One of the most tragical mine accidents of recent years in this district occurred Monday morning shortly after 8 o'clock in a mine explosion at No. 16 shaft, Doe Run Lead Company, when Hardy Cunningham, 36 years old, of Elvins, was seriously injured, and his son, Ostil, 19, was killed.
Father and son, both machine men, had been sent to No. 10 drift to do some drilling. This shaft is in an isolated section of the mine. The two men were alone in the drift and were said to be almost a half mile from any other workman.
About an hour after they began their days work, one of the drills struck a "misfired hole" containing a charge of dynamite that had failed to fire at some previous date, the existance of which was unknown. A terrific explosion immediately followed.
Father and son were standing on a bluff. Both were knocked to the floor of the mine. A quantity of rock fell on the son, crushing his chest. The father was badly power-burned about the face and head rendering him practically sightless and injuring his ear drums. Aside from this, he was not seriously injured.
Hearing no response when he called to his son, he began an investigation, and found the boy beneath the loose rock. He pulled the rock from the prostrate body. The boy regained consciousness and told his father he was fatally hurt. The father made an attempt to carry the boy but found his strength inadequate to the task.
Telling the boy he would go for help, he left him. In his blinded state, he found it extremely difficult to make his way to that section of the mine where other men were employed. He groped and crawled his way, taking about one hour to make the distance, and calling for help as he went.
A man by the name of Duncan was the first to hear the call for help. At first, he paid no head to the call, thinking it some one attempting to play a practical joke. When it became evident to Duncan that the call was one of genuine distress, he and another man by the name of Mike Gunn investigated, finding the father, who told of his son's plight.
Duncan and Gunn went to No. 10 drift, and found the boy breathing his last. The body was taken to the Rinke undertaking establishment in Elvins, where Coroner C. J. Hill of Bismarck held an inquest Monday afternoon. The funeral was held at the Taylor Avenue Methodist church in Flat River, Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock and was conducted by Rev. Mitchell Wright, pastor of the First Baptist church of Desloge. Interment was made at Parkview.
The father was taken to Bonne Terre Hospital immediately after the accident, where it was found his eyes were seriously affected. He was taken to St. Louis Thursday morning and placed under the care of an eye specialist. His hearing is also badly impaired. He has powder burns on one of his hands.
The Cunningham family has been living in Elvins for the past year. The mother is a cripple. In the family are five children, all younger than the boy who lost his life. They are Curtis, Glenwood, Claud, Nelson and Eula.