Luigi Francisco

ACCIDENT NO. 40 - August 5, 1904. - Louis Francisco, Thomas Trezona, Matt Gasparovitch and Nicholas Badonenats, contrary to the rules of the mining company, went on the drill car at the 52nd level, No. 6 shaft, of the Hecla Branch of the Calumet & Hecla Mine, to ride down to the level below. After the signal had been given to lower the car the automatic brakes refused to work, letting the car down to the 60th level, a distance of 800 feet, before the engineer had gotten control by using the hand brakes. The fall caused the death of Louis Francisco and severely injured the other three men. The prompt action of the engineer in applying the hand brake, thus preventing the seven thousand feet of wire cable from going down the shaft, prevented a further loss of life.

An inquest was held before Coroner Fisher.

John S. Stenmoe, being duly sworn, testified as follows: “I work as brakeman for the Calumet & Hecla Mining Company at the G. H. & S engine house. I was not on duty at the time of the accident on August 5. I was night shift. I have been running brakes for fourteen years, ever since the G. H. & S. engines started. During that time I have never had any trouble with the automatic brakes. They work by hydraulic pressure. There is also a safety brake or wheel. There are two levers, the brake and the clutch. There is a band on each end of the drum, one the clutch for hoisting, the other the brake for lowering. These two work independently of each other; when one is on the other is off. In lowering we use the lowering brake, lowering by hydraulic pressure; we hoist with the same pressure, but use the other lever. The pressure is about 275 pounds, from that to 300 pounds. The pressure is obtained by hydraulic pumps. I do not run the pumps."

Andrew Simpson: “I am employed as engineer for the Calumet & Hecla Mining Company at the G. H. & S. engine house. I was night shift on the 5th of August; was not on duty at the time of the accident. I have been working there 14 years, ever since the engine has been running. Those drums are operated by hydraulic pressure; we have pumps supplying that pressure. The oil is pumped from a tank and forced into those pipes until we accumulate 275 pounds of pressure to the square inch. When relieved through the valves the oil returns to the tank and is used over again. We keep a steady pressure by the use of weights. I never knew the pressure to give out except in case of broken pipes. I was not there when the accident happened.”

John T. Williams, being duly sworn, testified as follows: “I am an engineer in the employ of the Calumet & Hecla Mining Company at the G. H. & S. engine house. I was acting as such on the 5th of August. The accident happened while I was on duty. The pressure is kept up with pumps. The pressure gave out — the pump was stopped. The only reason I can see for the pump stopping was that it must have become centered. Nothing of that kind happened before in my experience. I have been employed as engineer for six months. The pumps are double - acting. I could not say what caused the pump to center.”

John C. Glasson, being duly sworn, testified as follows: “I am a brakeman at the G. H. & S. engine house of the Calumet & Hecla Company. I was on the same shift as Williams on the 5th of August. I was stopping at the 52nd level with a car of drills. They rang to go to the 53rd, and when I got there I could not stop it. It kept gliding along slowly for just a few feet, and then I yelled to the engineer that there was no pressure. Then I worked my safety brake. After that I know nothing more. I know I was pulling the wheel when she stopped. I don't know what caused the pressure to give out. I have been working there ever since the engines were put in; hoisted the first skip. Had a similar accident about six months after the engines started. Had a full skip on that time. At that time the oil tank was below the pump; since that the oil tanks have been put up over the pumps, and have had no accident since. Think about eight rounds of the rope went down after the skip struck the 60th level, there was about eight rounds left on the drum when I stopped her. If I had not put on the hand brake the whole thing would have gone down. There was hardly time to think between the time it started and when it stopped.”

John Dephillipi, being duly sworn, testified as follows: “I work for the Calumet & Hecla Mining Company as track layer in No. 6 and No. 7 shafts, Hecla. I knew Louis Francisco. I was close by the shaft when the accident happened. He was my partner. I did not see him get on the car. We were not allowed to ride on the car. I was between the 57th and 58th levels when I saw the car pass - could not tell whether it was the drill car or the skip until I heard some one calling down the shaft and then I knew there was an accident.”

W. F. Daniell, being duly sworn, testified as follows: “I am employed as mining captain by the Calumet & Hecla Mining Company. I knew the deceased; he was employed in my department. I was in the 46th level of the same shaft at the time of the accident. This man, with others, was riding on the drill car. The men are not permitted to ride on any car except the regular man car. This order is generally understood throughout the mine.”

William Pascoe, being duly sworn, testified as follows: “I work for the Calumet & Hecla Mining Company at No. 6 shaft, Hecla, at the 60th level. We had just been down and blasted five holes in the shaft, and had all the air blowing to blow the smoke out of the shaft. I was by the shaft taking out some tools when I heard something coming; did not know what it was on account of so much air blowing. Just as soon as I heard it, it was there. I knew it was either the man car or the drill car. I ran in and closed the valves, and when I came back saw it was the drill car. I did not know if there was anyone on it or not, but called to see if there was. No one answered. I stepped back on the brace, and then I saw this man lying dead. Just as soon as I saw him the others began calling for help. I did not go to the surface with them. We got Gasparovitch, one of the men that was in the car, out and put him on a tram car. I was supporting him while they took the others out. There were four of them, and one was dead."

Verdict of the Jury: “We, the jury, find from the evidence that Louis Francisco met his death in No. 6 shaft, Hecla Branch of the Calumet & Hecla Mine, on August 5, 1904, by riding on a drill car, contrary to the orders of the Calumet & Hecla Mining Company."

Mine Inspector's report for Houghton County, 1904. 2021. "Mine Inspector's Report For Houghton County, Michigan. 1904.". Hathitrust. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015074974158&view=1up&....