P.C. Holt Killed in Federal Shaft No. 2 (1905)

cross.gif (2825 bytes)

DEATH IN THE SHAFT
November 1905

~~ P. C. Holt Caught Beneath a Hoisting Cage at Bottom of Shaft and Instantly Killed ~~

     A fatal accident occurred last Monday morning about 2:30 o'clock at Federal Shaft No. 2, on the old Derby property, in which P. C. Holt was instantly killed by being caught under the hoisting cage at the bottom of the shaft and crushed.

     It appears from the best information obtainable that at the beginning of the shift a loaded car  had been dumped in the sump or bottom of the shaft, which made considerable trouble.  Holt was taking out the rock.  It is claimed that he signaled the cage up, then signaled to stop, again rang four times which is the signal to hoist with a man on the cage, and in about two seconds rang twice which is a signal to lower.  There must have been some misunderstanding of the signals, for Holt was not on the cage, but under it, and as it was lowered he was caught beneath it and crushed to death.

     No one was with Holt at the time, as the mule driver had gone back to the heading, about 800 feet away, after a loaded car.   Holt was held under the car fifteen or twenty minutes before his dead body was discovered.  He was a married man, 28 years of age and had several children.    

[Death is listed in Index for the Coroner's Inquest Records of St. Francois County, MO]

 

MINER INDEX
HOME PAGE