez, 23, Sunnyside, it was revealed here today. Complete details of the accident were not released by the company.

VanWagoner, Delbert Andrew
Newspaper article – no date given
MINER HURT IN FALL OF ROCK DIES IN SALT LAKE HOSPTIAL FROM INJURIES

Funeral services were held at Sunnyside Tuesday for Delbert Andrew Van Wagoner, 53, who died in a Salt Lake hospital Saturday from injuries received in fall of coal in No. 1 mine of the Utah Fuel company at Sunnyside on September 7. In the same accident Angus C. Broderick, 30, was killed and another miner slightly injured. Van Wagoner died from bronchial pneumonia which was brought on by injuries to his back. The services were under the direction of J. R. Flynn.

Mr. Van Wagoner was born at Santaquin, September 8, 1873, the son of Ephraim and Cassie Hamilton Van Wagoner and had worked as a miner in this district for some time. His widow, Jennie Van Wagoner, survives.

Varicalli (Vericolli), Rocco
Report of the Coal Mine Inspector 1915-1916 – page 21

Rocco Vericolli, Italian miner, age 25, married (wife and two children in Italy) was killed December 14th, 1914, in No. 12 room on the first west entry of the Standardville mine by a fall of coal.

Varicolli and his partners, Nick Reo and Girolomo Reali, were loading coal in the above room when two pieces of coal, estimated at 300 pounds each in weight, fell from the room and struck the deceased as he was bent over shoveling coal into a mine car. He and his partners had been warned to examine the roof conditions because of their close proximity to some step faults that crossed their room.

Varitti, Samuel (Flatta)
Report of the Coal Mine Inspector 1903-1904 page 42

Samuel Varitti, an Italian laborer, was injured near No. 2 mine at Sunnyside, on the coal track, while unloading coal for the boiler house, on the 21st day of August, 1903 at 8:47 am from which injuries he died.

Eastern Utah Advocate 1903-08-27

Samuel Flatta, an Italian miner, was killed in the railroad yards at Sunnyside Friday afternoon while loading some cars with coal. He was a well to do and respected citizen of the community. He leaves a wife and one child. The funeral was held last Saturday.

Varner, Charles Alden
The Sun Advocate
Past Master of Mason Lodge Is Buried With Full Honors Sunday

Charles Alden Varner, 39, more affectionately known as “Jerry” died in the Price City hospital last Thursday, June 26, from blood poison following an accident in which a piece of wire rope had injured his finger. He was buried with full Masonic honors Sunday afternoon.

Born in Grand Junction, February 19, 1903, Mr. Varner had been raised in Carbon County. He had worked at most of the surrounding coal camps at one time or another. At the time of his death he was residing at Columbia.

The Masonic temple where the funeral service were held was filled to capacity. Mr. Varner had been a past master of Joppa Lodge No. 26, A. F. & A.M. The services were under the direction of Dr. Roy W. Robinson of Kenilworth and burial was in the Price City cemetery.Survivors are his widow, Mrs. Gwendolyn Varner of Columbia; two brothers, James A. of Columbia and Leman of Denver.

Death Certificate

Immediate cause of death due to streptococcus septicemia due to injury on June 18, 1942. Means of injury: steel rope while working at Columbia, Utah.

Vassilion, Theodore
News Advocate July 11, 1928
FIRST MINE FATALITY OF SUMMER SEASON CLAIMS HIAWATHA MAN

The first mine fatality in three and one half months and the first fatal accident from a coal fall in the mines of the United States Fuel company at Hiawatha, in eighteen months snuffed out the life of Theodore Vassillion, 26, Greek miner, Tuesday. Vassillion was working in the King mine No. 1 at the time of the accident, and was struck by a section of falling roof about ten o’clock in the morning. He was fatally injured, and died at 2:45 o’clock p.m.

Vassillion sustained a brain concussion, a broken collarbone and a broken leg as well as internal injuries. The deceased was a single man, had so far as known, no relatives in the United States. The body is at the J. E. Flynn funeral home at Price where it will await funeral arrangements.

Velasquez, Ben (Valesquez)
News Advocate, March 22, 1923

John Crawford, state coal mine inspector, was in Price Monday on his way to Sunnyside to prepare a report on the death of Ben Valesquez. Ben Valesquez, 28, Mexican miner of Sunnyside, was crushed beneath a fall of rock and coal in the mine Saturday afternoon. A brother, Albert Velasquez of Colorado arrived yesterday to accompany the body to Canona, N. M. this afternoon. The deceased leaves a wife and two small children. He had been working at Sunnyside for three and a half years.

Vendos, Tom
1916 Report of Coal Mine Inspector page 160

Tom Vendos, age 30, prop puller at the Sunnyside No. 2 mine, single, died Feb. 26, 1916 due to fall of rock.

Verde, Tony
Ogden Standard Examiner Sun. July 9, 1951
Coal Miner Dies of Accident Hurts

SALT LAKE CITY – July 7, Coal Miner Tony Verde, 32, Helper, Utah, died today in a Salt Lake City 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.

Newspaper Obituary – Tuesday Evening

Requiem mass for Tony Verde, 37, who died in Salt Lake hospital early Saturday of injuries suffered in a cave-in at the Castle Gate Mine June 23, was celebrated in St. Anthony’s Parish Catholic Church Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. by Rev. Thomas F. Butler. Rosary for Mr. Verde was recited in the Mitchell Funeral Chapel in Price Monday evening.

Mr. Verde was born at Sunnyside, Carbon County in 1914, a son of Anthony and Marie DeAngelis Verde. He was a member of St. Anthony’s Catholic Parish in Helper and was employed as a shot firer in the Utah Fuel division mine of Kaiser Steel Corp., Castle Gate.

He is survived by three brothers, John, Salt Lake City; Daniel Williams, Price, and James Verde, Helper; six sisters, Mrs. Cynthia Patch, San Francisco; Mrs. Lowell Pitts, Price, and Mrs. Ruth Tellroli, Mrs. Angelo Giordano, Miss Katherine Verde and Mrs. Rose Felice, all of Helper. Friends may call at the Mitchell Funeral Home.

Via, Joseph
Ogden Standard Examiner, Wed. March 3, 1943
Mine Mishap Is Fatal to Worker

KENILWORTH, Utah, March 3 – Joe Via, 28, Spring Glen, was killed when he was crushed between a falling slab and a track loading machine which he was operating in the Independent Coal & Coke Co, mine here Tuesday.

Sun Ad March 4, 1943
Kenilworth Miner Killed In Accident

The third coal miner to meet death in the past week was Joe Via, 28, of Spring Glen, who was killed instantly Tuesday afternoon in the Kenilworth Independent Coal and Coke company mine.

Mr. Via worked for the company several years. He suffered a broken neck as he was operating a track loader, cleaning up a place so it could be timbered. A piece of coal slabbed off the upper rib and pushed him against the side of the loading machine. The deceased was born at Spring Glen on October 23, 1914, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Via.

Surviving are his mother, his widow, Mrs. Mary Prazo Via, and two small sons, Phillip and Peter. Rosary will be said at 7:30 Friday night and the funeral services will take place on Saturday morning at 10:00, at the Notre Dame church in Price.

Vigil, Jose Thomas D.
Salt Lake Tribune, May 16, 1945
Lawrence M. Figueroa and Jose T. Vigil


PRICE – Double funeral services were conducted Monday at 11:30 a.m. for Jose Tomas Vigil and Lawrence Madrid Figueroa, Sunnyside mine accident victims. Services were at the Notre Dame de Lourdes Catholic church in Price with Rev. T. H. Butler officiating.

Vigil, Sam
Ogden Standard Examiner, April 15, 1970
Falling Coal Hits, Kills Utah Miner

CASTLE GATE, Utah -- A veteran coal miner was killed Monday when a large chunk of coal fell from the wall of North American Coal Co.’s Kenilworth mine. Authorities said Sam Vigil, 63, of Helper, was operating a shuttle car when the coal fell near the mine entrance. Five other men were working nearby but were not hurt.

Visoznik, Josef (Vesoynick, Joseph)
Report of the Coal Mine Inspector 1907-1908 page 10

May 16, 1907 Joseph Vesoynick, an Austrian miner, aged thirty-three, married, wife and two children, was killed at Winter Quarters. Vesoynick and partner, John Pevic, were engaged taking out the entry or chain pillar, and coal over the entry that had been left up as a roof when the entry was driven. The day before the accident, they had put in three shots in top coal at mouth of No. 5 room, entry No. 4 off tenth raise.

These shots brought down the coal in the mouth of the rooms and part way across the entry, excepting a long, narrow piece. This coal was partly loosened. They did not think it dangerous, or loose enough to fall. After examining it with a pick, concluded that it would be necessary to put in another shot, so commenced loading the car. When loading the third car, the long narrow piece of coal fell, killing Vesoynick.

Vrodakis (Vrondakis), Mike
1912 Biennial Mine Report – page 107

Mike Vrondakis, aged 45 years, married, Greek coal miner, was killed in room No. 9, second Left entry, No. 1 mine, Hiawatha, March 16th, 1912. Vrondakis was undermining and over hanging piece of coal in the face of room, the coal being eight feet wide, with two loose ends. He neglected to sprag the coal, consequently, when the overhanging coal received more weight than the strata could support, it broke off from the face and roof, falling on Vrondakis, who, according to his partner’s statement, was kneeling down. When liberated, it was found that his neck was broken. The mass of coal that fell weighed four tons.

Vrontakis, Ross
Report of the Coal Mine Inspector 1915-1916 – page 25

Ross Vrontakis, Greek rope rider, age 21, single, was killed by an electric current on July 22, 1915, in house No. 227 at Castle Gate. One of the high tension wires running to No. 2 mine had fallen and brought a light wire down with it and charged that part of the line back to house No. 227. After looking the situation over, deceased went back home for a pair of gloves and came back for the purpose of removing the wire from the house. Although warned not to touch it, he attempted to try the wire by touching it with the point of his finger. Upon touching the wire the full voltage of the wires went through his body, killing him instantly.

Vuchinovic, Nick
News Advocate Sept. 3, 1925
SERVICES CONDUCTED FOR COAL MINE VICTIM

Nick Vechinovich, 30 years of age, who was killed in the Liberty mine at Latuda last Wednesday by a fall of rock, was buried Sunday at Helper with services in charge of S. N. P.J. lodge No. 422 of Standardville. Vechinovich was a member of the same lodge at Bear River, Colo. His former home.


W

Wahlin, Albert Emanuel (Walene)
Report of the Coal Mine Inspector 1903-1904 page 131

Albert C. Wahlin, a miner, was killed in Winter Quarters Mine No. 1, on March 12, 1904. Death caused by compound fracture of frontal bone just over left eye, slight bruises over face.

Copy of Coroner’s Verdict: We believe that the deceased came to his death between eight and nine o’clock on the morning of the 12th day of March, 1904, in the first room off the tenth raise in No. 1 Mine Winter Quarters, that his death was caused by a blow on the head caused by a piece of shale or clod, which fell from the roof, that the death was purely accidental.

Eastern Utah Advocate 1904-03-17 Ephraim Enterprise 1904-03-24
Young Man Killed in Winter Quarters Mine

Scofield, March 16, a young man named Walene, whose home is in Fairview, was killed in the mines at Winter Quarters yesterday by falling rock and his body was shipped home today. Up till now accidents have been very inconsiderate since the new men went into the mine, but mining without accidents is a thing unknown.

Walker, Fred Dallas
Salt Lake Tribune, Sunday, May 20, 1945

Fred Walker -- The body of Fred Walker, 29, Hiawatha miner who died Wednesday evening at the Hiawatha hospital after being injured in the U. S. Fuel Co mine, will be shipped Sunday to Arkansas for burial and services.

Walker, James – did not die in the mine but survived the 1900 Winter Quarters disaster. This story is included for the information that it contains about the Winter Quarters Mine Explosion.
History from Family Search Website – written by Lila Marie Bennett July 1981 (condensed)

Margaret Hunter and James Walker were married 1 Jan 1870 in Ayrshire, England. James was 19 and Margaret was 21. At the time they were married James didn’t know how to sign his name. He signed his marriage license with a large X. Soon after being married James decided to immigrate to America to find work and to save money so Margaret would be able to join him. It was three years before they were reunited and they began to have children. Several years later the whole family moved to Scofield, Carbon County, Utah. James and three of his sons went to work in the mines. On August 18, 1899 James Walker was injured by some coal falling on his foot causing severe bruising and lacerations of his right foot. Nine months later on May 1st, 1900, the day of the Winter Quarters mine explosion James Walker says: “About eleven in the morning there was a terrible noise. Margaret and the girls ran outdoors in time to see the top of the mountain seem to rise in the air and then settle back again. All the women, and men not working in the mine, rushed to the mine, but were not allowed to get very close. From inside the mine, James Walker and the boys heard the explosion, grabbed their coats and dinner pails and started to go out, but when they came to the trapper’s door, which is a door used to turn the air in the mine, they could not open it. The air pressure was so great against it. Had they opened it, they would never have lived long enough to get out; the gas in the mine would have killed them. They got out another way on the other side of the mountain.”

James Walker, then helped in removing the bodies of the trapped and dead miners. You can imagine his emotion as he came upon body after body of his former friends. Margaret remembered to her dying day the sight of the rows and rows of coffins in the schoolhouse and the church. It’s not surprising that James Walker decided to never go back into that mine again.

Deseret News Magazine – Feb. 11, 1951 quoted by Lila Marie Bennett in her history of James Walker

May Day of 1900 had been renamed Dewey Day and the whole State of Utah was in a dither of excitement over the gala celebration that was scheduled to honor the "Hero of Manilla". Every little community, as well as the larger cities was planning parades, dances and programs to give voice to the enthusiasm that permeated the whole country. The little town of Scofield, high in the hills in the west end of Carbon County, was no exception. Great plans were in the making for the celebration that evening--a celebration that would never take place. At 10:25 that morning, the folks of the town were startled by a dull detonation. Some thought that it was a blast set off in honor of the day, but the wives--in whose hearts had always been the fear of an explosion--ran toward the portal, as did the more experienced miners who knew that the dull thud heralded a major disaster.

They were not prepared for the extent of the tragedy. Of the 310 men on shift that day, 199 were killed outright; some died later. Only two were brought alive out of the No. 4 mine, where the explosion occurred, and of these, one died before night. Men on the surface were injured by the force of the blast; one, John Wilson, was thrown 820 feet, but, though he had many broken bones, he lived for years.

The whole state was shocked out of its festival mood into a state of mourning. Every coffin in Salt Lake City was requisitioned, and more had to be sent post haste from Denver. The school children of Salt Lake City went from house to house begging garden flowers to send to the bereaved families, collecting three carloads of lilacs, violets, pansies and other early spring blossoms. Florists sent long boxes and huge wreathes of their finest hothouse flowers.

The schoolhouse, church and hotel were turned into morgues. One hundred five widows wept for their husbands; 270 children were fatherless. Many families lost not only the father, but the elder sons, the big brothers who were helping the family by working in the mine. President McKinley wired his sympathy, and the tragic news evoked a message of condolence from President Loubet of France.

Walker, Parley Pearson
Newspaper article – no date
P. P. WALKER IS KILLED IN RUNAWAY AT RAINS

Parley P. Walker, 48 years of age, died in the Standardville hospital Tuesday afternoon, after his skull was fractured in a runaway at Rains in the morning. Walker was employed as stable boss by the Carbon Fuel company at the Rains mine. The accident occurred at 8:45 a.m., and the injured man was taken immediately to the Standardville hospital.

The deceased is survived by his widow and eight children. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday from the Flynn Funeral home.

Walton, Bud
Salt Lake Tribune May 16, 1945

PRICE – The body of Bud Walton, 55, was sent to St. Louis, Mo., for funeral services and burial Sunday night. Mr. Walton was the last-recovered miner killed in the Sunnyside mine explosion last Wednesday. The Wallace mortuary of Price made transportation arrangements.

Deseret News May 11, 1945
Last Body Recovered in Mine Disaster

Sunnyside, Utah – Rescuers today recovered the body of Bud Walton, 55, Sunnyside miner, to complete the removal of bodies from the blasted workings of the Sunnyside mine of the Utah Fuel Co., which previously had yielded 22 other bodies of omen killed in Wednesday afternoon’s gas explosion.

Stanley Harvey of Price, state coal mine inspector, reported today that Mr. Walton’s body was discovered about 9:15 a.m. today in the second left entry of the mine after a large quantity of debris had been cleared away. Seven miners injured in the blast were reported recovering satisfactorily in the Dragerton Hospital.

Investigating the accident for the United States Bureau of Mines is J. Howard Bird, bureau mining engineer, it was announced today by R. D. Reeder, acting supervising engineer for the bureau. The state investigation is being conducted by Mr. Harvey assisted by Robert J. Schultz, deputy state coal mine inspector. Both men work under the safety division of the State Industrial Commission. Mr. Harvey said there seemed little doubt that exploding methane was the cause of the blast, but what ignited the gas and caused the explosion is not known.

Removal of Mr. Walton’s body now paves the way for opening of the formal investigation of the disaster, Mr. Harvey said. “However, we do not expect to get under way until tomorrow.” He added. Mr. Harvey pointed out that an investigating committee, with members representing the mine, miners and investigating agencies, must be organized and the procedure discussed before the actual investigation gets under way.

The fatal explosion occurred nearly two miles from the mine portal and was touched off at 3:12 p.m. just as 87 men on the day shift were preparing to leave the mine and a smaller night shift was preparing to enter. Miners near the center of the blast were severely burned by the flame, while the concussion had broken their bodies severely. On the outer fringes the dead showed no signs of burns and no apparent marks were on the bodies, the cause of death in the latter cases being the concussion of the blast.

Claude P. Heiner, vice president and general manager of the mine, said the blast might have been much worse if the mine had not been thoroughly rock dusted the Sunday before. This rock dusting prevented a spread of the blast, which might have created innumerably more deaths and much greater damage, he said. With the exception of the Sunnyside mine of the Utah Fuel Co., all coal mines in the area had returned to production today, with only a little over normal absenteeism showing, officials said.

Mr. Harvey said the Sunnyside mine where the blast occurred probably would not open until sometime next week, after the workings were thoroughly cleaned, damaged ventilating equipment replaced and returned to operation and after the mine had been rock dusted. Two representatives of the Salt Lake Social Security Board, assistant manager, Harry E. Johnson, and Provo district manager, Katherine Mueller, will be in Sunnyside Monday afternoon and Tuesday to contact survivors of the victims. Mr. Johnson said they would establish headquarters at the Utah Fuel Co. offices and will be available there for holders of Social Security claims.

Funeral services for James Jardine will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Mitchell Funeral Home Chapel, Price. Services will be under direction of the Sunnyside union local. Bodies of mine victims were being shipped for final services and burial as follows: Efran Manzanares to Ignacio, Colo.; Joe Montoya to Durango, Colo.; Joe Padilla to Dragerton where the remains will be at home until tomorrow and then removed to Cuba through Mexico; Orville Stubblefield to Spanish Fork; Juan Martines to Murray.

Ward, Heber William
Death Certificate:

Cause of death was due to fracture of skull, mine accident of falling coal falling on him. This happened at the Clear Creek Mine. Buried at Castle Gate, Utah. Born Feb. 16, 1876 and died September 2, 1925.

Ward, John Edward
Ogden Standard Examiner Tuesday July 21, 1942
Injuries Fatal to Utah Miner

CLEVELAND, July 21 – John Edward Ward, 22, died yesterday of injuries received while working at the Spring canyon coal mine last Friday.

Working alone in the mine, Ward walked out of the portals Friday afternoon with a badly crushed head. He was unable to talk and was rushed immediately to the hospital but he died without being able to explain how the mishap occurred. His job at the time of the accident was that of hooking cars to the cable which drew them from the mine.

The Sun and News-Advocate July 23, 1942
FATAL INJURIES SUFFERED WHILE WORKING IN MINE

Working alone in that particular area of the mine at the time, John Edward Ward, 22, of Cleveland, was fatally injured in some manner in the mine of the Spring Canyon Coal company at Spring Canyon. He died at the Standardville Hospital Monday afternoon at 5 o’clock. While it was immediately impossible to determine the cause of the accident, physicians announce that Mr. Ward had suffered a basal skull fracture of both the upper and lower jaws. These injuries were announced as the cause of his death.

Occupied at his line of work as a nipper, Ward was reported found unconscious in the mine, according to a statement by the superintendent, Walter Cochrane. It was believed that the injured man was caught between some coal cars and that this led to the accident. A son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Edgar Ward of Cleveland, he was born in that Emery county community June 21, 1920. Both of his parents survive him.

In addition to his parents he is survived by two sisters and five brothers. The sisters are Mrs. Dora Jones of Price and Mrs. Emma Tucker of Elmo, Utah. The brothers include Lavar Bennet and Ray who are serving in the U. S. Army in Florida, Tom, William Fred and Duane of Cleveland. There are also three grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. John J. Thorderson and John Edward Ward of Cleveland.

Funeral services will be conducted at Cleveland Sunday, with burial at the Cleveland cemetery. The body will be at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Lou Larsen from 10 a.m. until the services begin, during which period friends may call and view the body.

Ward, Ray
Salt Lake Tribune October 17, 1977
Price Man Killed in Cave-In

PRICE – A cave-in at the Swisher Coal Co. Mine, 15 miles west of here, has claimed the life of a 55-year-old Price man. Ray Ward was pronounced dead Saturday afternoon at Carbon County Hospital where he was transported from the mine, according to Carbon County Sheriff Albert Passic.

Mr. Ward had been buried in the mine for some time following the cave-in, Sheriff Passic said. Federal Mine Inspectors and officials of the State Industrial Commission will investigate the accident, the sheriff added. The death was the second mining fatality in Utah Saturday. Kenneth H. Lefevre, Tooele, was killed when he slipped on a work deck and fell more than 100 feet down an Anaconda Co. mine shaft near Tooele.

Wardle, William Rafe
Vernal Express, May 9, 1940
Funeral for Raphe Wardle, Mine Victim, At Tridell on Sunday

Funeral services for Raphe Wardle 20 who was accidently killed in a mine at Price Thursday at 4:00 p.m. were held at the Tridell chapel Sunday at 12:30 under the direction of Bishop H. LeRoy Morrill. Speakers were Parley Goodrich, J. O Hacking, Hayden Foster and closing remarks by Bishop Morrill.

A double mixed quartet consisting of Madeena Smith, Leida Atwood, Frances Bartlett, Virginia Goodrich, Clyde E. Merkley, Dick Bigler, Parley H. Goodrich and B. E. Harvey accompanied by Elizabeth Bartlett sang Oh My Father. Sometime We’ll Understand and God Be With You. A mixed quartet also sang Beautiful Home. The invocation was offered by Ivan Ross and the benediction by C. Bart Menkley. The pall bearers were John Wardle, Joseph Jackson, DeVere C. Ross, Javins Foster, Bill Bailey, and Joseph Tryme. Interment was made in the Tridell cemetery with Laren Ross dedicating the grave.

Raphe Wardle was born at Myton September 17, 1919 a son of Harmon and Martha Tryme Wardle. He spent his boyhood in Tridell until after his mother’s death then after living one year in LaPoint, he went to Salt Lake where he has lived for about four years. He began work in a Price mine the day he was killed. He is survived by the following brothers and sisters, Louise Ross, Tridell, Joseph Jackson of Ferron; John Wardle Antelope, Orinda W. Gee and Viola Wardle, Duchesne.

Warren, Floyd
Salt Lake Tribune – Friday August 26, 1949
Injuries Claim Carbon Man

DRAGERTON, Aug. 25 – Floyd Warren, 39, Dragerton, unit foreman in Geneva coal mine, died Thursday at 2 p.m. in a Dragerton hospital where he was being treated for injuries suffered late Tuesday. Attending physicians who conducted a post mortem said a pulmonary embolism was the cause of death. A blood clot from a bad bruise in the groin entered the blood stream and traveled to the lungs, where it lodged.

Mr. Warren was first counselor in the Dragerton bishopric, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. He was a face boss in the mine, died Thursday at 2 p.m. in the room where an 1800 lb. piece of rock fell on him. Men who rushed to his aid were unable to move the rock and had to dig under from the side to release him. Mr. Warren was first employed in 1943, left for a year in 1945, and had been employed at the mine since 1946. Survivors include his widow, Mrs. Vera Behling Warren, and two sons, Eugene and Allan Warren, all of Dragerton. The body is at the Wallace funeral home, Price.

Salt Lake Tribune – Sat. Aug. 27, 1949

DRAGERTON – Funeral services for Floyd Warren, 39, Dragerton, who died Thursday as the result of injuries received in Geneva mine at Horse Canyon, Emery county, will be held in Dragerton auditorium Sunday at 1 p.m. with Orland M. Mortensen, bishop of Dragerton ward, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, officiating.

Mr. Warren was born at Price, June 4, 1910, son of Hubbard and Bertha Jane Olsen Warren. He lived in Carbon county nearly all his life working most of the time in the coal mines. He was a graduate of Carbon county high school. Active in the L D S church, he was first counselor in the bishopric of the newly formed Dragerton ward.

He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Vera May Behlin Warren, Dragerton; two sons, Floyd Eugene and Allan H. Warren. Dragerton; his mother, Mrs. George Wakefield, Spring Canyon; one brother, Leland Ben Warren, Dragerton, and three sisters, Mrs. Flora Ricketts, Hiawatha; Mrs. Netta Griffiths, Price and Mrs. Wanda Lund, Clearfield. The body is at Wallace mortuary in Price where friends may call Saturday afternoon and evening until 9 p.m. Friends may also call at the family home in Dragerton from 9 a.m. to time of services Sunday. Burial will be in Spanish Fork cemetery.

Warren, William Alonzo
Salt Lake Tribune, Monday Dec. 13, 1943
Two Miners Succumb To Injuries

PRICE – One coal miner died in Price Sunday and another Saturday from injuries suffered in two accidents.

Dead are: William Alonzo Warren, 65, Sunnyside, and Abner Collins, 37, Dragerton. Mr. Warren was injured Saturday when struck by a falling cap rock in the Utah Fuel company mine. He had just entered a tunnel to being timbering. Taken to a Price hospital, he died Sunday at 4:45 a.m.

Mr. Warren was born in Texas, February 18, 1878. He had been employed by the Utah Fuel company for 18 months. Survivors include the widow, Mrs. Fannie Lee Warren, and two sons, Sergeant Jay T. Warren, United States army and Gam W. Warren, Royal.

Working as a nipper on a rotary coal dump at the Geneva mine, Mr. Collins was crushed to death Saturday when he slipped, falling into the operating dump. A nipper hooks cars together on coal trains.

Mr. Collins had been employed about a year by the Geneva mine. He was born November 28, 1906, in Heavner, Okla., son of Philen and Sibble Collins. Survivors include the widow; Mrs. Zimmie Collins; one son and two daughters, Jerald Dean and Louise Ford Collins, Dragerton, and Marian E. Collins, Oklahoma and a stepson, Leonard Odell Robertson, Price.

Ogden Standard Examiner, Monday Dec 13, 1943
Mishaps Claim Two Coal Miners

PRICE – Dec. 13 – Two coal miners died over the weekend as result of separate mine accidents.

William Alonzo Warren, 65, of Sunnyside, Utah, was struck Saturday by falling cap rock at the Utah Fuel Co. mine. He died Sunday at a Price hospital. Abner Collins, 37, of Dragerton, Utah, was crushed to death Saturday when he fell into an operating dump at the Geneva mine.

Salt Lake Telegram, 1943-12-13
Dragerton Man Killed in Mine Accident

Funeral arrangements were to be made Monday afternoon for William Alonzo Warren, 65, who died Sunday afternoon of injuries received Saturday from falling cap rock. An employe of the Utah Fuel company mine for 18 months, he had just entered a tunnel of the mine to begin timbering when the accident occurred.Mr. Warren was born in Texas, February 18, 1878. He is survivied by his widow, and two sons, Sergeant Jay T. Warren, U. S. army, and Gam W. Warren, Royal.

Waslkama, Nikalis Johanson

Research notes -- Listed on the Winter Quarters Mine disaster as Walkame; however, his name should be spelled as Nikalis Johanson Waslkama

Wataro, Juzo (Wateri)
Report of the Coal Mine Inspector 1915-1916 – page 26

J. Wateri, Jap miner, age 28, single, was injured November 27, 1915, in room No. 21, second right dip entry, Sunnyside mine No. 2. Wateri and partner, S. Kuno, proceeded to their work on the morning of the 27th. Their place was double shifted. The night shift had shot down some top coal and on examination, by Wateri and partner; they found a thin layer of coal had stuck to the roof. Noting this, the two men proceeded to trim down this layer of coal and what other coal might be loose. While in the act of pulling the loose coal, a slab of rock weighing approximately 70 pounds, fell from the roof upon Wateri’s head. The rock knocked him down and forced his head into the pile of coal on which he was standing. His head was cut, but no bones were broken. He was removed to the local hospital. Two days later he was sent to the St. Mark’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, where he died on December 2nd.

Watson, William
News Advocate, 1930-02-13

Final rites for William Watson, 39, hoistman, were held Monday from the L.D.S. Chapel at Castle Gate with interment in the Price cemetery. The services were originally scheduled for Tuesday. Deseret Mortuary had charge of the body. He was born in Leavenworth, Kansas, February 6, 1891, and had been a resident of Carbon County for a number of years. He had been employed at Winter Quarters and Castle Gate before coming to Standardville. He is survived by his widow, Lydia Watson of Castle Gate; three children, William Jr., Mardell and Paul and his father, John Watson of Leavenworth, Kansas.

Wayman, Movell (Movie) Vern
Daily Herald – Wednesday July 7, 1965
Foreman At Kaiser Mine Electrocuted

SUNNYSIDE – A section foreman at Kaiser Steel Corp.’s No. 1 mine was electrocuted Tuesday while inspecting equipment in the vacation-idled mine. Company officials identified the victim as Mobell Wayman, 47, Dragerton, an employe of the firm since 1952. Authorities said Wayman’s body was found in a puddle of water near an electric pump at 11:15 a.m. It was estimated he had been dead for two hours.

Clair Self, safety engineer for Kaiser, said preliminary investigation indicated Wayman apparently touched a “hot wire”. The mine is shut down for the annual two week vacation for employes, a company spokesman said. But Wayman was one of the workers assigned to help maintain equipment until the mine resumes operations. Kaiser officials were conducting an investigation into the accident. Additional details awaited their completion of the inquiry.

Salt Lake Tribune – Wed. July 6, 1965
Mine Worker In Carbon Found Dead

SUNNYSIDE, a 50-year-old Carbon County coal miner apparently was electrocuted Monday morning at the No. 1 mine of Kaiser Steel Co. here. Movell Wayman, Dragerton, was found at 11:15 a.m. by Clarence Self, a mine superintendent. The body was in a pool of water near an electric pump, Mr. Self told Carbon County Deputy Sheriff Jay Fowler. The mine, closed during vacations, was scheduled to open Monday. Mr. Wayman was checking electric pumps operating in the mine, Mr. Self told the deputy. A company doctor, who pronounced Mr. Wayman dead at the scene, fixed the time of death at about 9:15 a.m. Deputy Fowler said.

The Salt Lake Tribune – Thu. July 8, 1965

DRAGERTON – Funeral services for Movell Vern Wayman, 47, Dragerton, who was electrocuted Tuesday in a mine in Sunnyside, will be Friday, 2 p.m. Fausett-Etzel Mortuary, Price where friends call Thursday 7-9 p.m. Friday prior to services. Burial, Price City cemetery. Born July 1, 1918, Castle Dale, Emery County, to Robert and Blanche Christensen Wayman. Married Margie Webb, June 7, 1948, Elko, Nev. Foreman, Kaiser Steel mine. Survivors: widow; sons, daughter, Lanny, U. S. Navy; Clyde, Billy, Randy, Marilyn, all Dragerton; mother, Mrs. Jim Reynolds, Salina; brothers, sisters, Leon, Max, both Price; Bert, Salt Lake City; Mrs. Paul (Della) Hill, Dragerton; Mrs. Harry (Lois) Snyder, Lawndale, Calif., Mrs. Vard (Pauline) Tucker, Gardina Calif.

Research notes – note from niece states that he was killed in the Castle Valley mine on July 6, 1965. He was born Vernon Movell Wayman, but all his life he went by Movie. In his obituaries he was listed as Movell Vern Wayman. Among his friends and family he was always Movie or less often Movell; he was never referred to as Vernon or Vern.

Webber, Thomas
FamilySearch.org; FindAGrave.com and 1900 Carbon County US Census

Thomas Webber was born 11 Aug 1871 in Wales. He was married to Isabella in 1888 and they had six children born to them. Three of these children were living in 1900 when Thomas Webber was killed in the Winter Quarters mine explosion. Those three children were Elizabeth, age 11, Thomas, age 5, and Margarett born in August of 1899. Thomas is buried in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Erie, Weld County, Colorado along with his two brothers John and William.

Werrett, Allen Biggs
Sun Advocate September 24, 1953 (left side of article cut off)
Mine Mishap Kills Man Monday

Carbon County’s eighth mine fatality during the current year was recorded late Tuesday evening when Allen B. Werrett, 54, was killed instantly in a bounce at the Castle Gate mine of the Independent Coal and Coke company. He was born on March 5, 1898, Abertillary, Monmouthshire, England and the son of Joseph Henry and Ann Biggs Werrett. He received his schooling in England and became a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while a youth and came to the United States.

He had worked in his church’s Mutual Improvement Association … and was justice of the peace at Consumers and later was teacher in the genealogical society and teacher in the Carbonville ward. He married Loa Ree Taylor in Salt Lake City LDS temple on May 23, 1928, and they later traveled to England and Wales for a visit to his boyhood home. He was a well-known vocalist.

He is survived by his widow, a son, Roland Taylor, Castle Gate, three grandchildren, one brother, Henry Werrett, London, England and five sisters, Ada …., Ethel Chivers, Olivia …, Ann Banks and Clarice …, all of England. Funeral services will be conducted tomorrow (Friday) at 2:30 p.m. in the Price Tabernacle and these will be followed by services Saturday at noon in the Wales, Sanpete County, LDS Chapel with burial in the Wales cemetery under the direction of the Mitchell Funeral home.

Werrion, Maurice Alfred
Newspaper article – no date
Falling Coal Kills Miner at Kenilworth

KENILWORTH – Maurice Werrion, 34, of Spring Glen, a shovel operator in the Kenilworth mine of the Independent Coal and Coke company, was killed at 8 a.m. Tuesday when a piece of coal fell on his head. According to George B. Jackson, superintendent, Mr. Werrion was working in a room of the mine when the coal fell from the face of the room, striking him on the back of the head and forcing his head down on a sharp edge of the shovel. He died instantly.

Mr. Werrion came to Price from Canon City, Colo., 10 years ago, and for that length of time had been an employe of the Kenilworth mine. Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Mabel Werrion; two sons, Clayton and Raymond Werrion, and a daughter, Annette Werrion, all of Spring Glen. Funeral arrangements will be announced by the Mitchell funeral home of Price.

Whitby, Leo Levora
The Salt Lake Telegram 11-9-1925
THREE KILLED IN COAL MINES – Workers in Carbon County Properties Are Victims

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.

White, Richard
Biennial Report of the State Coal mine Inspector

July 30th - On this date Richard White was fatally injured in the Castle Gate mine. At the time of the accident White was riding on the rope of an in going trip, when it ran into a rock which had fallen on the track. White was thrown to the ground and received injuries which resulted in death a few hours later.

Eastern Utah Advocate August 2, 1900

An accident occurred in the coal mines at Castle Gate Monday morning last, resulting in injuries to Richard White, rope rider, who died on his way to the hospital at Salt Lake. Several miners were slightly injured.

Research note: FamilySearch shows his age as 48 born 14 Jul 1952 in England

Whittaker, James Henry
News Advocate January 8, 1925
MUTUAL NEWS

Mutual, Jan. 7, Last Saturday afternoon, while making some repair on the bell wire, between the tipple and the hoist, Jimmy Whittaker was instantly killed by coming in contact with the wire which was charged with electricity. Jimmy was alone at the time. His body, laying across the track, was observed by the rope rider as he was returning with empty cars from the tipple. There was no injury other than the tip of one of the fingers of the left hand being burned. Services in his behalf were held at Price last Sunday and the body was shipped to Salt Lake City next day for burial.

News Advocate January 8, 1925
YOUTH MAN AT MUTUAL ELECTROCUTED IN MINE

James H. Whittaker, 18 years of age, electrician for the Mutual Coal company at Mutual, was killed instantly at 2:10 Saturday afternoon while working on the bell line on the Mutual tramway when he accidentally came in contact with a high tension wire. Funeral services in charge of Bishop W. E. Stoker were held at the L D S Tabernacle in Price Sunday and the body was taken to Salt Lake Monday morning for Interment.

Mr. Whittaker came to Carbon county two years ago from Salt Lake and has worked in the coal camps of this district since that time. He is survived by an aunt, Mrs. Frank Kimball of Salt Lake, and two brothers who are now living at Mutual.

Wilde, James Albert
The Sun - December 5, 1919
Deaths at Clear Creek are Purely Accidental

Funeral services for the two men killed at Clear Creek on November 26th, last week, were held the following Saturday. The body of Charles Blackham was taken to Orangeville and that of James Wilde to Coalville. Both deaths were due to a fall of rock. The latter leaves five children that are now orphans. They are to be cared for by their grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. William S. Wilde of Clear Creek. The former is survived by a wife and four children at Orangeville. Everything points to the fact that Utah Fuel Company is in no way to blame for the deaths both being purely accidental.

Report of the Coal Mine Inspector 1918-1920 – page 280

James Wilde, an American, 34 years old and married, wife dead, leaves five minor children, who reside with their grandfather, Wm. S. Wilde, at Clear Creek, Utah, and Chas. Blackham, an American, 29 years old and married, leaves a wife and four children, who reside at Clear Creek, Utah, were killed November 26, 1919, Clear Creek, No. 4 Mine, by a fall of rock which they had tried to take down but could not. They started to work under it when all of a sudden it fell, striking them both and killing them instantly.

Wilgar, Andrew (Wilga)
Report of the Coal Mine Inspector 1911-1912 – page 18

Andrew Wilga, an Austrian miner, aged 47 years, single, was killed in the Pleasant Valley mine, Scofield, on the 8th day of December, 1910. Deceased with partner, John Bak, was working in the 2nd cross cut, off room No. 7, 4th North entry. In making an inspection of their working place, the roof inspector found some loose coal on right rib, near the roof, at the intersection of room and cross cut. He warned the men not to load coal in the cross cut until a shot had been placed from the room side into crosscut, to bring down the loose coal, Wilga and partner having sufficient coal in the room to load without going into cross cut. During the afternoon, they drilled the hole for a shot, and Wilga insisted on loading a car in the cross cut. While Bak was preparing the powder for the shot, the coal fell. Wilga in attempting to pass the car to get out of the way of the falling coal, was caught between a large lump of coal and the car, the contact crushing his head and chest.

Williams, Cochrum Stetson
News Advocate December 25, 1930
HOIST OPERATOR IN MINE KILLED – Worker Caught in Ropes and Drawn Into Machinery at New Peerless Mine

Cochrum S. “Jack” Williams, 23, a worker in the New Peerless mine, was fatally injured about 10:30 Sunday night when he became entangled in the hoist rope and was pulled into the machinery operating the hoist. He was dead when other workers reached him, and was badly mangled.

The hoist which Williams was operating is located inside the mine, and its function is to pull the coal cars by means of a cable to a certain point in the tunnel, from which they are dispatched to other parts of the mine by various means. According to officials, the exact manner in which Williams became entangled in the rope is not known.

Remains were brought to Price by the Deseret Mortuary and were forwarded to Christopher, Illinois for interment.Cochrum Stetson Williams was born in Illinois June 23, 1907 the son of W. Oscar and Pearl Cochrum Williams. He is survived by a wife, Mrs. Helen Grubbs Williams; his father, three sisters in Illinois and one sister in Detroit, Michigan.

Williams, Evan
Biennial Report of the State Coal mine Inspector
FATAL ACCIDENTS OF 1900

July 28th – On this date Evan Williams was killed in Winter Quarters mine. At the time of the accident Williams was standing on the track when a trip of empty cars came along and struck him, causing instant death.

Williams, Isaac
Biennial Report of the State Coal mine Inspector
FATAL ACCIDENTS OF 1900

January 13th – On this date Isaac Williams, a miner, was killed in Winter Quarters mine No. 1. At the time of the accident Williams was walking along the rope road and at a point where the trips make a 90 per cent curve he stopped to let a trip pass, but it jumped the track and Williams was caught between the trip and the rib and instantly killed.

Research notes: Age 63, Findagrave.com shows his birthdate as 21 May 1836.

Williams, Raymond A.
Salt Lake Telegram, 1924-03-11
Iron County Towns Mourn Miner Dead

KANARRAVILLE, Utah, March 11 – Kanarraville today is mourning the loss of six men from this little town whose lives were snuffed out in the Castle Gate mine explosion Saturday. The dead are Wallie Pollock, Andy Berry, Raymond Williams, Leland Stapley, Joe Ingram and Adley Wood. Enoch, a small settlement near here, reports one dead, Ben Stevens.

Williams, Thomas W.
1912 Biennial Mine Report – page 111

Thomas W. Williams, American, aged 56 years, (wife and two children) employed as day man for the Utah Fuel Company at Winter Quarters, was injured at 3:50 p.m. June 21st 1912, on the main haulage road, No. 1 mine. Owing to the absence of the mine foreman and the assistant foreman being on the jury, Williams was assisting the mine superintendent in looking after the safety of the mine. He rode out on the motor from the twelfth rise to main landing, getting off on the side nearest the rope haul track. A loaded trip was standing at the main hoisting engine, ready to drop out as soon as the motor had pulled up its load of empty cars. The rope runner was standing near Williams and belled the loaded trip out, thinking that Williams had seen it standing on the track. As the loaded trip started, the rope rider whistled to Williams and motioned for him to clear the track.

Afterwards, Williams stated that he did not realize that a loaded trip was moving towards him. The loaded car struck him in the breast, rolling him over and inflicting such injuries that he died about thirty hours after being taken to his home.

Willis, Ed
Salt Lake Telegram July 16, 1924 Alleged Widows Denied Award in Castle Gate Case – Industrial Commission Settles Question by Granting Compensation to Boy Deceased Recognized as Own Son

Neither Sadie Willis nor Cora Willis, each claiming compensation for the death of Ed Willis, will benefit from his employer, but John Willis, son of Cora by a former marriage and alleged adopted son and dependent of deceased, will receive 116 per week for 312 weeks, according to a divided opinion of the state industrial commission handed down Wednesday.

Ed Willis, employed by the Utah Fuel company, lost his life in the Castle Gate disaster last March.

Sadie Willis, alleging to be his widow, filed claim for compensation.

Cora Willis likewise made claim for compensation, representing herself to be his common law wife.

The Utah Fuel company resisted the claims. But, in her petition, Cora Willis set forth that her son by a former marriage had been recognized by Ed Willis as his son and dependent.

At hearings before the Industrial commission it was brought out that at the time of his death Ed Willis was living with Cora Willis as his common law wife; that they had so lived together for more than six years, during which time he introduced her as his wife and accepted and acknowledged John Willis as his son and dependent.

After hearing the evidence the commission denied the applications of both women and made award to the child, directing the Utah Fuel company to pay $16 per week for 312 weeks to the Tracy Loan and Trust company for disbursement to the beneficiary as the industrial commission shall direct. Commissioner William M. Knerr and Nephi L. Morris concurred in the finding, Commissioner O. F. McShane dissented.

In his dissenting opinion Commissioner McShane says: “Under all the circumstances to award in this case would be to impose a burden upon industry that is inconsistent with the plain facts. The circumstances of relationship, and legal obligation on the part of the deceased to applicant are lacking as is also that of the child’s necessity. I therefore feel that compensation should be denied. The last sentence of clause “B” paragraph 5, of section 3041, state industrial act, seems to sustain this position, where the word child is defined as including a posthumous child and a child legally adopted prior to injury.’”

Wilson, Alexander Ferguson (Sandy) Jr.
Excerpt from History of the Scofield Mine Disaster pg 133
Written by James W. Dilley

Brother Alexander Wilson, who lost his life in the mine explosion at Scofield, Utah on May 1, 1900, belonged to No. 32, having joined at the institution of the lodge. He leaves a young babe and widow, he having been married only one year. His baby at the time of the explosion being only three days old.His wife lost husband, brother and some eleven relatives.

Wilson, George
Carbon county UTGenWeb webpage
From a June 1975 Wilson Family History prepared by Leah Perry Wilson

Born 2 December 1874, Leicestershire, England. George followed in his father's footsteps as a coal miner. He married Sarah Pugh 13 Nov 1895 at Scofield, Utah, a coal mining town. They were blessed with three children. George was killed in the Scofield mine disaster of 1 May 1900, leaving a struggling widow and two youngsters (the youngest, Joseph, passed away 16 Apr 1900, just two weeks before his father's tragic death). You can imagine the bereavement of this mother. George and his cousin Thomas ("Tug") Wilson married sisters: Sarah and Mary Ann Pugh. After George's death Sarah married James Smith 7 November 1901. When she died, 13 November 1904, her children were reared by their Grandmother Pugh.

CHILDREN:
Mary Ann (Annie) Wilson born 10 December 1895;
William John Wilson born 28 March 1898;
and Joseph Wilson born 12 March 1900, died 16 Apr 1900 (infant). All were born in Winter Quarters, Utah, a town near Scofield.

Wilson, George Law
Ogden Standard Examiner, Sun. Mar. 9, 1924
(NOTE – this is the last part of a long newspaper article describing the Castle Gate Mine Disaster. George Wilson was the 172nd miner to die in that disaster.)

Added horror to the tragedy was recorded shortly after 7 o’clock tonight when George Wilson, a member of the Standard Coal Company’s rescue team, of Standardville, Utah, was overcome by the poisonous gas fumes and died shortly after being brought from the manway of the mine by fellow rescue workers. All efforts to resuscitate Wilson, who had made heroic efforts to penetrate beyond the quarter mile level reached by the workers up to that hour, were unavailing. It is believed the nose set of his gas mask became loosened and the deadly fumes quickly toppled the man over. Despite persistent reports that fire was raging in the underground workings of the mine, company officials declared that rescue workers failed to confirm the general fear on the part of those near the mouth of the mine that the victims of the appalling disaster would be burned beyond all recognition.

The Sun May 30, 1924
RESCUE WORKER IS HONORED BY MINES INSTITUTE

Resolution adopted by the Utah Metal Mining Institute commemorate the heroism of George L. Wilson, the captain of the Standardville rescue crew who lost his life in the attempts made to enter the Castle Gate No. 2 mine shortly after the explosion on March 8th, last. The recitation is made that “It was known to all that to enter the workings of said mine immediately following such explosion would be extremely hazardous to life. Nevertheless, George L. Wilson, a miner of Utah, in the true spirit of heroism and self-sacrifice, and with intent to rescue the living, if any, and to recover the bodies of the dead, led a volunteer mine rescue team, of which he was captain, into said mine five separate times within a short period after said explosion took place and in this splendid service lost his own life.

“The conduct of said George L.Wilson merits the commendation of all and calls especially for an appreciation from those engaged in the mining industry. We deplore the untimely death of this heroic man and hereby extend to his family our most sincere sympathy in their great loss and the hope that they may derive a measure of consolation from the fact that he died in the unselfish performance of service to others and that his name and his deed will long be remembered to the honor of himself, his family, his state and his calling.”

Adopted unanimously by the Utah Metal Mining Institute, in annual meeting at Salt Lake City, April 4, 1924.

Wilson, Henry Harrison
Excerpt from Carbon County UTGenWeb webpage

Elizabeth Fyfe Douglas married Henry Harrison Wilson born 1858 Scotsdale, Pennsylvania. Their children are John Henry, Lewis Carson and William Douglas. After the death of Henry, Elizabeth, married William L Mathews. Her husband Henry Harrison Wilson and her brother, William Keddie Douglas, were both killed in the Scofield Mining Disaster of May 1, 1900.

Wilson, Hyrum Eldred
Salt Lake Tribune, Wed. Sept. 22, 1948
Rock Slide Hurts Prove Fatal to Roosevelt Veteran, 38

ROOSEVELT, Sept. 21 – Injuries suffered in a rock slide at Scofield, Carbon county, Sept. 13, caused the death Sunday in a Price hospital of Hyrum Eldred Wilson, 38.

Mr. Wilson, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Wilson, Roosevelt, was born at Roosevelt Dec. 31, 1909, and was educated in Roosevelt schools. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served for three years with the army medical corps during World War II.

Surviving are his parents, three brothers and four sisters: Seth Wilson and Mrs. Nila B. Cunningham, Roosevelt; Isaac V. Wilson, Price; Irl B. Wilson, Scofield; Mrs. Hazel McLaughlin, Berkeley, Cal., Mrs. Myrtle Bryce, Guatay, Cal; and Mrs. LaVon Timothy, Layton. Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in the Roosevelt Second LDS ward chapel by Hollis Hullinger, bishop. Burial will be in the Roosevelt City cemetery, directed by Dillman funeral home.

Roosevelt Standard September 23, 1948
Funerals – Hyrum Eldred Wilson

Funeral services for Hyrum Eldred (Ted) Wilson, 38, son of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Wilson, who died Sunday at a Price hospital from injuries suffered when he was struck by sliding rock, were conducted Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in the Roosevelt Ward chapel under the direction of Bishop Hollis Hullinger. Mr. Wilson, who was employed as a jack hammer operator at Scofield, was injured on September 13.

Born at Roosevelt, December 31, 1909, he was educated in the Roosevelt schools and was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During World War II he was attached to the Army medical corps and remained in service for three years. Besides his parents he is survived by three brothers: Seth Wilson, Roosevelt; Isaac V. Wilson, Price, and Irl B. Wilson, Scofield; four sisters, Mrs. Nila B. Cunningham, Roosevelt; Mrs. Hazel McLaughlin, Berkeley, California; Mrs. Myrtle Bryce, Guatay, California, and Mrs. LaVon Timothy, Layton. Burial was in the Roosevelt cemetery under the direction of the Dillman Funeral Home.

Wilson, James L.
Salt Lake Herald, 1900-05-07 RITES FOR THE DEAD
Burial of Eight of the Coal Mine Victims
HEART RENDING SCENES

Soul-comforting music and profusion of Beautiful Floral Offerings- Funerals of the Wilson boys, Chris Johnson and the Four Italian Victims With the mating birds in the cemetery singing a requiem amid the scent of freshly turned sod and spring flowers the joyous sun shining over that pitiful knot of mourners, the Salt Lake victims of the Scofield disaster were laid away in their last resting place yesterday. There were three funerals and eight burials.

The new and spacious meeting house in the Sixteenth ward was yesterday noon filled to its utmost capacity by people of all classes who gathered to pay their last tributes of respect to the memory of the three Wilson boys – Willie, James and Alexander, who lost their lives in the disastrous explosion at Scofield a week ago.

Wilson, John Law
Story from Kathy Hamaker slide presentation Mine explosion of 1-May-1900

Born 4 Dec 1878 in Dreghorn, Ayr, Scotland

Died: 11 May 1927 in Salt Lake City (research note: he lived 27 years after the accident before he died of carcinoma to the stomach but the contributory cause of death was an “old injury to his skull”.) Three brothers, Alexander Ferguson Jr., Willie, and John Law Wilson were killed in the Winter Quarters Mine explosion

He was thrown 800 feet across a canyon. When he was found "the back of his skull was crushed (like an eggshell) and some solid substance had been driven all the way through his abdomen." Twenty-seven years later when he dies his death certificate says he died from "old injury to brain and carcinoma of the stomach".

Update to his story in the Industrial Commissions book. On January 12, 1925 he had another accident and was currently unable to work. A motor had run away with him and he received injuries to his head and chest." The article stated: "Applicant has sustained five previous injuries in mines and industries in the State of Utah, but recovered from all of these injuries".

The 1911-1912 Biennial Report says on page 102 “Winter Quarters, John Wilson, Feb. 13, 1912, Timberman, lacerated hip: right arm contused”

The 1915-1916 Biennial Report says on page 161 “Serious Accidents, Dec 3, 1915, John L. Wilson, American, Hiawatha, Two Fingers Amputated and crushed.”

One brother George Law Wilson was on a rescue crew from Standardville mine and died in the Castle Gate Mine when he was asphyxiated from mine gases while helping with mine rescue.

Salt Lake Herald 1900-05-02
Four Mine Victims Brought to Salt Lake

...across the aisle lay father and son in the persons of Alex and John L. Wilson. The former at the time of the explosion was standing thirty feet distant from the mouth of the shaft. The elder seemed to be the only man who was conscious of his surroundings, although suffering from a broken leg, severe contusions and possible internal injuries.

John L. Wilson, the young man, was the most seriously injured of the quartette, having borne the full brunt of the explosion at the mouth of the tunnel, and being blown 200 feet down the canyon, with the result that the back of his skull was crushed like an eggshell, so much so that Drs. A. J. Holmquist of Helper and Bascom, who accompanied the injured men to town from the scene of the catastrophe, entertained grave doubts as to his recover.

In the meantime, John Wilson, who had been blown with his horses nearly 150 yards across the canyon from the mouth of the mine, had been discovered and was taken to his home. The back of his skull was crushed and some solid substance had been driven through his abdomen. He left here alive on a special train for Salt Lake to be attended in the hospital.

11 March 1924 – Salt Lake Telegram Death Wins in Second Wilson Attack Dame Fortune Fails at Castle Gate

Castle Gate, March 11 - This time the Celestial Croupier collected from the Wilsons.

Twenty-four years ago Jack Wilson miraculously escaped death in the great Scofield catastrophe. He and his pony were blown from the mouth of the mine one-half mile across the canyon. The horse escaped the proverbial reaper and Wilson cheated death by means of a silver plate which was inserted in his skull to heal a concussion of the brain.

Saturday Dame Fortune sulked. George Wilson, a brother of the fortunate Jack, was asphyxiated when he entered the main portal of No. 2 mine in a heroic attempt to rescue the entombed men. He was the first and only rescuer to pay with his life at the alter of duty.

Many are recalling the miraculous escape of Jack Wilson today on account of the death of brother George. He is here himself with the skull plate still feelable, and able to recount the tale.

As it happened, Wilson was just at the portal of the mine riding his pony when the blow occurred. The tremendous concussion of the explosion, which practically shattered the entrance of the mine, lifted him and his pony across the canyon a half mile and deposited them among the debris. Man and horse were saved and the miraculous happened.

1926 Utah Industrial Commission Claim No. 1514 Decision rendered January 26, 1926

John L. Wilson vs. Standard Coal Company and in the matter of application of John L Wilson to participate in the benefits provided by the employees Combined Injury Benefit Fund.

On January 12, 1925, John L. Wilson was injured by reason of an accident arising out of or in the course of his employment while regularly employed by the Standard Coal Company at Standardville, Utah. At the time of the injury he was earning $48 per week working 6 days per week. The defendant employer paid compensation to applicant at the rate of $16 per week from the date of the injury up to and including October 1, 1925; also paid his hospital and medical expenses.

Applicant has sustained five previous injuries in mines and industries in the State of Utah, but recovered from all of these injuries. He is still disabled from the last injury, however, and account of his present disability make application for compensation from the Combined Injury Benefit Fund. Applicant had always been able to perform his usual duties in a satisfactory manner until the injury of January 12, 1925, to his head and chest.

Applicant’s claim for compensation from the Combined Injury Benefit Fund denied. Ordered, that defendant employer pay applicant compensation at the rate of $16.00 per week so long as a disability continues.

1927 Report of Industrial Commission Claim No. 1845 – Decision rendered August 4, 1927

Alice Wilson, widow of John L. Wilson, deceased vs. Standard Coal Company. Mrs. Wilson filed application for compensation for death of her husband, John L. Wilson, who was injured while regularly employed by the Standard Coal Company on January 12, 1925. On said date a motor run away with him and he received injuries to his head and chest. He was paid the sum of $1960.00 in compensation during the disability period. He died on May 11th, 1927.

The evidence introduced at the hearing showed that the cause of John Wilson’s death was Carcinoma of the stomach and that his death was not the result of an injury sustained while in the employe of the Standard Coal Company. Applicant’s claim for compensation was denied.

Research notes: appears that John Wilson was blown across the canyon in the Winter Quarters Mine explosion of May 1, 1900. He survived and went to work for the Standard Coal Company at Standardville, Utah. Then on January 12, 1925 he had another accident. A motor had run away with him and he received injuries to his head and chest. The article continues to state he had sustained five previous injuries in mines, but recovered from all of these injuries.

Wilstead, Harold Lee
Deseret News & Telegram, July 19, 1957
Funeral Services Set for Utah Mine Victim

CASTLE GATE, Carbon County. Funeral services will be held Sunday for Ilo Edwin Brady, 41 of Ephraim, Sanpete County, one of three Utahns killed in a mine mishap here Thursday. Services are pending for the other two victims, Harold Lee Wilstead, 31, of Castle Gate, and Wesley Bailey, 41, of Wales, Sanpete county.

The miners were killed Thursday morning when deadly gases escaped from old tunnels of the Independent Coal and Coke Co. mine in Castle Gate. The men died despite efforts of would be rescuers who reached the victims shortly after the accident occurred about 8:35 a.m.

Mr. Wilstead succeeded in rescuing a fourth miner before he died himself. The three men were working in the No. 2 mine when a bounce or shifting of the earth, described by a veteran miner as “of very unusual magnitude,” struck the mine. So severe was the upheaval created by the bounce that air seals on old worked-out mine entries were exploded. The monoxide gas poured out through the damaged seals, and the three men perished before they could be brought to safety.

Wilstead helped pull another worker, Mike Milovich of Helper, to safety, but as soon as the pair reached fresh air, Wilstead collapsed. Milovich recovered from the ordeal. The bounce occurred about 8:25 a.m., with a more severe bounce following about 15 seconds later, miners said.

Felt Above Ground

Residents of Spring Glen, Carbon County, about seven miles from the mine reported they felt the bounce that erupted in the mine. An entire section of cliffs was pried loose near a mountain located behind the mine entry. Thousands of tons of rock and trees were sent cascading into a huge canyon below. Artificial respiration was given all the miners until Dr. O. W. Phelps, Helper physician, pronounced them dead. The men were brought out of the mine shortly before noon.

Fairview Native

Ilo Edwin Brady was born Dec. 12, 1898, at Fairview, Sanpete County, a son of Heber and Jenny Landgreen Brady. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Following the death of his first wife, Mr. Brady was married to Edith Olson of Ephraim in December 1951. He is survived by his widow, two sons and two daughters, Robert C. Brady and Mrs. Eileen Della Corte, Sunnyside, Carbon County, Mrs. LuJean Basso, Royal, Carbon County, and Grant Brady, Castle Gate. Also surviving is a brother, Reid Brady, Sunnyside. Mr. Brady had worked in the mine for 27 years.

Funeral services will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Castle Gate Ward, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Friends may call at the Grant Brady home Sunday from 10 a.m. to time of services. Burial will be in Price City Cemetery.

Ex-Navy Man

Harold Lee Wilstead was born at Lawrence, Emery County, July 26, 1925, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred H. Wilstead. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and had served during World War II with the U.S. Navy. A former employe at the mine, he had returned to work only one week previous to the recent miner’s vacation, and had worked only two days before the fatal accident Thursday. He is survived by his widow the former June Anderson, to whom he was married Nov., 1947, and two daughters, Linda Lee, 8 and Connie, 3, all of Castle Gate.

Wesley Parkes Bailey was born May 26, 1916, in Moroni, Sanpete County a son of Parley and Dorothea Christensen Bailey. A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he served for a number of years in the Sunday School Superintendency of Wales Ward. He was also chairman of the ward genealogical committee. Mr. Bailey was married June 2, 1943, at Wales to Vivian Maria Lamb. She survives as do seven sons, Arthur L., David L, Vern L., Danny Michael, Joe and Max Bailey, all of Wales.

Also surviving are two brothers, Max and Jack Bailey of Moroni, and six sisters, Mrs. Elda Maxfield, Bountiful; Mrs. Ilene Petersen, Mt. Pleasant; Mrs. Beth Christensen, St. George; Mrs. Fay Busenbark, San Francisco, and Mrs. Afton Rasmussen and Mrs. Ruth Syme, Provo.

Wilstead, James William
Information found on Carbon County UTGenWeb webpage
Submitted by Richard Wilstead

His son William (James William Wilstead) was not in the mine, but died running into the mine to find his father. Robert Dodd and his son James William Wilstead is buried in the Lawrence Cemetery.

Wilstead, Robert Dodd
Information found on Carbon County UTGenWeb webpage
Submitted by Richard Wilstead

Robert Dodd Wilstead came to the States with his family about 1885. He and his family were coal miners from South Wales (Ebbw vale). He came here because he was told that the mines here were worked while standing up rather than being bent over as they are/were in South Wales. He was about to retire on a piece of land in Lawrence when the mine disaster happen. His son William (James William) was not in the mine, but died running into the mine to find his father. Robert Dodd and his son James William Wilstead is buried in the Lawrence Cemetery. After his death, his wife, Susannah Evans Wilstead and her daughters worked the boarding house to make the money necessary to support the family.

Wimber, Melvin “Tobe”

Research note: Milvin and Melvin Wimber were twins, born 29 September 1897 in Castle Dale. Milvin died 4 Feb 1929 from burns due to an explosion at the Storrs Mine in Spring Canyon. Melvin died 6 Feb 1930 from asphyxiation from gases at the Standardville Mine Explosion.

Wimber, Milvin “Chub”
The Ogden Standard Examiner, Wed. Feb. 6, 1929
BURNS RESULT IN DEATH OF MINER

SPRING CANYON, Feb. 6- Charles Chub Wimber, about 35, died late Monday night at the Spring Canyon hospital following severe burns suffered in an explosion at the Spring Canyon mine, while he was pushing cars into a room where there had been a roof rock fall. A pocket of gas, which had evidently been formed beneath the loose roof section, is believed to have been responsible for the explosion.

Census – According to the 1900 US Federal Census there were two sons of James and Anna Wimber—2 years old Milven and Melvin. One went by Melvin Tobe Wimber and the other was known as Milvin “Chub” Wimber. Milvin was married to Elizabeth Brace and Melvin was married to Katherine Minerva Keegan. Milvin died on 5 Feb. 1929 and Melvin on 4 Feb. 1930.

Winder, John Vernal (Winders, Vern)
Helper Journal Jan 18, 1945
TWO HIAWATHA MINERS DIE IN COAL FALL

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.

Salt Lake Tribune Friday Jan 19, 1945
Two Hiawatha Miners Killed by Coal Fall

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.

Winkler, Ray
News Advocate, August 19, 1926
Fatally Injured First Day in Mine

On his first day of working inside the mine, Ray Winkler, 22, was fatally injured in an accident in the Standard Coal Company’s mine last Friday, resulting in his death Sunday afternoon at the Standardville hospital. Winkler was injured when a mine prop gave way, striking him in the chest and knocking him down on a pile of coal. His injuries were not considered as being very serious at first, and he was apparently getting along nicely until he was operated on Sunday and died from several internal injuries.

The mine victim was the son of Gilbert and Eliza Belle Winkler of Standardville. Funeral services were held at Cleveland Wednesday afternoon.


Wood, Adley Asha
Salt Lake Telegram, 19 March 1924

WOODS - Addie, one of the coal mine explosion victims of Castle Gate. Funeral services were held today at 2 p.m. at the Simons & Brinton funeral parlors. Bishop E. Branson Brinton was in charge of services. Internment was in Salt Lake City cemetery. He is survived by his wife and five children, besides his mother and brothers and sisters of Kanarraville.

Woodward, Franklin James
Report of Industrial Commission
Page 103 Claim No. 3903 Decision rendered March 6, 1940

Calvin Ray Woodward, son of James F. Woodward, deceased, et al, vs Gerald Woodward and The State Insurance Fund.

James F. Woodward was employed in the mine of the defendant Gerald Woodward; on June 19, 1937, a car of coal was dumped upon him causing bodily injuries from which he died on August 25, 1937. He had no wife; he was not living with his children, but was partially supporting two minor daughters, Celia, age 18, and Bernice, age 14, who were living with married sisters. Both girls were married within a few months after the death of their father.

Partial dependency existed at time of the accident and death of the father and compensation was awarded to Celia Woodward Fossat and Bernice Woodward Sullivan at the rate of $3.69 and $7.39 per week respectively for a period of 152 weeks.

Wootton, Clayton
Deseret News 26 Jan 1944
Roof Fall Kills Pair

Columbia – Funeral services are pending today for two workers at the coal mines at Columbia who were killed instantly when a roof collapsed and pinned them Tuesday morning. The dead are Clayton Wootton, 33, and Louis Zogmaster, 51. Mr. Wooton was operator of a loading machine and Mr. Zogmaster was his assistant. Three other men working with them narrowly escaped injury. Both men had been employed by the company for a number of years. Mr. Wootton is survived by his widow, Belva Wooton and two children, Jay and Dixie Wooton. Mr. Zogmaster is survived by his widow Jemma Zogmaster and two children, Louis and Anna Lou Zogmaster.

Wright, Aubrey Lee
Sun Advocate Feb. 8, 1945
Sunnyside Miner Killed

The body of Aubrey Lee Wright, who was killed in the Kaiser mine at Sunnyside on February 3, will be removed to Beaver Dam, Virginia, for services and burial, under direction of the Mitchell funeral home. Mr. Wright was born December 20, 1906, at Richmond, Virginia, where all his relatives are residing. He was killed when falling rock caused a cave-in.

Wright, Walter Louis (Wilmer)
Salt Lake Tribune Dec. 13, 1934
CAVEIN KILLS UTAH MINERS
Two Die in Castlegate Accident and Third Badly Injured

Helper – Dec. 12, Two men were killed and one seriously injured Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. in a cavein at Castlegate mine No. 2. The dead are D. A. Long, 33, and Wilmer Wright, 44. R. J. Hyaitt is in a critical condition at the Castlegate hospital, his back broken. The men were working on a coal loading machine in the last crosscut in No. 4 room, sixth panel, when several tons of coal dropped out of a pocket in the roof, burying them.

Long and Wright were dead when rescuers reached them. Hyaitt was the operator of the coal loading machine, assisted by Long. Wright was the mechanic of the coal loader. Long had been employed by the Utah Fuel company for 15 years. He was He was a native of Salina and the son of Mr. and Mrs. George Long.

Surviving are his widow; three children, Lois, Raedell and Lorine Long; parents; brothers, Emery Long and Vernon Long of Salina; and sisters, Mrs. Arthur Prows of Salina, Mrs. Verda Dalton of California and Mrs. Irene Ryan of Milford. Wright had been employed by the Utah Fuel company since last August 14. He was born at Minden Mines, Mo., son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilmer Wright. Surviving are his parents; sister, Mrs. Nettie Marsh of New York City, and a 16 month old daughter.

Wyatt, Phillip Dempsey
The Sun, Friday, April 6, 1917

The last act of J. E. Pettit as mine inspector was to investigate the death of Phil Wyatt at Hiawatha. The body was brought down from Salt Lake Saturday and interment was made at Spring Glen. Wyatt received a heavy enough charge of electricity to kill a man while around the high tension wires and also had his skull fractured in the fall which followed the shock.

Wycherley, Edwin James (R. “Ted”)
Mt. Pleasant Pyramid 1930-07-25
Three Men Killed, Two Injured By Blast at Consumers

Three men were killed and four others narrowly escaped death at 10:10 o’clock Monday night when a missed shot in the Blue Blaze coal mine at Consumers exploded. The dead: “Edwin R. ‘Ted’ Wycherly, 29, fire boss; Nick Devicak, 34, mucker, and Nick Moros, 40, driller. Those who were working in the tunnel, but who escaped were Dave Parmley, foreman; J. Clinton Gibson, hoistman; E. E. Morgan, mucker. Gibson who was immediately back of Wycherly in the tunnel suffered painful bruises and lacerations about the left side of his body, arms and legs, but his condition was reported as being satisfactory at the emergency hospital in Consumers were he was taken immediately after the explosion.

Salazar also sugared cuts and lacerations, but was not seriously hurt. The seven men were working in the rock tunnel about two hundred sixty feet from the entrance and comprised the night shift which went on at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Several stories are told about the accident. The one generally credited is as follows:

The shot which exploded was left there by the previous shift Sunday night and the new shift was warned of its existence Moros knew of the missed shot and, following state regulations, placed a second shot a foot away and in the same direction, in order to shoot it out. Evidently the dynamite failed to blast out the missed shot, and when workers were drilling a plug in the bottom of a rig Monday, they hit into it.

Mine officials said that the possibility of such a thing happening was remote and failure of the blast to remove the old shot could be laid to carelessness on Moros’ part in drilling from the outside of the rib instead of from the inside. J.B. Taylor, state coal mine inspector, conducted an investigation of the tragedy and issued a report which is essentially the same as that of J. A. Roaf, superintendent of the Consumers mine.

“The Blue Blaze Coal Company was driving a rock tunnel for the purpose of prospecting No. 1 seam,” said Taylor. “Nick Moros, the driller, and his partner, Nick Devicak were drilling a short hole in the bottom of the floor to brush for track when they accidently drilled into the misfired shot which exploded the powder that was in the hole, Killing Moros, Devicak and Wycherly”

Rumor persists, however, that the hole drilled into was the second of two missed holes and Moros drilling into it while Gibson and Wycherly were removing the fuse and the priming from the first hole of which they had been warned. Gibson, who was in back of the three men killed, was greasing the priming, preparatory to shooting the hole, and the bodies of the three men in front of him blanketed the explosion sufficiently to save his life. The blast caused all the lights in the tunnel to go out.

Wycherly was born in Winter Quarters. He is survived by his mother, Mrs. William McFarland, his widow, Mildred Ward Wycherly, two children, Nadean 4, and Shirley, 2; two brothers, Jack and Elmo, and one sister, Mrs. Leona Lamph. Interment will be in Cleveland. Devicak was born in Yugoslavia. He came to Carbon County from Kemmerer, where his widow and 1 son reside. Moros was born in Serbia of Slav parents. He is survived by his widow, two children and seven step-children who reside in Coal City. Bodies of Moros and Devicak are at the Flynn Funeral Home. Funeral arrangements have not yet been made. Officers of the Blue Blaze Coal Company left Salt Lake City for Price early Tuesday morning following reports of the explosion. No report has been received from them yet. – Price Sun

Wycherly, James

SL Telegram – 1945 -05-10
Miner Discovers Brother a Victim Special to the Telegram

SUNNYSIDE, Carbon County, May 10—Walt Kilchest, a miner at the Hiawatha mine, got a severe shock when he arrived at the scene of the Utah Fuel Co., Sunnyside mine explosion. Curious about the blast, which he said he heard about as he came off shift at Hiawatha at 5 a.m. Thursday, Mr. Kilchest scanned the casualty list, only to discover that one of the victims of the tragic explosion was a half-brother, James Wycherly.

Wyninegar, Thomas Edward aka Glenn, Thomas Edward
Salt Lake Tribune, Friday, Feb. 16, 1934
Miner Succumbs To Mishap Hurts At Castlegate

Complications resulting from injuries suffered Monday when he was crushed between the low roof and the top of a mine car while clearing timber from an abandoned mine at Castle Gate, caused the death Thursday at 6 p.m. of Thomas Edward Glenn, 36, a resident of Castle Gate. He died in a Salt Lake hospital. The accident occurred when Glenn lost his balance and fell across the car after striking his shoulder against the low roof. He suffered two broken legs, several broken ribs and a punctured lung.

He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Mary McCluskey Glenn; a son, Bobby Glenn, and three stepdaughters, Mildred, Lola and Lois McCluskey. Funeral services will be conducted Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Larkin mortuary chapel, 260 East South Temple street. Burial will take place in the City cemetery.

Research note: Age 36 died Feb. 15, 1934 – his death certificate states he was also known as Wyninegar, Thomas Edward.


X

Xedouas, George
Report of the Coal Mine Inspector 1907 – 1910 – page 21

George Xedonas, a Greek, 30 years of age, married, wife and one child, was killed at Winter Quarters, Utah, October 18, 1909. Deceased had fired a shot in the face of his place early in the day, which broke down a great many tons of coal. As they were loading the seventh car, after this shot had been fired, one of the large chunks became loosened to such an extent from the removal of this coal that it rolled over on Xedonas, killing him instantly. No inquest held.


Y

Yadao, Valintin
News Advocate September 4, 1930
COAL FALL FATAL TO PEERLESS MINER

Valintin Yadao, 32, died in the Spring Canyon hospital at 8 o’clock Wednesday morning from injuries received in a fall of coal in the New Peerless mine five hours previous. Yadao was severely crushed by the cavein, although his partner, whose name was not learned, was only slightly hurt. According to Dr. Grant Anderson, death was due to trauma and shock.

Yadao was born March 10, 1898 in the Philippine Islands, the son of Egiddio and Francisca Bongbongar Yadao. He has a brother living in Hawaii. Yadao had lived at Peerless for five years, but for the past three months was employed at the new properties of the company in Price canyon. Remains are at the J. E. Flynn funeral parlors. No funeral arrangements have been made.

Yadrosich, John (aka Bud Malin)
Ogden Standard Examiner, Wed. Feb. 13, 1929
THREE KILLED IN UTAH MINES– Deaths in Castlegate And Standardville Caused by Falling Rock

CASTLEGATE, Feb. 13 – Merrill Johnson, 25, and Jacob Jacobson, 30, were killed late Tuesday night by falling rock in mine No. 2 of the Utah Fuel company. The men had just entered the mine and were setting up their machinery when the fall occurred.

BOXER KILLED

PRICE Feb. 13 – Bud Malin, professional prize fighter and miner, was instantly killed late Tuesday in the Standard Coal company mine in Standardville when a roof rock fell on him and broke his neck.

Salt Lake Tribune Feb. 1929
Mine Accidents Fatal to Three – Falling Rocks in Carbon County Properties Crush Workers.

PRICE – Merrill Johnson, 25, and Jacob Jacobson, 30, employees of the Castlegate mine No. 2 of the Utah Fuel Company, were instantly killed in a side fall of rock at the mine, and Bud Malin, about 29, barber, professional prize fighter and miner in the Standardville mine of the Standard Coal company, was killed in a roof rock fall as Tuesday’s toll in the mining district about Price.

Johnson and Jacobson were killed at 7:45 p.m. shortly after they had entered the Castlegate mine. They were setting up their drilling machine when the fall occurred. Both men were badly crushed. Fellow workmen in an adjoining room dug them out and had the men at the hospital before 8 p.m. Mothers of both men live in Price and Jacobson leaves a wife and four children. Johnson was the son of John P. and Vosema Olsen Johnson. He was single.

Malin was killed at 2:30 p.m. when a roof rock fell at the Standardville mine broke his neck. Malin, whose real name was John Yadrosich, was extricated from the rock by a mine rescue crew from the Spring Canyon mine, and attempts were made to revive him before it was discovered that his neck was broken. His body will be shipped to Trinidad, Colo. Thursday by the J. E. Flynn mortuary, which also has charge of the bodies of the other two men, for whom services will be held in Price. Malin has relatives in Latuda and Trinidad. He had been in Price about two years and had fought in Price and Salt Lake.

Yang, Sowark E.
Death Certificate

Sowark E. Yang, died December 6, 1944, at the age of 70 years. He was born September 14, 1874 in Korea. He was married to Wonie Yang at the time of his death. Cause of death was due to fracture of spine and probable internal injuries due to the fall of top coal at the Spring Canyon, Storrs mine. He was buried in the Price, Utah Cemetery.

Yarbrough, Ira Thomas
Salt Lake Tribune, September 17, 1926
Miner Is Killed by Fall of Rock in Spring Canyon

PRICE, Dec. 16 – Ira T. Yarbrough, 37, a miner employed by the Spring Canyon Coal company, was instantly killed by a fall of the roof in the Spring Canyon mine at 10 o’clock this morning. The body was brought to the Flynn funeral home in Price.

Yarbrough, with his wife, Yanda Yarbrough, and child, lived at Rains, a few miles up the canyon from where he worked. The accident victim was born at Oletha, Texas, on September 22, 1894. Earl Colby, 34, another miner who was working with Yarbrough, was caught in the same slide of top rock, suffering cuts and bruises about the body and an injured foot.

Yenzi, Ralph
Newspaper Article May 27, 1949 (submitted by Wilfred Peters)
Fall of Coal Kills Worker in Carbon’s Royal Mine

Royal, Carbon County, May 27 – A falling 150 lb. piece of coal killed Ralph Yenzi, 50, 612 Canyon St. Helper, Carbon County, while he was working at the Royal Coal mine here Friday at 8:15 a.m. Mr. Yenzi and a co-worker, Robert Green, Royal, were filling in newly laid track at the mine, according to C. E. Pauley, operations manager; Ire Hileman, foreman; Ray Woodard, mine superintendent, and S. A. Dobbs, state mine inspector, who investigated. Evidently Mr. Yenzi had shoveled away coal supporting the piece that struck him in the head, they reported. An attending physician said Mr. Yenzi died instantly of skull fractures. Mr. Green suffered a minor foot bruise. The mine will be closed until Tuesday, Mr. Hileman said. According to information available late Friday, Mr. Yenzi was born in Pietranala, Italy, in July, 1898. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Frances Yenzi, Helper; two daughters, Kristina Yenzi and Mrs. Rose Furano, Salt Lake City, and three brothers, Leo Yenzi, Crockett, Cal; Lawrence Yenzi, Butte, Mont., and Fred Yenzi, Italy. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Mitchell funeral home, Price.

Yoshida, Kunzio
Salt Lake Tribune, Thursday, April 13, 1944
Falling Rocks Kill Coal Mine Worker

PRICE – Kinzo Yoshido, 58, was killed Wednesday at 2 p.m. when rocks fell from the ceiling of Sweet’s mine and crushed him. He was working alone at the time of the accident. He had been working at the mine the past eight months. Mr. Yoshido had gone to work at the mine from a relocation center. There are no known survivors.

Yoshimoto, Yhoshitaro
Report of the Coal Mine Inspector 1918-1920 – page 276-277

Y. Yoshimoto, a Japanese, was killed November 4, 1918, Hiawatha No. 1 Mine. This miner went back into his pillar after the props had been pulled out. He started to relay the track that had been taken out before the props were pulled; and while working on the track a slab of rock 8 feet wide, 20 feet long and 11 inches thick, fell from the roof, killing him instantly.

Young, James Mouter Jr.
Box Elder News, 1924-3-11

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.

Box Elder News, 1924-03-14
YOUNG AND PERKINS BURIED YESTERDAY

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.

Young, Joseph Alfred (Fred)
Report of the Coal Mine Inspector 1918-1920 – page 277

Fred Young, an American, 27 years old and married, leaves a wife and one child, was fatally injured January 14, 1919, Sunnyside No. 2 Mine, by falling under a trip of loaded cars. While trying to get on the trip his foot slipped and threw him under the cars and dragged him 397 feet before he let loose. The last car passed over his leg and crushed it so that it had to be amputated, from which he died in the St. Mark’s Hospital, Salt Lake City, January 18, 1919.

Yuzna, John (Zuzna, Yuazua)
Ogden Standard Examiner, Friday, Oct. 2, 1931
MINER LOSES LIFE

PRICE, Oct. 2 – John Yuazua, 41, died in a Price hospital at 11:30 p.m. Thursday of injuries suffered in the afternoon when he was caught beneath a falling slab of coal in the Standardville mine. Other miners, none of whom were injured, dug him out.

Report of the Industrial Commission 1932 – Claim No. 2975 Decision Rendered April 18, 1932

Marija Zuzna, widow of John Zuzna, for herself and minor children, vs. Standard Coal Company, a self-insurer. On October 1st, 1931, John Zuzna was buried under a coal bounce and suffered injuries which caused his death on that date. His widow and four minor children were residing in Italy and being supported by him. Compensation was awarded at the rate of $8.00 per week for 312 weeks.


Z

Zabriskie, Charles Alma
Newspaper Article
Mine Vehicle Kills New Coal Worker

KENILWORTH, Carbon County – Charles A. Zabriskie, 27, of Mt. Pleasant, a timberman’s helper in the Independent Coal and Coke company mine here, was killed Thursday afternoon when he was run over by a mine motor car.

Mine officials reported that Zabriskie, who was coming off shift and riding a motor out of the mine, jumped off while the motor still was moving and evidently slipped under the car. He had come to the mine only two days before. Funeral arrangements are pending arrival of his widow, Mrs. Merzell Zabriskie, from Mt. Pleasant.

Zagarakis, Michaele (Tzagarakis, Mike)
Daily Herald Thur. Nov. 16, 1939
Two Killed on D. & R G Track

Price – Nov. 16, John Carnesecca, 26, and Mike Tzagarakis, 52, Kenilworth miners, were killed late yesterday when struck by a locomotive that was backing down a curved section of the Denver & Rio Grande railroad right-of-way near here. Authorities said the men apparently did not see the engine approaching and failed to get off the tracks. Both were badly mangled. There were no witnesses to the accident which happened about 2:15 pm just south of the Kenilworth coal tipple. Morgan Lock, brakeman, discovered the fatalities when he saw the lunch boxes of the men alongside the mainline and investigated.

Salt Lake Telegram, 16 Nov 1939 pg 8
Engine Kills 2 Walking Track

Price-Two coal miners were killed Wednesday afternoon when they were struck on the Denver & Rio Grande Western right of way by a freight engine when it backed around a bend obscured from their view by a string of empty cars on a siding. The victims were John Carnesecca, 26, and Mike Tzagarakis, 52, of Kenilworth, both employees of the Independent Coal and Coke company of that town. Although there were no witnesses, it was believed the men were walking along the track enroute to work when the locomotive struck them.

The Salt lake Tribune, 16 Nov 1939 pg 1
Freight Engine Kills Two Mine Workers

Price, Nov 15 - Enroute to work Wednesday, two coal miners were killed along the Denver and Rio Grande railroad right of way when a freight engine backed around a bend and ran them down before they could leap to safety.

The victims were John Carnesecca, 26, and Mike Tzagarakis, 52, both of Kenilworth and employes of the Independent Coal and Coke Company of that town.

There were no witnesses to the accident, but railroad employes theorized that both men were walking along the tracks when the engine, obscured from their vision by a string of empty cars on a siding, backed around a bend and struck them.

Morgan Lock, a brakeman on the engine, was the first person aware of the fatalities. He noticed the lunch boxes of the men along side the mainline tracks and investigated. The mangled bodies of the vitims were found a short time later.

The accident occurred at 2:15 p.m., just south of the Kenilworth coal tipple

Mr. Carnesecca is survived by his widow and three children, Marvin, 5; Herbert, 3, and Larene, 1: his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Carnesecca, three brothers and three sisters. He was born in Sunnyside, Utah.

Mr. Tzagarakis was born in Greece, April 13, 1877. He had worked in the vicinity of Kenilworth for the past 20 years. The names of his immediate survivors were not obtainable Wednesday.

The body of Mr. Carnesecca was taken to the Claudin mortuary at Springvale and that of Mr. Tzagarakis to the Mitchell Funeral Home at Price.

Zaikawa, Sumizo
News Advocate 1928-01-28
Sunnyside Miner Crushed by Rock

Sumizo Zaikawa, 44, of Sunnyside was instantly killed in a fall of rock at the number one mine of the Utah Fuel company at Sunnyside Tuesday afternoon. Zaikawa sustained a bass fracture of the skull and injuries about the shoulders and back. The remains were brought to Price where they were prepared for later interment by the J. E. Flynn mortuary. Interment was yesterday in the Price City cemetery. Zaikawa was born in Japan, September 24, 1883. He was a widower, his wife having died in 1913 (or 1918). He had been a resident of Sunnyside about seventeen years, and so far as known had no relatives in America.

News Advocate 1928-02-01Buddhist services for Sunnyside Mine Victim

Buddhist services were held Saturday at the Flynn funeral home for Sumizo Zaikawa, Japanese miner, who was killed by a fall of slate at Sunnyside, Wednesday. Priest A. Aokl of Salt Lake City was in charge of the services. Interment was in the Price City cemetery.

Zanelli, Leo
Sun Advocate December 28, 1944
HELPER MINER PASSES AFTER MINE CAVE-IN

Death came Saturday afternoon to Leo Zanelli of Helper at the Standardville hospital following the suffering of injuries that morning when he was crushed in a cave-in at the mine at Royal, a fractured skull and internal injuries having been reported. The accident occurred at about 11:00 o’clock Saturday morning.

A resident of Helper for many years during which time he was employed in mines of the county, Mr. Zanelli was born on May 23, 1899, in Italy. He was the son of Antonio and Rosa Tiloppi Zanelli. Rosary was recited at the Mitchell Funeral home last night and funeral services and burial will take place today. The body will be laid to rest in the Mountain View cemetery at Helper, services under direction of the Mitchell Funeral home.

Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Anna Zanelli; four sons and daughters, Leo, Jr., Gloria, August and Delores Zanelli, all of Helper; four brothers, Dominic Zanelli, Colorado; Tony Zanelli, Italy; Joe Zanelli, Washington, and Mario Zanelli, Australia, and a sister, Rosa Zanelli, Italy.

Zarko, Joseph (Zorka or Sorka)
Carbon County News 1909-11-05
Accident at Sunnyside

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.

Report of the Coal Mine Inspector 1909-1910 page 8, 9, 10 and 11

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.

Report of the Coal Mine Inspector 1907 – 1910 – page 22

Joe Sorka, 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.

Zdunich, John (Zdonich or Zdmuch)
Ogden Standard-Examiner March 5, 1923
MINERS KILLED IN STANDARD CAVEIN

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.

Second Newspaper Article
EXPLOSION FATAL TO MEN EXPLORING MINE

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.

Zervas, Angelo
SL Tribune – 10 Nov 1931
Widow of Miner Receives Award

The widow and two minor children, residing in Greece, of Angelo Zervas, fatally injured November 11, 1930, by a fall of rock in the mine of the Independent Coal and Coke company, in Carbon county, where he was working, will receive $8 a week for 311 weeks and three days, the Utah industrial commission decided Monday. They would have received twice the amount had they been residents of the United States.

Zidar, Martin
Report of the Coal Mine Inspector 1909-1910 page 18

Martin Zidar, Austrian, age 27, single was fatally injured in Winter Quarters mine, July 6, 1909. The room, in which this accident occurred, is being driven towards the dike that divides the workings between the 10th and 12th rise entries. The roof is composed of shaley matter and sand stone, so mixed, that it breaks up in places in such a way that gullies in the roof are formed, which produces a loosened condition of the roof on either side of it. A condition of this kind, to some extent, existed in this place at the time of the accident, which accident could have been prevented if Zidar and his partner had put up more props under the roof on the right side of the roadway, between the last props standing and the coal face. There were four props in the room at the time of the accident that could have been used to secure the roof. This place of work, if properly timbered, is a safe one to work in. Inquest was held and verdict rendered: That the said Martin Zidar met his death by a fall of rock according to the evidence given, and was accidentally killed, and no blame can be attached to anyone.

Zizich, Mike
Report of Industrial Commission of Utah July 1, 1920 to June 30, 1922
Page 933 – FATAL ACCIDENTS - 1922

Mike Zizich, an Austrian, 45 years old and single, was killed January 24, 1922 in the Rains Mine by a fall of coal while picking it with a hand pick. He was warned by his partner not to pick it as it was dangerous. The deceased told him to mind his own business as he knew what he was doing. Just then the coal fell, killing him instantly.

Zmerzlikar, Albert
News Advocate, Nov. 26, 1931
INJURIES PROVE FATAL TO MINER –Castlegate Boy Dies of Hurts in Accident

Albert Zmerzlikar, 17, died at the Castlegate Hospital Sunday after injuries received in a mine accident at the No. 2 mine the previous day. A fall of coal pinned the youth to the floor of the mine where he lay until he was found some time later by fellow workmen. He suffered severe internal injuries. He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Zmerzlikar of Castlegate. It is said that the boy was granted a permit to work in the mine on account of an injury which prevents his father from working. The family has lived in Castlegate for a year and a half. Mr. Anderson who helped to removed Zmerzlikar from the mine after the accident, suffered amputation of his right foot as the result of an accident which occurred Sunday.

Report of the Industrial Commission 1932 – Claim No. 2908 – Decision Rendered March 10, 1932

Frank and Genevieve Zmerzlikar, Parents of Albert Zmerzlikar, deceased, vs. Utah Fuel Company. On November 20th, 1931, Albert Zmerzlikar, 17 years of age, was working for the Utah Fuel Company loading coal; some coal bounced off the solid face and struck him, causing injuries from which he died two days later. The parents claimed dependency for themselves and seven minor brothers and sisters of deceased. The father suffered an injury about a year prior to the death of his son, Albert, and was partially incapacitated for work. The Commission found dependency existed and compensation was awarded.

Zogmaister, Louis
Deseret News 26 Jan 1944
Roof Fall Kills Pair

Columbia – Funeral services are pending today for two workers at the coal mines at Columbia who were killed instantly when a roof collapsed and pinned them Tuesday morning. The dead are Clayton Wooton, 33, and Louis Zogmaster, 51. Mr. Wooton was operator of a loading machine and Mr. Zogmaster was his assistant. Three other men working with them narrowly escaped injury. Both men had been employed by the company for a number of years. Mr. Wootton is survived by his widow, Belva Wooton and two children, Jay and Dixie Wooton. Mr. Zogmaster is survived by his widow Jemma Zogmaster and two children, Louis and Anna Lou Zogmaster.

Zork, Frank (Zellars)
Report of the Coal Mine Inspector 1913-1914 – page 19

Frank Zellars, an Austrian miner, aged 36 years, (wife and two children) was killed at the face of the 2nd Left main entry, Utah Mine, February 6th, 1913.

Zellars and partner were working at the face of their entry, which according to the rules of the mine should be undercut the full width of the face. They had fired one shot about 10:00 a.m. and mine cars being plentiful, they had loaded out their coal by noon. It being noon hour, and undoubtedly thinking that the superintendent or foreman would not return that day as both had visited the place during the morning, they decided to put in a breaking in (or bunker) shot without undermining, the drill hole being about 15 inches from the floor and practically straight in the face to a depth of 40 inches, this hole being charged as stated by Zellars’ partner with four 7-8 sticks of dynamite and 6 inches of black powder, the charge being tamped with clay tamping.

Directly the hole was tamped, Zellars placed a squib in the needle hole, and his partner took the tools to the corner of the cross cut, which was fifteen feet from the face. After dropping the tools, he partly turned around when the blast occurred. The blast broke a hole in the face, some two feet high and two feet wide, or two by two feet, grinding the coal to fine slack. Zellars was blown to the lower rib of the cross cut, 23 feet from face, where he was picked up dead. It is apparent that from the time Zellars’ shortened or broke off the match from the squib. In brief, we find the following infringement of rules: 1: firing a breaking in shot without undermining; 2- Shooting with mixed powder; 3-placing hole straight in the face; 4-shortening or breaking off the match from the squib.

Eastern Utah Advocate 1913-03-06
PETTIT ISSUES BULLETIN—State Coal Mine Inspector sends warning to Superintendents

There is being mailed to every coal and other dangerous mine in Utah by State Coal Mine Inspector Pettit, a Mine Accident bulletin preceding the official letter, an example of violation of the state law is explained in the case of Frank Zellars, who was killed February 6th in the Utah mine. Four specific infringements of rules are noted in this case. Firing a breaking in shot without undermining, shooting with mixed powder, placing hole straight in the face and shortening the match from the squib. Zellars was instantly killed. The warnings in the bulletin to all mine superintendents, foremen and firebosses in Utah. Owing to the fact many of the fatal accidents in and around our coal and hydrocarbon mines occur under unlooked for and unexpected circumstances, generally through the breaking of some law of the state, or rules of the mine, this office has decided to issue bulletins in the future, advising the various mine officials of the occurrence and nature of these accidents. The chief object in view will be to point out the many ways in which rules are broken and the chances miners foolishly take, endangering their lives for a temporary pecuniary gain. Also to enlist the co-operation of all mine officials in an endeavor to lower the fatalities in our mines.




A- B- C- D- E- F- G- H- I- J- K- L- M- N- O- P- Q- R- S- T- T- U- V- W- X- Y- Z


Back to list of Miners
Back to databases


[ Front page ] [ Towns ] [ Points of Interest ] [ Databases ] [ Research records ] [ Histories ] [Maps ]
[ Photographs ] [ Surname Page ] [ Query page ] [ Links ] [ E-mail ]