Jacob Puhek

Houghton County Mine Inspector's Report

ACCIDENT NO. 37 - July 14, 1911 - Jacob Puhek, Red Jacket Shaft, C. & H. Jacob Puhek, an Austrian, lost his life on this day at the 57th level north of the slope shaft. An inquest was conducted over his body before Justice Fisher. The following witnesses testified:

Peter Mihelich: “I am a Timberman at Red Jacket Shaft, Puhek was working with me at the 57th level, north of the slope shaft. I was there at the time of the accident. I was down in the level and Puhek was up in the stope. We were hoisting logs in place and had put in one piece and had attached the chain to it to hoist up another piece. When we started to hoist the log, the piece to which we had the chain attached came away and the blocks in falling struck Puhek. I found the blocks on top of his head. I don't think the logs struck him. The piece which we were using for a heaving pole we put in today and Puhek and John Mairele wedged it up. The accident happened about twenty minutes after three this afternoon."

John Mairele: “I was working at the Red Jacket Shaft today with the same gang as the former witness. I knew the deceased; I was working with him at the time of the accident. We were hoisting timber; he was wedging timber in place. We had one piece in place, I helped Jacob to wedge it and I put the chain around the timber myself and hung the blocks and we started to hoist another log. When we started to hoist, the timber fell down and the blocks struck Jake in the head. I was down in the level, he was up in the stope about 50 feet from the level. The piece we were hoisting was a sixteen foot log. I don't think the timber struck him."

Verdict: “That the said Jacob Puhek came to his death by being struck by falling blocks which became detached from their anchorage while hoisting a piece of timber at the 57th level, North of the slope shaft, Red Jacket Shaft of Calumet and Hecla Mine, on Friday, July 14, 1911.”

Source:
Mine Inspector’s report for Houghton County, Michigan. 1911. HathiTrust.
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015074974075&view=...