Miners Who Lost Their Lives In the Coeur d'Alenes

Miners Who Lost Their Lives in the Coeur d'Alenes

Lee, Russell

Matthews, Harold

McCoy, Barney

McGrath, Robert

McKee, John F.

Peck, Reed

Scott, J. W.

Welch, W. N.

Scott, J. W.
Broke His Neck
Peculiar Accident Causes the Death of a Mullan Man
J. W. Scott, an employe of the Morning Mining company, was instantly killed at the Gettysburg curve Wednesday afternoon by being struck by a tightening cable.

A crew of men were at work there dragging the engine wrecked a couple of weeks ago back on to the track. While the engine was at rest preparatory to taking another pull on it a chain holding one of the blocks broke and the engine started down the hill. Thus the cable was slack, but the moving engine tightened it by catching momentarily on a stump, with an increased strain giving way and striking Scott on the neck, breaking it.
He had been standing directly behind the wrecked engine a moment before, jumping aside as it started to move, getting just far enough to be in the way of the tightening cable. He was killed but a few yards from where Fireman Cahill met his death when the engine was wrecked. Mr. Scott was a young man about 24 years of age, recently from Missouri.

A coroner's inquest was promptly held, the following verdict being returned:
"We, the undersigned coroner's jury, find that one, J. W. Scott, came to his death by an unavoidable accident, caused by the breaking of a chain while working with a wrecking crew at the Gettysburg curve.
"We further find that it was no fault of the employes nor of the company. C. B. Boyden, G. W. Kellogg, J. W. Conklin, E. B. Crawford, George Hughes, C. Dowsher."

The body was embalmed by William Worstell and will be shipped to his old home in Missouri on this morning's train. -- Wallace Press
Source: Idaho Statesman - March 13, 1902
Submitted and transcribed by Sandra Davis

Demuth, William H.
Meets Death by Electricity in North
William H. Demuth Electrocuted in the Standard Mine at Mace
WALLACE, - Nov. 28 -- William H. Demuth, a young machinist working for the Federal Mining & Smelting company, was electrocuted in the Standard mine at Mace this morning, when he swung a piece of steel against an overhead trolley wire. Death came instantly.

With his partner, H. H. Burkett, the man went to work on the 1800-foot level at 7:30 o'clock. Shortly after 8 o'clock they found themselves in need of sharp drills, and Demuth went on the errand. As he was returning along the main tunnel with the steel over his shoulder Burkett turned to watch him. Just as he came even with the drift Demuth swung the steel from his shoulder and at the same time collapsed in his tracks. Burkett ran to him and found him dead.
Source: Idaho Statesman - November 29, 1911
Submitted and transcribed by Sandra Davis

McGrath, Robert
Killed in Mill Accident
Robert McGrath Meets Death in Hercules Plant at Wallace
SPOKANE (AP) -- Robert McGrath, employed in the mill of the Hercules mine at Wallace, Ida., was caught by a belt in the mill last night and crushed to death, according to information received by his parents here.
Source: Idaho Statesman - March 20, 1920
Submitted and Transcribed by Sandra Davis

Hill, Stanley
Wallace Man Dies
WALLACE, Ida. (AP) -- Stanley Hill, superintendent of the Black Cloud mill of the Hecla Mining company, near here, died at a local hospital Monday evening from injuries sustained in the mill this afternoon when he was caught in the machinery. He is survived by his wife and a sister here and by his father, a sister and a brother in Minneapolis.
Source: Idaho Statesman - February 26, 1918
Submitted and transcribed by Sandra Davis

McKee, John F.
Miner Killed
A Wallace dispatch says: John F. McKee was killed this morning by falling 150 feet down the raise in the Black Bear mine at Gem. He was recently from Chico, Cal., being in the act of coming off his first shift at the Black Bear, when his foot slipped on the ladder, letting him fall. He was married seven weeks ago at Oroville, Cal., his wife being there now with his sister. His parents also live in the same neighborhood. He was a member in good standing of Pride of Butte lodge No. 69, K. of P., of Chico, Cal. The body was brought down here immediately and his wife and lodge telegraphed to regarding disposition of the remains.
Source: Idaho Statesman - January 8, 1900
Submitted and transcribed by Sandra Davis

Lee, Russell
Matthews, Harold
Welch, W. N.
FOREST FIRE GAS KILLS THREE MEN TRAPPED IN MINE
Fourth Worker Collapses After Escape to Surface -- Rain Aids in Battle on Blaze
Wallace, Idaho, Aug. 21 (AP) -- Three miners were killed and another was overcome by timber gas caused by smoke from nearby forest fires, in the Cedar Mining and Development Company's mine, southeast of Murray yesterday. The dead were Russell Lee, W. N. Welch and Harold Matthews. George Reese, who made his way to the surface before he collapsed, was expected to recover.
Source: The Brooklyn Daily Eagle - August 21, 1929
Submitted and transcribed by Sandra Davis

McCoy, Barney
Peck, Reed
Crews Find Second Body In Idaho Mine

BURKE, Idaho - Rescue workers Thursday found the body of a second miner crushed to death in a cave-in at the Star mine here.

A mine supervisor said the 20-man rescue team found the body of Barney McCoy, 47, Wallace, Idaho. However, the threat of more falling rocks and sliding earth, coupled with cramped working conditions at the 6,900-foot level of the big zinc mine made recovery doubtful for some time.

Late Wednesday night, a team recovered the body of Reed Peck, 41, also of Wallace, who was working with McCoy in the cave-in. His body was recovered about five hours after the accident. He had been crushed to death by the debris which fell on him in a "rock burst" which sent rocks and timbers into the shaft.

A mining expert says "rock bursts" are small, local earthquakes. Peck was found in the debris-chocked tunnel.
The Hecla Mining Co.operates the Star mine with its 355 employees. A standby emergency rescue team was dispatched to the mine after the word came that the men were trapped late Wednesday.

Source: Eugene Register-Guard, April 16, 1964
Submitted and transcribed by Sandra Davis

Miner Killed
On Wednesday night last, John Engberg was killed in the Tiger-Poorman mine at Burke, says the Wallace Tribune. Engberg and a man named Daistrom were working together, and from the story his partner tells, they must have been somewhat careless. In "spitting" 14 holes their light was put out, leaving them in the dark at the breast of the tunnel. Engberg called for a light about the time the first hole went off, which were his last words. He had an ugly wound in the forehead and his left leg was broken when brought to the surface. His partner, who remained within six feet of the breast until all the shots went off, was not hurt. The coroner's jury returned a verdict of accidental death.
Source: Idaho Statesman - March 17, 1900
Submitted and transcribed by Sandra Davis

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