John Mills

33 yrs & 6 ms

John Mills, an employee of the Calumet and Hecla mining company, was caught by rapidly revolving shaft and killed. He worked at the mine for 15 years.
(1887 March 10 Thursday Mining Gazette, Houghton, Michigan via USgenweb)
Also available at : Mfhn.Com, 2021, http://www.mfhn.com/houghton/rosscoll/news/mg1887_1.txt.

The Cornishman
Penzance, Cornwall, England
Thurs. Mar 24 1887 Page 5

TUCKINGMILL.

SHOCKING ACCIDENT TO A POPULAR TUCKINGMILL MAN IN THE LAKE SUPERIOR DISTRICT-

John Mills for the last 3 years engaged in the Hecla mine machine-shop as spare hand, was, in the discharge of his regular duty, running the gristmill in the old man engine house, and applied at the machine shop for help, when Peter McNaughton was at once detailed to assist him. As soon as they entered the building Mills went to the pulleys to (it is supposed) tighten the collar, and in doing so got too near, and the setscrew on the collar caught in his over-jacket, whirling him round and round with the shafting, which was about three feet from the floor. When Mills found he was going he seized hold of young McNaughton and carried round him with 3 or 4 times. When Mills let go his hold, McNaughton was, as may be imagined, so badly scared that he never thought of throwing the belt off the pulley, which he could have done in a moment there being a fork fixed to the wall for that purpose. Fortunately, however, at the time of the accident a boy was looking in at the door, who immediately gave an alarm, but before any help could arrive to stop the machine, the life had been pounded out of poor Mills, all the bones in his legs being broken. The floor, about 4 feet, where Mills' body had struck and been dragged along until it took the upward motion, was polished. The setscrew had made a wound in Mills' forehead from which he lost a little blood,. The deceased's clothes were badly torn; and one of his boots, which had evidently struck the floor at every revolution, was cut to pieces.

Deceased, (adds the Calumet News) was for 15 years in the employ of the Calumet and Hecla Company, formerly worked in the Calumet mine, but for the last 3 years has been engaged as above.

Mr. Mills had been a member of the Calumet cornet band, from the time it started, some 14 years ago, playing alto, and was a great favorite with its members, who, in common with all others with whom he had dealings, held him in high respect from his thorough reliableness.

Mr. Mills was 33 years of age, born at Tuckingmill, and leaves a widow and 2 children, but who, fortunately, are comfortably provided for.

RESPECT FOR THE LATE MR. JOHN MILLS, OF TUCKINGMILL.

His FUNERAL.
On the afternoon of Friday, the mortal remains of Mr. John Mills, accidentally killed in the gristmill of the Calumet and Hecla mining company, were buried in the Schoolcraft cemetery.

The funeral, which was the largest we have seen in this township, was in charge of the Hecla lodge No. 90, I.O.O.F., of which the deceased was active member.
The procession was formed as follows:

Eureka cornet-band.
Employès of the Calumet & Hecla mining company,
engaged in the machine shops of the company
and on the H. & T. L. R. R., as well as the members of the Lake Linden military band
to the number of 100,
under the marshalship of
Mr. Fred G. Danielson,
assistant-superintendent ;
Woodbury and Childs.
Lake Linden Lodge No. 245, I.O.O.F., (50.)
Calumet Lodge No. 131. I.O.O.F., (50.)
Hecla Lodge No. 90, I.O.O.F., (40)
The Calumet cornet-band, with drum heavily muffled
in crape.
The undertaker.
The hearse, with three pall-bearers on each side.
The mourners in three sleighs.
Private citizens in 68 cutters and sleighs.
Besides which the streets were thronged with pedestrians, many of whom accompanied the procession to the place of burial.
Services were held over the body,
in the Congregational church,
by the Rev. R. M. Higgins.

Before the funeral started from the house the Calumet cornet-band, of which the deceased had for so many years been a member, played a very appropriate hymn, and, on taking up their position in front of the hearse, played the Dead March in Saul all along the front street, and upon arrival at the church played 'Nearer my God to Thee,' which added greatly to the solemnity of the occasion.

Owing to the severity of the weather, the bands did not play any more.

Mr. Mills left a widow and two children-a boy, aged about eight years, and a girl about six-(instead of three children, as we stated last week.)

His MUSICAL COMRADES.
The members of the Calumet cornet-band feel so deeply the loss of Mr. John Mills that they, out of respect to his memory, would probably not give any more entertainments at the rink this season, were they not compelled to, in order to arrive at the decision as to whom the championship medal is to be awarded, the third race for which will come off on Saturday evening next.
-The Calumet and Red Jacket News, Michigan, March 11.