Pre-1963 Colorado mining fatalities

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PRE-1963 COLORADO MINING FATALITIES
by
Gerald E. Sherard
Lakewood, CO 80226-2629
(2006)
The State of Colorado has a rich history of mining which began in the mid-1800s. Many books
have been written about Colorado's mining towns with the most noted authors being John K. Aldrich,
Robert L. Brown, Perry Eberhart, and George R. Eicher. In the mid-1800s there was no organized
reporting of mine fatalities but in 1884 the death of 59 miners at the Crested Butte coal mine in Gunnison
County inspired the State of Colorado to pass legislation requiring mining companies to report their
accidents, both fatal and nonfatal. These annual and biannual reports which are listed in the Bibliography
were used in the preparation of this book.
Colorado's major mine accidents, their causes, and number of men killed are as follows:
January 24, 1884, Crested Butte Mine, Gunnison Co., Colorado Coal & Iron Co., gas
and dust explosion ignited by a lamp, 59 killed.
November 13, 1885, Bull-Domingo Mine, Custer Co., explosion and fire, 10 killed.
September 9, 1889, White Ash Mine, Jefferson Co., White Ash Coal & Mining Co.,
inundation with water when Old Loveland shaft broke into White Ash
workings, 10 killed.
January 10, 1893, Como No. 5 Mine, Park Co., Park Coal Co., gas and dust explosion
form blown out shot, 24 killed.
January 4, 1896, Anna Lee Mine, El Paso Co., caving in of shaft, 8 killed.
February 18, 1896, Vulcan Mine, Garfield Co., A.T.&S.F. Coal Co., Explosion of gas
and dust ignited by firing shot in the chute, 49 killed.
September 3, 1897, Sunshine Mine, Garfield Co., Colorado Fuel & Iron Co.,
explosion of gas and dust ignited by a lamp, 12 killed.
November 20, 1901, Smuggler Union Mine, San Miguel Co., fire, 28 killed.
August 7, 1902, Bowen Mine, Las Animas Co., Victor-American Fuel Co., explosion
of dust ignited by giant powder, 13 killed.
January 26, 1904 Stratton’s Independence Mine, Teller Co., Victor Teller Co., cage accident, 15
killed.
October 28, 1904, Tercio Mine, Las Animas Co., Colorado Fuel & Iron Co.,
explosion of dust ignited by blown out shots, 19 killed.
February 19, 1906, Maitland Mine, Huerfano Co., Victor-American Fuel Co.,
explosion of gas caused by open lights, 14 killed.
April 22, 1906, Cuartro Mine, Las Animas Co., Colorado Fuel & Iron Co., explosion
of gas and dust ignited by open light, 19 killed.
January 23, 1907, Primero Mine, Las Animas Co., Colorado Fuel & Iron Co.,
explosion of gas and dust ignited by a safety lamp, 24 killed.
July 6, 1909, Toller Mine, Las Animas Co., Cedar Hill Coal & Coke Co., explosion
of gas caused by open light, 9 killed.
January 31, 1910, Primero Mine, Las Animas Co., Colorado Fuel & Iron Co.,
explosion of gas and dust, 75 killed.
October 8, 1910, Starkville Mine, Las Animas Co., Colorado Fuel and Iron
Co., explosion of dust caused by arc from runaway trip, 56 killed.
November 8, 1910, Victor-American Fuel Co., Las Animas Co., explosion of gas and
dust caused by a fire, 79 killed.
December 14, 1910, Leyden mine, Jefferson Co., Leyden Coal Co., mine fire, 10 killed.
February 9, 1911, Coakedale Mine, Las Animas Co., Carbon Coal & Coke Co.,
explosion of dust caused by a blown-out shot, 17 killed.
June 18, 1912, Hastings Mine, Las Animas Co., Victor-American Fuel Co., explosion
of gas caused by a defective safety lamp, 12 killed.
December 16, 1913, Vulcan Mine, Garfield Co., Coryell Mine Leasing, explosion of
dust powder caused by an open light, 37 killed.