Matija Shaltz

ACCIDENT No. 9. — December 23rd. John Scholtz, an underground watchman, met with a very mysterious death in No. 7 shaft, Hecla Branch of the Calumet & Hecla Mine, by his clothing getting on fire. Sholtz, with others, went down the shaft in the cage about 6:30 p.m. When the cage was lowered to the 12th level Sholtz got off the cage and was not seen again until he was found below the 14th level. An inquest was held before Coroner Fisher.

Matt Zamida testified at the inquest as follows: "I work for the Calumet & Hecla Mining Company as watchman in No. 7 shaft, Hecla. I know the deceased. He went down the shaft with me last night a little after six. He was also a watchman in the same shaft. He got out of the cage at the 12th level and I went down to the 24th level. Did not see him any more until I found him dead in the skip road. I know nothing of the accident except that I found him when I went up the shaft. Smelling smoke, and as the draft is down cast in No. 7 I knew that it must come from above so I went up the shaft and found the deceased about ten or fifteen feet below the 14th level, right between the track of the skip road. His head was down and his feet up, lying on his back. His clothes were burning. I had to put the fire out before I could take him up. The stringers were high enough for the skip to pass over him in going up and down without touching him. I stopped the cage and helped to take him to surface. He probably wore two coats and lots of clothes as the place where he worked was very cold. He was watchman from the 12th to the 18th, and I watched from the 19th to the 24th levels. His clothing was nearly all burned off. Burned clothing was found at the 12th level and at places between there and where the body was found.”

Verdict: We find that Matt Scholtz came to his death on the 23rd day of December, 1901, at the 14th level of No. 7 shaft, Hecla branch of the Calumet & Hecla Mine, by accidentally burning.”