William Henry Donald

Accident 23 — One of the most terrible mine accidents in the history of the Copper Country, resulting in the loss of thirty lives, occurred at the Osceola Mine, September 7th. At about 11:30 A.M., while the whole of the day shift men were under ground, fire was discovered in No. 3 Shaft at the 27th level. Captain Richard Edwards on approaching the shaft found Captain Richard Trembath with a party of men trying to extinguish the fire, which had caught in the lagging at the back of the shaft. As there is no timber in the drifts or stopes of this mine it seems that this is the only place that a fire could possibly have caught. How it originated is and probably always will be a mystery. The only solution seems to be that it must have caught from a candle or snuff thrown there carelessly by some of the men or boys.

Captain Edwards after locating the fire, leaving Captain Trembath and his men to fight the fire with buckets went to the surface for hose to attach to the pump in the shaft, and to report the fire to the officials. Upon his return to No. 4 Shaft the smoke was so thick he was told by a party of men who had just come up, that it was impossible to descend either No. 3 or No. 4 Shafts. There were three other outlets, Shafts No. 1, 2 and 5. Captain Edwards at once sent men down these to warn all the men underground of their danger and order them to come to the surface. Skips were kept running in shafts 4 and 5 to give the men assistance in getting out. The skip continued to run in No. 5, bringing load after load of men up, until about three o'clock. In the meantime a searching party had been sent down. They went to the bottom of the mine and into the different levels as far as possible but failed to find anyone. Owing to the smoke and gas they were unable to approach No. 3 or 4, and the thirty men who had attempted to escape by these shafts were given up as lost, as no living being could exist in them at that time. Another attempt was made to descend No. 4 but it was found utterly impossible to do so. After careful consideration, when it was known that no human being could be alive in the mine, at about 4:30 o'clock Shaft No. 3 was closed over in the hope of checking further progress of the fire. It was then ascertained that thirty men had perished in the mine, viz: - Captain Richard Trembath, Richard Bickle, Thomas Curtis, Alexander Daniel, Richard Grenfell, James Williams, Frank Lander Jr., Michael Johnson, Isaac Harrio, Peter Strandgaard, John Matson, Andrew Rosinski, Michael Schultz, Joseph Rasec, Steve Oriski, Michael Slotta, Joseph Slotta, Mike Voak, Vene Verbenz, Steve Ristivick, Fred C. Peardon, John Cudlip, William Bryant, Barney Hellner, James D. Harrington, Anton Zeswick, William H. Donald, Robert Johns, Peter Malmstrom and Walter Dahl. Most of these men were old and experienced miners, and their loss of life was doubtless due to the fact that they thought that owing to there being so little timber in the mine that there could be no fire of consequence there. Thus, although there was ample time for all to have made their escape by Shafts 1, 2, and 5, their assurance of their safety made them careless and thoughtless. Some after being warned even stayed to eat their lunch. Then instead of trying to reach the surface by the comparatively clear Shafts 1, 2 and 5, they attempted to ascend, the smoke filled No. 4 , and were soon overcome and perished.

As soon as it was possible to enter the mine the work of recovering the bodies was begun. Thirteen were found the following Thursday and the last recovered the Monday following. The bodies were all discovered in or near No. 4 Shaft, scattered between the 4th and 17th levels.

An inquest was held at Osceola by Coroner Macdonald on the 12th, 13th and 17th days of September. Twelve witnesses were submitted to a thorough examination by the Coronor, Jury and Prosecuting Attorney Streeter. The facts as given above was clearly proven. The jury brought in the following verdict: "That the deceased came to their deaths by suffocation caused by smoke and gas from a wood fire originating in 27th level of No. 3 Shaft, Osceola Mine, on the 7th day of September, 1895. The cause of said fire unknown. We believe that this fearful loss of life is due to the fact that deceased did not realize the seriousness of their danger; although from the evidence given this jury, we find that said deceased were duly notified. We exonerate the mine officials from all negligence in this sad affair.”

Before leaving this it seems proper to me to attempt to make some explanation as to how the unfortunate men were caught in the fatal trap which caused their death, when an easy and sure escape was open through No. 5 Shaft. They undoubtedly thought, that No. 4 being a downcast, that there, they would find the clearest and safest means of exit. Under ordinary circumstances this would have been the case. But part of the immense volume of smoke in No. 3, which had been changed by the heated air from a downcast to an upcast, found its way through the upper levels to No. 4 Shaft, and this being a downcast the smoke and gas were borne swiftly down upon the men while they were making their way to the surface, extinguishing their lights and suffocating them then and there, as fully described in the testimony of Mr. Cocking, allowing them neither to go forward nor giving them time to go back. Had they not felt assured of a sure and safe passage to the surface through No. 4, they certainly would not have delayed as they did in some cases. It will be remembered that some, after being warned, even stopped to eat their lunch. This delay was no doubt due to the fact that they thought that No. 4 was and would remain a clear passage, and they could ascend it at their leisure.

Mine Inspector's report for Houghton County, 1895. 2021. "Mine Inspector's Report For Houghton County, Michigan. 1895.". Hathitrust. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015074974844&view=1up&....

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The Native Copper Times September 17, 1895

The Osceola Tragedy Or in other words the fire in the Osceola, which resulted in the most appalling loss of life-no less than 30 human beings having perished- men and boys who went into the mine, some of them over 3000 feet deep, on the morning of Sept. 7th, without any feeling that their end was near- went down to do their respective duties, and for the last time- only to be brought up lifeless, is an occurance that appeals to the stoutest hearts, bringing home to us all the awful risks taken by those who delve underground, and pleading strongly for the position The Times has ever occupied, viz: That miners and other underground workers should be well paid. Most of the victims of this terrible event leave widows and orphans or parents who were largely dependent upon them, and the circumstances and conditions of the bereaved ones should be given the most careful consideration, and that at the hands of the company within whose mine the calamity occurred.

Just think of it- no less than 25 bodies brought up Thursday last, and two on the following day. One was found at the first level; three near the tenth level; two at the twelth level; thirteen in the neighborhood of the fourtheenth; four at the fifteenth and one each at the seventeenth and eighteenth levels, all in No. 4 shaft, and only a short distance from where they were working, which would seem to indicate that they had received no warning that the mine was on fire- a circumstance which demonstrates the necessity of our mines putting some alarm device whereby all men underground be given warning, simultamously; and it appears that if this could have been done at the Osceola, few if any lives would been lost.

The body of Robert Johns- making 28 in all- was recovered Saturday between Nos. 4 and 5 shafts at the 17th level, and Monday morning the bodies of the last two victims- Peter Malmstrom and Walter Dahl were recovered. They were found at the 17th level between Nos. 3 and 4 shafts, and were partially hidden by a plank.

Fourteen of the victims were buried Friday, the funerals of Captain Richard Trenbath, Thomas H. Curtis, Richard Grenfell and William Bryant were held form the M.E. church, under the auspices of One and All Lodge, Sons of St. George and Court Robin Hood, A.O. of F.; those of Michael Schutte, A. Verbonitz and Michael Vuk from the Austrian church; those of John Matson, Michael Johnson and Isaac Harra from the Finnish Lutheran church and those of Michael and Joseph Slota, Andrew Rosinski and Joseph Rassetz from the Polish church.

The remains of the following were intered Saturday- Anton Zeswick, Alex Daniell, Peter Strangard, John Cudlip, Peter Peardon, F. Lander, Jr. Steve Ristoway, James Williams, M. Polchak.

Sunday the following were laid at rest- Wm. H. Donald, James D. Harrington, Barney Hellner, Richard Bickle, Robert Johns.

The last two of the victims to be found, Peter Mahlstrom and Walter Dahl, were interred this morning.

An inquiry into this fearful tragedy is to be held before coronor D. T. Macdonald, with the following jurors- all said to be residents of Osceola township, if not employees of the Osceola Mining Company; Messrs. Victor Petersen, Peter Stangard, Dan Howard, Lawence Illinitch, William Mille and John Stephens. The jurors have viewed the bodies of the victims and the taking of testimony was to have commenced today. A searching investigation is promised, and certainly the terribleness of the tragedy demands that it should be most searching and thorough.