John Guy Jackman

ACCIDENT NO. 20 — March 1, 1907 — John G. Jackman, English miner. Red Jacket shaft. This accident, causing the death of a miner, John G. Jackman occurred at the 58th level of the Red Jacket shaft, north of No. 4.

An inquest was held and the following testimony taken:

Alfred Giles, being duly sworn, testified as follows: “I work at the Red Jacket shaft for the C. & H. Mining Co., at the 58th level north of No. 4. I worked there this morning. I did not see the accident. Got out of the cage the first trip down this morning. Sat down for a few minutes and then went in. On my way in, I took a load of drills. As I was going in, I saw Jackman coming out looking for a crowbar. I got in and had just taken off my coat when I heard rock fall and then heard someone yell. Went out and found a trammer and Jackman under the rock. We took them out as quickly as we could. It was a piece of vein rock up against the hanging. I picked up his watch. It had stopped 22 minutes to 8 o'clock. I heard one of the other men say that he had heard John say that "things looked pretty good this morning, but a little piece there will have to come down." John was alive when we took him out. He died in the hospital. He was a miner. The miners go in to pinch down the loose rock and make it safe for the trammers and Jackman was doing this when the rock fell on him. The place looked safe enough. It was a good place to work."

John Palaggi: “I am a trammer. I was filling a car four or five feet from Jackman. He had a bar pinching rock. I turned to put a rock in the car, when the rock he was pinching fell and caught him. We got them out as quick as we could. He was standing on the hanging side. He said it looked pretty solid and I thought myself it was solid. The rock struck him on the head.”

Verdict: "We find the said John G. Jackman came to his death by an accident on March 1, 1907, at the 58th level of Red Jacket shaft, north of No. 4, while in the act of pinching a piece of vein rock; and we exonerate the company from all blame."