Giuseppe Antonio Curto

ACCIDENT NO. 27. — July 13th, A.D. 1906, South Hecla, Joseph Curto.

Joseph Curto met his death on the 13th day of July, A.D. 1906, in No. 10 shaft, South Hecla Branch of the Calumet and Hecla Mine. Inquest by Justice Fisher.

Frank Stefniac testified as follows: “I work at South Hecla, No. 10 shaft, for the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company. Was working there at the time of the accident. I am a pipe fixer. I knew Joseph Curto; saw him today coming through the shaft. He was a five-dollar boss. I was sitting along side of the ladder when I heard the skip coming and then heard an awful yell; I did not know what it was. Just after saw the body of a man coming down the shaft, and the skip came right after. The body stopped on a roller and the skip went right over, and the body showed up again on the top of the skip next to the bail. I went over and rang the bell to have the skip stopped, and then we went through to see the body. It was half way under the skip. We called for help and got the body out. It was Curto's business to look after the skip for the trammers. He looked after No. 9 skip, but it was No. 10 skip that killed him. The accident happened about half-past 11 o'clock this morning. I can not tell how he got struck. I was one level below. I think it likely that he heard the skip coming, and thinking it was the skip in No. 9 shaft, — the one he looked after, — he crossed the shaft and got struck by the skip that was coming down No. 10 shaft. He was alone at the time. The watchman was one level above. There were no trammers on that level. He had his pail there. He was probably taking a bite on the south side of the shaft, and when he heard the skip coming started across the shaft. We saw some lunch in the shaft and supposed it was his. We saw the body coming in front of the skip, but could not tell whether he fell in or whether the skip struck him. Heard him yell and then his body came down, stopped on a roller and then the skip went over it.”

Duncan Maculay testified as follows: "I am a pipe fixer, a partner to Stefniac. Was with him at the time of the accident. I corroborate his testimony. I have nothing to add to it.”

Verdict of the Jury: "We find that the said Joseph Curto came to his death on the 13th day of July, A.D. 1906, at the 56th level No. 10 shaft, by inadvertently stepping into shaft No. 10, South Hecla Branch of the Calumet and Hecla Mine, and being struck by the descending skip.”

Joseph Curto, a miner of Raybaultown, employed by the Calumet and Hecla mining company was killed yesterday morning at Shaft No. 5 of the Hecla Branch. He accidentally walked into the shaft thinking the skip was coming down for him. He is survived by a wife and two children.