Johan Benjamin Erickson

ACCIDENT NO. 49— June 16th, 1905.— John B. Ericson, employed at 51st level south of No. 5 shaft, Calumet Branch of the Calumet and Hecla Mine, while at work sending up timber from the bottom of the level to the stope above, was seriously injured by a piece of timber falling on him, the effects of the injuries received causing his death a day later.

An inquest held before Coroner Fisher.

John Beard testified: "I am employed by the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company at 51st level, south of No. 5 shaft Calumet Branch. I Have known John B. Ericson for the last two months and a half, and worked with him. He was what we call the 'level man.' His business being to send up timber from the level to the men in the stope. I know of an accident happening to him last Friday. He was sending up timber at the time. He had put the tongs on a piece of timber to send it up and when it got part way up the tongs slipped and the timber came down and struck him. Don't know why the tongs should slip unless he did not put them back on the timber far enough to hold. Did not see him put them on. He was the only man in the level at the time. The tongs were all right, hoisted three big pieces with the same tongs just before that. Only reason I see for them slipping is that they were not properly put on."

Thomas Gray testified: "I am employed by the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company. I knew the deceased, he was what we call a 'level man,' his work being to send timber from the level up to the stope. I know of the accident happening as stated by previous witnesses. The tongs used were in good condition. If they had been properly put on I do not see how they could have slipped."

A.B. Mills, testified: "Am practicing physician and surgeon for the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company. Was called upon to attend John B. Ericson, waited on him until he died. He had a broken collar bone, eight ribs on one side stove in, lung torn, pelvis fractured, bladder torn loose, and several bones broken in one foot. The injuries I have described were sufficient to cause death."

Verdict: "We, the jury, find that the said John B. Ericson, came to, his death on the 17th day of June, 1905, from injuries received on the 16th day of June, 1905, at the 51st level, south of No. 5 shaft, Calumet Branch of Calumet and Hecla Mine, by being struck by a piece of timber while at work as a level man."

source: https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015074974141 (Pages 47-48 on scroll, Pages 41-42 in actual book)

Michigan Death Record: https://michiganology.org/uncategorized/digitalFile_449937eb-921e-4...

John B. Erickson, aged 56 years, while at work at the Calumet and Hecla mine was injured at the mine on Friday and died on Monday. He had worked there 2 months. A piece of timber fell on him in the mine and injured him. He is survived by a wife and seven children. The funeral will take place this afternoon at the Calumet Swedish mission church. Burial will be at Lake View cemetery, Calumet.