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Houghton County Mining Inspector Report

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Page No.16-17
Full ReportAccident 29 occurred July 17th in the 36th level south of No. 2 shaft - Quincy mine. Joseph Dennis lost his life and Felix Bess was seriously injured. The accident was caused by a premature explosion of dynamite - of which they had no knowledge of being in the place they were at work. A party of miners at work in the level above Dennis and Bess heard them working with a pick. Soon after they heard an explosion - and knowing it was an unusual hour for any blasting - they called to Dennis and Bess - and receiving no answer - they went in search and found them lying in the stope covered with rocks. Dennis was still breathing when found - but he died in a short time after. Bess was conveyed to surface as soon as possible - and a jury was impaneled by Justice Finn. After they were duly sworn over the body of Dennis an adjournment was taken until Bess was able to give testimony - which was taken on the 4th day of August. Felix Bess testified: As Dennis and himself started to work on the morning of the 17th day of July - they drilled one hole and fixed the drilling machine to drill another hole - but before starting to drill it was necessary to pick away some rock. Bess handed Dennis the pick - and that the death of Joseph Dennis was caused by a discharge of an unexploded charge of dynamite in an old hole that had been blasted but part of the charge failed to explode. - Dennis had only started to pick but a few moments when the explosion occurred that cost Dennis his life and almost his own. It was so sudden and entirely unexpected that he could give no further particulars. The jury rendered a verdict that: Joseph Dennis came to his death on the 17th day of July 1894 - south of No. 2 Shaft in the 36th level of the Quincy mine in the township of Quincy, Houghton county by a premature discharge of dynamite.
Accident No.29-1894
Sources4
IDr1894-29

Source Information

Source NameInspectorLibrary Call No.ID
Report of the Mine Inspector of Houghton County Michigan for the Year Ending September 30 1891Josiah Hall Mine InspectorMichigan TN 272 .H68z 1890/91s1
Report of the Mine Inspector of Houghton County Michigan for the Year Ending September 30 1892Josiah Hall Mine InspectorMichigan TN 272.H68z 1892s2
Mine Inspectors Report for Houghton County, Mich. For the Year Ending September 30th 1893Josiah Hall Mine InspectorMichigan TN 272.H68z 1893s3
Mine Inspectors Report for Houghton County, Mich. For the Year Ending September 30th 1894Josiah Hall Mine InspectorMichigan TN 272.H68z 1894s4
Mine Inspectors Report for Houghton County, Mich. For the Year Ending September 30th 1895Josiah Hall Mine InspectorMichigan TN 272.H68z 1895s5
Mine Inspectors Report for Houghton County, Mich. For the Year Ending September 30th 1890not namedMichigan TN 272 .H68z 1889s6
Mine Inspectors Report for Houghton County, Mich. For the Year Ending September 30th 1897not namedMichigan TN272 .H68z 1897s7
Mine Inspectors Report for Houghton County, Mich. For the Year Ending September 30th 1900not namedMichigan TN272 .H68z 1900s8

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