Ulysse Picchi

ACCIDENT NO. 39 — August 2, 1904. — Alise Picchi lost his life by falling from the 18th to the 27th levels of No. 8 shaft, South Hecla Branch of the Calumet & Hecla Mine.

An inquest was held before Coroner Fisher.

Joseph Torreano, being duly sworn, testified as follows: “I work in No. 8 shaft, South Hecla. I know the deceased, was working with him today. We were at the 18th level, No. 8 shaft, when the accident happened. We went up from the 19th to the 18th level. When we got to the 18th level, Alise Picchi started to cross the shaft with his dinner pail and coat. He got one foot on the sleeper in the shaft, and with the other foot he was going to step on the soller on the south side of the shaft, when he fell backwards into the shaft. He fell down to the 27th level, a distance of 900 feet.”

Martin Urban, being duly sworn, testified as follows: “I was working with Alise Picchi today. I am a trammer. We came up from the 19th to the 18th level. The deceased started to cross the shaft, I suppose for the purpose of hanging up his coat and dinner pail. Then his foot slipped and he fell down the shaft.”

William J. Trevarthen, being duly sworn, testified as follows: “I look after the timber gang at the South Hecla Branch of the Calumet & Hecla Mine at No. 8 shaft. I was there when the accident happened to the deceased. The deceased was a trammer. He, with the others, came up from the 19th to the 18th level. I saw something fall down the shaft, then some one called out that a man had fallen down the shaft. I gave orders to ring one bell to stop the skip. The skip was going down at the time. I then went to look for the body. When we found him he was lying across the rope and on the roller. The skip was down below him, I cannot tell just how far. The skip was descending when the man tried to cross the shaft. I think he fell on the rope and that carried him down.”

Verdict of the Jury: “We, the jury, upon our oaths do say that the said Alise Picchi came to his death on the 2nd day of August, 1904, at No. 8 shaft, South Hecla Branch of the Calumet & Hecla Mine, by falling from the 18th to the 27th level in the endeavor to cross the shaft at the 18th level.”

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&....