Three Men Killed In the Kennedy Mine - Peter Garcia, Sam Martinez & Liberto Mendes

 

No matter what I do, my work always seems to come full circle. Almost 11 years ago, I published my first historical non-fiction book, "Behind The Walls." based on the history of the Preston School of Industry (a.k.a. Preston Castle), little did I know that while researching for my 5th historical non-fiction book "Down Below: A History of Deaths at the Kennedy Mine," I would find stories that are intertwined with Preston in one way or another.

One such story is the horrific explosion at the Kennedy Mine that took place on February 13, 1932, when four miners: Peter Garcia, Sam Martinez, Liberto Mendez and Felix Achavan were victims of an unfortunate dynamite accident.

According to the Amador Dispatch, it was an explosion at the 4800 foot level of the mine that took place around 4 a.m. in the morning on Saturday, February 13, that caused the fatalities.

The miners were prepping the area for blasting, and while rounding the holes, they found that the water leaking down the walls of stope was preventing several of the fuses to ignite. So in order to fire the fuse, they had to re-cut them. Unfortunately, they re-cut them too short, and since they had about 46 fuses to fire, by the time they lit the last fuse, the first one went off.

According to the only surviving witness, Felix Achavan, the supervisor on duty overseeing their work, Peter Garcia, had warned them he thought it was time to go, and just as he spoke those words the explosion went off. Both Peter Garcia and Sam Martinez died instantly, while Liberto Mendes and Felix Achavan were rushed to the hospital at the Preston School of Industry, in Ione. Sadly, within hours of arriving to Preston, Liberto succumbed to his injuries. Felix stayed several days at the hospital but recovered.

The dead were brought to Daneri's Funeral home and the funerals for the miners were all held individually at St. Patrick Catholic Cemetery in Jackson. Sadly, none of the miners have marked graves, and you can only know they were buried there because of the newspaper clippings and cemetery records showing they were buried there.

Peter Garcia was only 39 years old and was a native of Spain. He had lived in Amador County for many years and was very much a beloved member of the community. Sam Martinez was only 23 years old at the time of his death, and was also a native of Spain. while Liberto Mendes was 36 years old and a native of Mexico.

You can visit their virtual graves here on Find-a-grave and leave them virtual messages and "flowers" here:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/176567415/peter-garcia

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/176567489/sam-martinez

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/176567551/liberto-mendez

After recovering from his injuries, Felix was interviewed for the Coroner's Inquest and his story was published in the local newspaper which is posted below.

Amador Dispatch – 2/26/1932

“Lone Survivor Tells Story of Mine Accident—

At an inquest conducted on Monday evening by Coroner J.J. Daneri, Felix Achavan told the story of the recent accident at the Kennedy mine when three miners lost their lives and Achavan miraculously escaped a like fate.

According to the story told by the witness at the hearing, he was working in a stope on the 4800 foot level of the mine and with companions had prepared a round of 46 holes for blasting. He stated that after loading had been completed, he was assisted by Foreman Garcia in lighting the fuse. Samuel Martinez and Foreman Garcia standing by to give assistance that might be needed; that difficulty was experienced in lighting some of the fuse because of dampness from water that had dripped upon the fuse, making it necessary to again “spit” them, at operation causing considerable delay. Finally Garcia made the statement “we have been here too long, let’s get out” and barely had the word been uttered when an explosion occurred.

Mr. Achavan stated that all were thrown to the ground by the force of the explosion. His position on the opposite side of the stope from the first explosion afforded him a measure of protection and probably accounted for his escape from death. He expressed the belief that the others were in the direct path of the flying rocks rendering escape impossible. He immediately crawled from the scene. Peter Garcia and Samuel Martinez were killed instantly and Liberto Mendez died a few hours following his removal to the Preston Hospital. Achavan gave a vivid recitation of the experience but the recollection of the unfortunate accident was one that unnerved the man and caused him to leave the room sobbing. 

Following the hearing of the testimony the following verdict we rendered by the jury: “The cause of death was the discharge of powder when the deceased were delayed in their work by damp fuses while they were employed in blasting in the north drift of the 4800 foot level of the Kennedy mine near Jackson.”---

May these miners, and the rest of the 43 miners who have all lost their lives at the Kennedy Mine during its years of operation rest in peace, never forgotten. 

TO READ MORE STORIES ABOUT THE MEN AT THE KENNEDY MINE, PLEASE CLICK ON THIS LINK HERE! 

(Copyright 2023- J'aime Rubio, www.jaimerubiowriter.com) 

Sources:

Amador Dispatch – 2/26/1932

Amador Dispatch – 2/19/1932

Amador Ledger - 2/13/1932

Colusa Herald, 2/13/1932;

Healdsburg Tribune 2/13/1932

Claude Smith's Tragic Death at the Argonaut Mine

In all the years of living in and around Amador County, I have always been enamored by the history of both the Argonaut and Kennedy Mines. In previous blogs and even in my podcast, I have dedicated a lot of time and research into sharing the horrific details of the Argonaut Mine Disaster of 1922, but that wasn't the only time that the Argonaut miners had met with fatalities. In fact, there are several documented stories of deaths at the Argonaut.

In the past year, I have been spending much of my spare time working on my latest book, "Down Below: A History of Deaths at the Kennedy Mine," and so far I have discovered over 40 deaths during the years of operation at that mine that sits literally across the highway from the infamous Argonaut Mine. This book should be out in the next several months.

The Argonaut Mine also saw death, not just during the time of the mine disaster itself. One such story that comes to mind is the story of Claude Smith and Harvey Jones. I briefly mentioned it in my blog on the Argonaut and Kennedy Mine history back in 2017. 

Because their story is just as important to share with you as that of the other miners who perished in the Argonaut Mine Disaster, I am going to share it with you in greater detail today, so that Claude and Harvey's story will no longer be forgotten.

Claude Smith was born on June 10, 1902, while Harvey "Tex" Jones was born on September 16, 1879. Not a lot can be found about Claude's personal backstory, but we do know that both he and Tex worked in the mines, and that "Tex," was obviously from Texas. 

According to the Amador Dispatch, it states:

"A blast on the 5400 foot level of the Argonaut mine resulted in the death of Claude Smith and the serious injury of his companion, Harvey Jones, last Sunday morning at two o'clock. The men had completed their round of holes for blasting and Jones was engaged in igniting the fuse when the explosion took place.

Smith died instantly from the effects of the injuries that he received, his body being badly mangled. Jones, who was a short distance away, suffered fractured wrists, injuries of the chest, a dislocated knee cap, facial lacerations and the possible loss of an eye. In spite of his injuries he had the presence of mind to make his way to the station and summons assistance.

To do this he was compelled to climb a distance of about fifty feet, making his way in the darkness, his carbide lamp having been extinguished by the force of the explosion. Surprise is expressed at the ability of the man to accomplish the feat considering his physical condition."-- Amador Dispatch, 3/21/1930

Let's stop and think about this for a moment. The fact that Harvey had just survived a terrible blast from an explosion, with several severe wounds and injuries and yet he forced himself to climb up over 50 feet in complete darkness up a mine shaft speaks volumes on his will to live.

Another interesting thing about this story is that instead of being removed to the Jackson Hospital which was just down the road, they moved him all the way to Ione, which was 10 miles away, in order for him to be treated at the hospital at the Preston School of Industry. 

I have written two books on the history of the Preston School of Industry a.k.a. Preston Castle, and the only reason I can imagine they brought him there was because the local doctors in the county would often make their rounds to Preston on certain days of the week, which is possible that the local doctor was at Preston at the time of the accident and they brought Harvey there because of that reason. It is also possible that Preston's hospital had better equipment at that specific the time, in order to treat Harvey for his injuries. Due to the fact there are no documents that say either way, we are only left to speculate as to why he was brought there instead of the original hospital in Jackson.

Claude Smith's remains were brought to Daneri Mortuary where John Daneri performed the autopsy and prepared him for burial. An inquest was held on his death on the evening of Wednesday, March 19, where the verdict was reached that: 

"Claude Smith came to his death on March 16, 1930, by accidentally being blasted, while working in a cross-cut on the 5400 level of the Argonaut mine, near Jackson, California."-

Claude was only 27 years old at the time of his death, on March 16, 1930**.  His remains were brought back to Placer County where his wife lived, and he was buried at the Newcastle Cemetery, in Newcastle. 

(** Although his headstone states his date of death was March 15, and he went to work the nightshift the night of March 15th, it was actually at 2 a.m. on March 16th that his death occurred, and the coroner's inquest report reflects that.) 

Click here to visit his Find-a-Grave Memorial: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/111639898/claude-smith

(C/O Little Orange In the Big Apple; Findagrave)

Because it was believed that the explosion was caused by a defective fuse resulting in Claude's death and Harvey's critical injuries, the Argonaut Mining Company filed a lawsuit against the Coast Manufacturing and Supply Company for $20,821.00 in damages.

According to the Dispatch, the Argonaut Mining Company settled with Claude's widow, for the amount of $5000, and also paid Harvey Jones the same amount for compensation for his injuries, however due to the fact it was determined that Harvey would be incapable of working for the rest of his life, the Argonaut Mining Company was to pay Harvey double, in the amount of $10,000 for additional compensation. 

Sadly, Harvey would never be able to recover enough to live a somewhat normal life, or to have any enjoyment in his newfound retirement paid to him by the mining company. Only two years after such a horrifying accident, Harvey would succumb to illness, passing away on Friday, February 12, 1932 at the Weimar Sanitarium in Weimar, California (near Auburn). 

This facility was originally for the treatment and care of patients with Tuberculosis, and only in 1957 was it opened as a complete medical facility and hospital, so it is the writers belief that Harvey had "miners phthisis" or silicosis, and more than likely succumbed to that that as opposed to the original injuries from the accident.

His remains were brought back to Amador County, where he had many friends within the community. His funeral was held at Daneri Mortuary on Wednesday, February 17, 1932 with Reverand Upton Partridge conducting the services.  He was later buried in Section 5 at the Jackson Public Cemetery in Jackson, but sadly, there is no marker for Mr. Jones. 

Click here to visit his Find-a-Grave Memorial:   https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/160994191/harvey-jones

In ending, may these two men never be forgotten, and may their stories be known to all who seek the history of the Argonaut mine. Although these two men didn't die in the infamous Argonaut Mine Disaster that has become so widely known in history, doesn't mean that their stories are less important to share with you. I roam cemeteries all over the state and I believe everyone of those graves, markers or not, have a story to tell. I have spent the last 17 years doing that, and it brings me such peace and complete joy knowing that those people who have been forgotten for so long are now being remembered. Their names that hadn't been spoken out loud in so many years, are being talked about now. To me, this is how we keep their memories alive. I am a firm believer that we have an obligation to preserve the past, and to remember those who came before us, and with that, I choose to share those stories of the forgotten with you so that they will be forgotten no more.

Thank you for reading!

(Copyright 2023- J'aime Rubio, www.jaimerubiowriter.com) 

Some of my Sources:

Amador Dispatch (3/21/1930; 5/30/1930) Healdsburg Tribune (3/17/1930); Blue Lake Advocate (3/22/1930) Findagrave Photos: (Little Orange In the Big Apple & Steve Jones); Family Search.

Explosion at 3,000 Feet- Accidental Deaths at the Kennedy Mine

Many years ago, I became fascinated with the history of the Kennedy Mine in Jackson, Amador County, California. I had lived up in Amador County off and on for several years throughout my life, and my dad was really big on local history. I remember as a kid, on my way home from school, many times we would drive up and down the highway and stop at every single historic marker and read about what had happened at that certain spot back in time. You could say that these adventures helped interest me more and more in local history as the years went by.

Well, dad was always intrigued by the history of the Argonaut Mine Disaster that happened just across the highway from the Kennedy, and for years he had a framed superimposed photo of the miners and a copy of the Stockton Record together, hanging in our hallway at our house in Pioneer, California. I read that article over and over and also became interested in the mines.

Years later, I thought about how there is not a lot written about the history of the Kennedy Mine just across the highway from the infamous Argonaut, due to it not being thrown into national headlines like the Argonaut mine was back then. That didn't mean that the Kennedy Mine's history was any less tragic or less interesting, for that matter.

I have written a few blogs touching on some of the deaths that have occurred at the mine, as well as a short history of the mine itself. However, I have recently decided to write a book about all of the deaths associated with the Kennedy Mine and so, this is my little introduction to that book. In all there has been a total of 39 deaths at the Kennedy Mine.

Today, I will share with you one of those accidents that took place at the mine which will also be in my upcoming book. As with every story I share, my sole purpose is to give a voice to the voiceless. To remember those forgotten in the great abyss of time. These men, who died so long ago, and under such horrific circumstances, have been forgotten. Their names for decades upon decades left unspoken, but now, will be remembered by sharing their stories with you.

On Monday, November 17, 1913, just before 1 p.m., three people were killed in a horrific accident at the mine. When I first looked into the story, I found an article in the Sacramento Union, dated May 2, 1914, mentioning only two people who had died on that date, Janko Acimovich and Maksim Rupar. But, during my research I uncovered one more death associated with this accident. The third man wasn't mentioned in the article I originally found because, as it turns out, he was the cause of the explosion.

The miners had just come back from their dinner, and were going back to work. They were working at the 3,100 foot level in the mine, about 800 feet west of the main shaft. As two of the miners were cutting timber for a cap, the other two were in a drift, going to fetch powder.  Per the article in the Amador Ledger Dispatch dated November 21, 1913, all four men were within about 20 feet distance from one another. At the time it was believed that Schance or Rupar were responsible for the accident. Later on though, it appeared it was more than likely Schance who accidentally caused the explosion.

When the explosion occurred, B.F. Denton and Janko Acimovich were sawing timber, while Maksim Rupar and George W. Schance were in the process of getting the powder ready to blast.

Kennedy Mine

The publication, "Engineering & Mining, Volume 97," reads as follows:

"Schance intended to blast at 3:30 o'clock, and he was intending to get his primers to take to his place of work in order to save him a trip back to the powder magazine. He worked about 900 or 1000 ft., from the magazine. It was the habit to go to the magazine for powder  caps and fuse before quitting time when it was necessary to have them. Schance had two holes to drill in hard, tight ground, and had to carry his tools back and it would keep him busy. He evidently intended to save time by getting the powder and the fuses on his way. Rupar went to the bench where there were five full boxes and a half box; after the explosion there were four full boxes and  a box with some powder in it. Evidently, Rupar took one of these boxes of powder to take to near where he worked.....Joseph Hicks stated that he and his partner left the station at 12:30, and in going to into the crosscut he saw Schance sitting on the cap and fuse bench. Schance borrowed his knife. He saw Schance getting ready to walk toward the powder magazine. It was almost 12:35 when he gave Schance the knife and the explosion occurred about 3 to 4 minutes after they had passed him. He could not see whether Schance was in the magazine or not, and did not see Rupar there at all. Denton was sawing a timber.  

C.W. Hintmann said that he passed Denton who said he wanted him directly to help put up a cap which he was sawing. He went around the turn and sat down to wait when Hicks and his partner came along and in a second or so the explosion occurred. It took Hintmann's cap off his head and the lights were all out. There was no powder on the timber or timber truck when he talked with Denton. He believed that whoever took the powder out of the magazine had it on his shoulder.

All of the witnesses testified that they believed the explosion was wholly accidental."--

A foreman of the mine, Alex Ross, claimed "that he heard an unusual report while at the 2,700 foot station; that he got off the skip at the 3,100 level when he was met by J.E. Hicks who said Denton and two others had been killed; witness went to the spot and found the smoke very dense, and had a platform knocked out of a near by raise, for the purpose of ventilation; tried to break the airpipe but failed; heard Denton say twice, "What struck us?" felt around and found him and helped carry him to the station; witness was of the opinion that the timber found at the entrance to the drift leading to the powder magazine was cut in two by the explosion of the powder; he also showed the jury by a diagram the position of the four men when found; gave orders to clear up the cross cut; also explained that it was Schance's turn to blast at 3:30 o'clock and in order to save time he  (Schance) went to the magazine to take the powder back to where he was at work in the level, and that he (Schance) was drilling 900 or 1000 feet from the  magazine; witness detailed the position of the powder as it as usually stored and the fuse bench where the fuse and caps were kept and primers made; that there were five and a half boxes in the magazine during the forenoon and after the explosion four full boxes were in there with a few sticks over; the missing box weighed 50 pounds; that the temperature was 67 or 70 degrees, and in his opinion the 12 x 12 timber was cut in two by the exploding powder; that the powder in the magazine was fully 20 to 30 feet from where the timber lay on a truck in the level; he believed the explosion to be a pure accident."

Maksim Rupar's Grave

As the story went on, it explained that the powder would not have exploded by Rupar dropping it, or by the temperature of the mine, so it appeared that a charge went off while priming the clip, and that it accidentally set off the powder.

Sadly, Janko Acimovich was hit so hard, it removed his head and upper part of his shoulders. "The head was entirely gone. From shoulder to shoulder the flesh was ragged and torn and the right leg almost flattened between the body and knee. More properly speaking, the limbs were crushed and flattened instead of broken."

Acimovich was only 22 years old at the time of his death. He was a native of Austria, and was earning $2.50 per day at the mine.

Denton was alive when he was found, though his injuries were so bad, the newspapers claimed that if he survived his injuries he would be blind for life. He was the only one who survived the terrible accident, as the Amador Ledger Dispatch dated February 27, 1914, claims that he was going to San Francisco to see a specialist for the treatment of his eyes.

In 1914, a lawsuit was brought on by Chris Begovich on behalf of Rupar and Acimovich as the "administrator" of their estates against the Kennedy Mine and Milling Company, and judgement was rendered by Judge Wood, allowing for the compensation of $250 for funeral expenses and $500 for damages.

Janko Acimovich's grave

George W. Schance was found with his right arm "torn off" and his right leg crushed. His face was "practically  gone and the left side, torn away."  George's family were originally from El Dorado County, and he was only 23 year years old when he died. He had been earning $3 a day in wages.

Maksim Rupar has lost his left eye, and his right leg was broken. He was only 26 years old and had only just started working at the mine 3 days earlier.  He was also a native of Austria.

Recently, I visited the St. Sava Serbian Cemetery in Jackson, and searched for Janko Acimovich and Makism Rupar's graves. Both men were buried and services held on November 21, 1913. The funeral was delayed due to the fact that Acimovich's brother had to travel from Montana to attend. They are both buried side by side, in the back of the churchyard in the Miner's Graves section of the cemetery.

George W. Schance was buried at the Jackson City Cemetery on November 19, 1913, under the "auspices of the local order of Moose, the interment being in the city cemetery."-

Photo Credit: Steve Jones (Find-a-grave)

I have searched for B.F. Denton's obituary and his grave, and have yet to find either of the two, although we do know that he survived the accident per this article in the Ledger Dispatch, February 27, 1914. If and when I find more information about Denton, I will share it here. 

Amador Ledger-Dispatch, 2/27/1914

In ending, I hope that you enjoyed this deep dive into just one of the many stories I cover in my upcoming book "Down Below: A History of Deaths at the Kennedy Mine," which details each and every one of the tragic the deaths at the Kennedy Mine during its years of operation. This publication will be released sometime in the Summer of 2023.

In ending, please remember, each one of those individuals were young, hard working men who died before they even had a chance to really live. Just the thought of them never having reached any of their goals they might have had in life makes it all the more tragic. So many of them rest at the various cemeteries in Amador County, forgotten and unvisited for so very long. If you decide to visit any of these men's graves please remember their stories and please share it with the world so that they will be forgotten no more.

(Copyright 2022 - J'aime Rubio,  www.jaimerubiowriter.com) 

Photos: 

Photos of Acimovich and Rupar's grave, miner's graves shot, and Kennedy Mine photo, copyright J'aime Rubio

Photo of George Schance's grave, copyright Steve Jones (Find-a-grave)

Sources:

Sacramento Union,  11/18/1913

Sacramento Union, 5/2/1914

Amador Ledger Dispatch, 11/21/1913

San Jose Mercury News, 11/18/1913

Amador Ledger Dispatch, 2/27/1914

Engineering & Mining, Volume 97, published by Western Co., 1914

Bodie Cemetery - A Place Frozen In Time

 

Two weekends ago, my love and I traveled east over the Sierras on a little road trip. We stopped first in Bridgeport (the same place where the Murder of Poker Tom occurred), and then we traveled onward to Bodie State Historic Park. Bodie is a ghost town that has been preserved forever frozen in time.  The stores shelves are still filled with items that were there the last time anyone ever lived there. 

Bodie itself was founded by Waterman S. Bodey, when he discovered gold nearby in 1875. By 1877, the Standard Mining Company had begun mining and before anyone could say "pay dirt" the town of Bodie had arrived. By 1915, the town had dwindled in population, and that is when it was first referred to has a "ghost town." There were still people living here well into the 1930's and 40's but very few. The last resident of Bodie, the caretaker Cecil Birks died in 1961.

The buildings were left in a state of what they call "arrested decay." The town itself, well, what is left of it, after time, the elements and even some fires got to it, is what you see today.

There are three cemeteries in Bodie but they are all adjacent to one another.  Many of the graves are unmarked so it is hard to tell exactly how many people are buried there. Some of those who died by horrible accidents are buried here. I am going to share with you just a couple of those stories today. 

Charles Benson and George Watson

I could find no trace of their graves while there. So I have to assume theirs is either unmarked or one of the many wooden markers with no name on it. Charles Benson, George Watson and another man named Snibley,  were killed in a fatal gun powder explosion in the tunnel of the Great Sierra Mining Company, on October 2, 1883. Snibley's family had his remains shipped to San Mateo for burial, while Benson and Watson were buried in the cemetery here. 

 Anthony Thumann

One grave that actually was there, and I missed it (which drives me crazy!) was the small obelisk of Anthony Thumann (the newspapers called him Thurman). His death was also mine related, when he fell down the pump shaft of the Standard Mine on November 14, 1883.

David McKinney

McKinney was crushed to death by a falling casting that was being moved from the freight wagon. It crushed his upper body and head. Sadly, the newspapers reported that it took seven minutes for him to pass. Again, like Watson and Benson, I could find no trace of McKinney's grave. 

There were many other accidents, I am sure, but those were just a few of those I found that are recorded to be buried within the cemeteries boundaries. Last but not least it the little girl who has become infamously known as the Angel of Bodie, Evelyn Myers.

(Photo: Roland Boulware)

Evelyn Myers

The Angel of Bodie, as the April 16, 1897 edition of the Daily Appeal (Carson City) called her, was killed accidentally on April 5, 1897, when she leaned over the railing of the porch of her home, when a hired worker, an Indian man, was using a pickaxe to cut a drainage ditch around the house to make way for the melting ice. During the hired man's back swing, his axe hit the crown of little Evelyn's head. She lived for two hours, until the bleeding stopped and she perished. 

People have flocked to Evelyn's grave for many years, and the fact that she has such a beautiful marker probably draws even more attention to her story. In fact, Evelyn's headstone is probably one of the prettiest, if not the prettiest in all of Bodie. Don't forget to stop by and pay your respects to those forgotten in time at the cemetery, if you ever make the trek to Bodie. 

(Copyright 2021 - J'aime Rubio. www.jaimerubiowriter.com) 

Photos by: J'aime Rubio  & Roland Boulware

Roseville rail yard explosion revisited

By: J'aime Rubio 

It was the morning of April 28, 1973, when Phoebe Astill was violently awakened from her sleep, having been thrown literally out of bed by a terrible concussion that rocked her house.

"At first I thought it was a plane that had crashed,”  the lifelong Roseville resident remembered. “I thought it may have been one of the planes headed for McClellan, but it turned out that wasn’t it.”

In fact, that explosion would be the first of many that would wreak havoc on the Southern Pacific Rail Yard and adjoining areas for the next 32 hours, and leave a terrifying mark on their memories that would last a lifetime. “It was a hot wheel that caused it,”  explained Locomotive Engineer David Epling, who is familiar with the historic catastrophe. “As the train made its way down the pass the wheel overheated, building friction.”

The wheel overheating led to sparks and initially set the oak floors of the railcar on fire. Once one those first flames started, they led to the additional cars catching ablaze. That is when the 7,000 MK-81 bombs that the Naval Ammunition train was transporting en route to the port in Concord, and headed for Vietnam, became dangerously hot and started the chain reaction explosions. “These were thousands of 250 lb. bombs, very destructive,” Epling added. 

The bombs were armed with 90 lbs. of explosive, and were said to be lacking the two fuses necessary to detonate. However, they did ignite — in a massive disaster that destroyed the rail yard, leaving it riddled with craters. The explosions started out sporadically but then became more frequent and powerful. The more significant blasts shot debris hundreds of feet into the air and lasted for nearly five hours. 

Throughout the day, thousands of explosions continued to rock the area, some large, some small — all very destructive. A number of train and rail yard workers were thrown in upwards of 100 feet or more.  Confusion and panic began to set in. People were hurrying to find cover. Others were wondering if it really was an accident. 

The State Capitol building, nearly 17 miles away, was not immune to the sounds of the blasts either. Worrying of the possible damage and danger to visitors, the State Police Captain gave orders to close the Capitol for their weekend tours. Countless buildings, homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed from Roseville to Citrus Heights. The community of Antelope was completely leveled as well as the Citrus Heights Firehouse. There were fences blown down from the blasts, fiery shrapnel flying and landing everywhere as well as other heavy debris scattered for miles. The blasts blew out nearly every plate glass window along downtown Roseville streets. 

Hundreds of people were injured though no one died. When asked about some of the things she remembered that day, Astill recalled, “I remember the explosions were so powerful that my mother’s ‘57 Chevy Station Wagon was lifted from one lane into the next, on the road heading back to Roseville.” Astill also remembered that — out of all the injuries — the one that just with her was a young girl who had lost an eye.

“It was a miracle that no one died,” the museum curator said. 

When the smoke cleared and the skies returned to its powder blue color, there were many questions left unanswered. After this accident, it became a requirement that all railcar wheels have non-sparking brake shoes and spark shields installed. The circumstances surrounding the magnitude of the event also led to Congress passing the Transportation Safety Act, which implemented numerous regulations and safety protocol from various agencies into one publication, specifically placing responsibility and accountability on all parties involved in transporting hazardous materials.

Many years later, after Union Pacific took over the rail yard, more bombs were unearthed from the ground during their remodeling project. One of the remaining bombs that had not exploded in the disaster is now on display in the city’s Carnegie Museum, by way of the Roseville Historical Society’s exhibit, “Roseville, A War Zone.” The exhibit will remain on display until the end of May (2014) and features newspaper accounts, photos and other memorabilia from the disaster.

(Originally published on May 29, 2014 in the Roseville Press Tribune, written by J'aime Rubio. Photo: Archival Photo)

Publisher/Editor's Notes: This is one of a series of articles that I wrote for the Roseville Press-Tribune/Placer Herald several years back when I used to write the historical articles for them.  According to my old editor, since I wrote the content I can repost the articles. I have also obtained permission by Gold Country Media a few years back to republish my stories, too. 

Historic Rocklin death a puzzle for early pathologists

Photo Credit: William Tatum 

There was a chill in the air on a cold December day in 1891 when a coworker of Albert Bertelsen came calling at his home two miles east of Rocklin. Bertelsen’s friend knocked and, after no response, entered inside to stumble upon a corpse sprawled across the floor.

Bertelsen had lived on a ranch near the Lee Drift Mine. According to the Sacramento Daily Union newspaper, clues around his homestead suggested that he might have been attacked outside. His wounds appeared to have been caused by buck shot from a gun hitting his face, chest and the side of his body. The marks on the ground also led the authorities to wonder if he had then been dragged into his home.

The citizens of Rocklin wanted to know who could have done this? And why? Newspapers all around Placer and Sacramento counties ran with the story, detailing the condition of Bertelsen’s body and creating a community mystery around the question of foul play.

A native of Denmark, Bertelsen was born in 1850. He immigrated to the United States in the late 1860s. A decade later, he was living in Lincoln and working on a farm. State records show that on Feb. 21, 1872 he filed an official “Declaration of Intention” to become a U.S. citizen. Bertelsen soon married Jane Gray of Coloma. The two remained together for nearly 14 years until tragedy struck and Jane passed away. 

Photo Credit: Little Orange in the Big Apple

The cause of her death is not recorded, though documents confirm she was brought to the Siebenthaler Home for funeral services at 20^th Street in Sacramento, and was later taken to the Masonic Cemetery for burial. Bertelsen worked managing the Lee Mine at the time. Just weeks before his own death, Bertelsen quit his longstanding position and went to work at the local quarry. It was his failure to show up to this particular job that prompted his friend to come over and make the grisly discovery.

Questions continued to swirl around the topic of whether Bertelsen was murdered. After investigating, the coroner shocked many in the community by ruling the death “accidental.”  Archives from the Placer County Herald newspaper shed light on what apparently took place that cold December day. It seems that around the one-year anniversary of Jane’s death, Bertelsen decided to start removing the tree stumps from his property by blowing them up.

The coroner ascertained that he was using blasting powder while working in the field, and somehow ignited an explosion prematurely. Bertelsen was hit by the force of the blast. Not dying immediately, he dragged himself back to his house. Closer examination of his body proved that it was gravel and dirt debris that was embedded deep in his skin rather than buck shot. The fact that it took several days before his body was found, and its state of decomposition, suggests Bertelsen might have been killed on the one-year anniversary of his beloved wife’s death. His longtime friend Phillip Siebenthaler traveled to Rocklin to recover his body and bring it back to Sacramento to be buried next to Jane at the Masonic Cemetery. Unfortunately, Bertelsen doesn’t have a marker or headstone, but grave maps show he is next to his wife in Section H, Block 60.

In the end, what was originally believed to be a murder turned out to be a terrible accident; but if Bertelsen did actually die on the anniversary of his wife’s passing, some may wonder if it was entirely a coincidence. Could the ranch manager have been so caught up in his emotions that day he made a careless mistake? The only thing that is known for sure is that he and his wife were reunited once and for all at their final resting place.

Photo Credit: Lin McNamara

(Originally published on August 7, 2015 in the Placer Herald)

Publisher/Editor's Notes: This is one of a series of articles that I wrote for the Roseville Press-Tribune/Placer Herald several years back when I used to write the historical articles for them.  According to my old editor, since I wrote the content I can repost the articles. I have also obtained permission by Gold Country Media a few years back to republish my stories, too. 

Photo credits to: Lin McNamara (Findagrave), Little Orange in the Big Apple (Findagrave) and William Tatum (Findagrave). 

Extra Sources:

Sac Daily Union—December 9, 1891

Sac Daily Union- December 8, 1891

Deaths At The Kennedy Mine

Kennedy Mine, Jackson, California

Last year, I wrote a brief history of both the Argonaut and Kennedy Mines located in the historic gold country town of Jackson, California. I have lived in Amador County at different times in my childhood and teenage years, and even during my adulthood.  I have always been passionate about local history and Amador County is has plenty of history just waiting to be told.

A lot has been written about the Argonaut Mine, especially due to the Argonaut Mine Disaster of 1922.

To learn about each of the miners who are buried at the Jackson City Cemetery please check out the video below: 

Back to the Kennedy Mine

Because the Kennedy Mine did not gain a lot of publicity for any large mining disaster like the Argonaut did, most of the history written about it is brief. No one had ever written about the various deaths that took place there, besides the newspapers mentioning these events at the time they occurred, until I wrote a blog about it last year.

Even though there have been many deaths at the Kennedy, the only mention of some of these fallen miners are scattered between the pages of archived newspapers just waiting to be retold. I wanted to share with you some of the details of the deaths that I have uncovered over time, like I mentioned in my last blog, but this time with copies of those newspaper clippings so you can read the headlines for yourself. As my research allows I will continually update this blog with more names, newspaper clippings and photos of grave sites for these forgotten souls. So far I have uncovered 43 deaths and counting.

 UPDATE: my latest book titled, "Down Below: A History of Deaths at the Kennedy Mine," is now available on Amazon.

(Note: click on each photo to enlarge)

David De Ricci 

On March 15, 1902, miner David De Ricci made a misstep, falling backward down into the east shaft 2,600 feet. “In his descent, his arms, legs, the back portion of his head and every vestige of clothes were torn from his body.”—

Los Angeles Herald, 3/16/1902

Francisco Giovannoni 

May 26, 1902 -- "A miner named Francisco Giovanoni [SIC] lost his life at the Kennedy Mine shortly after midnight on the night of May 26. The fatality was purely accidental. It occurred at the 2300 foot level of the north shaft. There were from fifteen to twenty men around there at the time. A plank 18 inches wide was in position for the men to walk to and from the shaft, and below this was a chasm thirty feet deep, made by the excavation of ore. Deceased was in the act of carrying the lunch bucket to the station when he was seen to make the fatal step off the planking, and fell to the bottom of the chute.”—Amador Ledger, May 30, 1902.

Amador Ledger, 5/30/1902

Walter Williams

June 12, 1902 - 30 year old Walter Williams was instantly killed when about 200 feet from the top of the shaft, his body came in contact with a shaft timber. He was caught on it and dragged out of the skip. His head and body were crushed between the skip and timbers. His companions C. Parker and B. Allison could not explain how the accident happened because the shaft was so dark. Williams had only worked at the mine three weeks and was new to the area. No one knew where he came from and he had no family to contact. All that was known was that he was a member of the Knights of the Pythias and was living with Henry Osborne at Kennedy Flat.

Amador Ledger, 6/13/1902

Edward Hallam

March 6, 1905 – Edward Hallam was killed at the Kennedy Mine today. He was descending a shaft from the 2400 foot level when a skip came down in another compartment. It is believed he got scared and let go his hold. He fell, breaking his neck.” – Los Angeles Herald, March 7, 1905

Los Angeles Herald, 3/7/1905

Luigi Reviera

December 7, 1909, Italian immigrant Luigi Reviera was crushed to death by several tons of rock falling on him while working at the 3,150 level of the mine with Fred Hicks. Engaged in placing a butt cap in the hanging wall above the tunnel timbers, the rocks gave way and a huge slab came down on him, killing him instantly.

Amador Ledger, 12/10/1909

James Baldwin

On February 27, 1911, James Baldwin was crushed to death while working at the 3400 level of the mine.  Baldwin and his co-workers were told to be careful working in the area that had been blasted earlier. While cleaning out the loose dirt a large mass of rock fell from above, crushing him.  Baldwin’s helper claimed he could hear Baldwin hollering that he was stuck, but given the massive amount of rock and dirt that covered him, the coroner felt death was almost instantaneous.

Amador Ledger, 3/3/1911

Janko Acimovich & Maksim Rupar

November 17, 1913 – Miners, Maksim Rupar and Janko Acimovich died from a premature explosion while in the mine shaft.  Janko Acimovich is buried at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Cemetery in Jackson.  To read more about this story please click on the link to the story here:  Explosion at 3000 ft.- Accidental Deaths at the Kennedy Mine

Sacramento Union, 5/2/1914

Mike Vijovich

Mike Vijovich died in 1916, after falling 300 feet down a shaft. After straightening a mine can that had fallen on its side, he lost his footing and slipped. 

Sac Union, 6/14/1916

William Harvey & A. Targo

On December 20, 1915, the timber boss William Harvey and A Targo both met their death when they fell down the main shaft of the mine, a total of 3,900 feet.  According to the newspaper accounts, Harvey had been working in compartment 37 since 8 o’clock in the morning. As he was descending a ladder at the entrance of the shaft he became dizzy and slipped, falling. As his body was going down the shaft, just below was A. Targo, who was standing on the edge of the shaft. Harvey’s body smacked Targo’s knocking him off the edge and down the shaft with Harvey. Both died and their bodies were “badly mangled.”

Press Democrat, 12/21/1915

Peter Garcia, Liberto Mendez and Sam Martinez

On February 13, 1932, after setting up over 46 holes with dynamite (with too short of fuse) and not allowing themselves ample time to light the fuses and leave the area to safety, four men went on to spit the fuse, and by the time they lit the last fuse, the first one went off setting into motion an horrific explosion and ultimately killing three of them. Two were buried by the explosion, Garcia and Martinez dying immediately. Mendes was rescued along with the fourth miner, Felix Achavan, who were both taken to the hospital at the Preston School of Industry, but Mendez later died of his injuries. Achavan was the lone survivor of that terrible accident. 

Colusa Herald,  2/13/1932

(Copyright 2017 & 2018- J'aime Rubio, www.jaimerubiowriter.com  )

Sources: 
Los Angeles Herald, March 16, 1902

Amador Ledger, May 30, 1902

Amador Ledger, June 13, 1902

Los Angeles Herald, March 7, 1905

Amador Ledger, December 10, 1909

Amador Ledger, March 3, 1911

Sacramento Union, May 2, 1914

Press Democrat, December 21, 1915

Sacramento Union, June 14, 1916