Quick Facts
Quick facts and quotes from C.A. Herbert, Report of Mine Explosion:
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Only one of the 122 men reporting for work that morning escaped alive.
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A prior explosion on the 18th of June, 1912, at 9:30p.m., killed 12 men and severely injured one other man.
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1912 report: One man, whose name is George Pappas, a rock man, who was working on the slope near the first entry, was take out alive. (George Pappas died in the 1917 explosion.)
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On the morning of the explosion it was snowing hard…The explosion occurred at about 9:30 a.m., some two hours after the day shift started.
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The fire bosses came on shift three hours before the day shift started. Fire boss Millard came on duty at 3:00 a.m. and examined the south side and reported his territory free from gas.
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It was first thought that a 17-A Jeffery breast machine sparked causing an explosion, but the investigation proved that the machine was not working and disconnected.
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“Investigation proved almost without question that David Reese, the company’s safety inspector, was the person responsible for the explosion." “He had disassembled his safety lamp supposedly with the intention of re-lighting it. 22 matches were found in his pockets – an absolute violation of the law.”
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“In spite of the great violence and extent of the explosion, not a sound was heard outside”
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“There was also plenty of evidence of violence in the rooms, some of the bodies having been thrown up against the face, with their arms and legs broken and twisted.”
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“On the main entry parting outby* the 6th South the cars were jammed together in such a way as to practically close the entry. The bodies found along this part of the entry were badly mutilated, indicating the terrific violence.”
Please read C. A. Herbert's report for a detailed report of the explostion.
Glossary of Mining Terms
from the Kentucky Coal and Energy Education Project
*Outby; outbye - Nearer to the shaft, and hence farther from the working face. Toward the mine entrance. The opposite of inby.
FAQ's
Workman's Compensation Act:
On Sept 7, 1916 President Wilson signed the Federal Workman's Compensation Act but it took six month for form a commission and it wasn't until March 14, 1917 did they first meet. Thus, 1917 was the first year of the Commission's report. (Nordlund, Willis J. The Federal Employees' Compensation Act. 1st ed. Washington D.C.: Monthly Labor Review, 1991. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.).
They only allowed $2500 maximum compensation and reduced that based on dependency and even less if they dependents were living in another country. They also would not recognize illegitimate children as dependents. "Further, that the term "minor child," as used in the "Workmen's Compensation Act, does not include illegitimate children" (1st Report, p 27) - Severino Diaz claim.
Another question the commission had to answer is if they should deduct the funeral cost before or after deducting for non-resident dependents. Funeral expense. Question: Whether funeral expense shall be deducted from the compensation before the same is reduced to one-third or after it has been reduced to one-third. Held: Under the 1917 Act the funeral expense shall be deducted from compensation after the same has been reduced to one-third. This award ordered to supplement Referee's award of March 22, 1922, April 12, 1922. Commission award (6th report, p 99) - John Metaxas claim.
Past and Present
Victor-American Fuel Company personnel:
John Barlett, President
William Murray, Chairman of the Board of Directors
David Griffiths, District Superintendent
James Cameron, Local Superintendent
...if no more bodies are recovered from the Hastings Mine prior to April 15th, 1919, the Commission finds that further efforts toward the recovery and burial of such bodies are not desirable or required, and that the amount of burial and funeral expenses which would have been paid hereunder up to that date shall be pro-rated share and share alike among the 16 cases. July 9th, 1918 (2nd Report, p 75).
Nine bodies found in Hastings No. 2, Mine were impossible to identify Seven others remain in the mine which it will be impossible to identify, February 28, 1923 (7th report, p 75).
By these statements, seven miners remains were not recovered and are still in the mine today.
Were there any bodies left in the mine?
What is a Check?
A check is usually a brass tag with a number on it and is used to identify a miner. There are many different way Mines used Checks (aka: pit checks, lamp checks, tokens, tickets, etc). One way is that there are two check with the same number. Miners carry one identification check into the mine and one stays on the surface with the miners name attached to it. The miner is supposed to carry the check on their person, however miners were known to carry them in their lunch pails and coats which the miner could be separated from. This is probably why so many miners were not able to be identified.
When the April 27th explosion happened at the Hasting Mine and killed 121 miners, the first thought was sabotage. President Wilson tried to keep the United States neutral in the European war but on April 6, 1917, the United States congress declared war upon the German Empire. Althought the Hasting Mine Explosion was found to be caused by an open safety lamp probably trying to be relit, Germany did commit acts of sabotage on American soil. According to Steven H. Jaffe in his book, “New York at War: Four Centuries of Combat, Fear, and intrigue in Gotham,” a German American chemist supplied deadly glanders and anthrax germs that was injected into draft animals destined for the Allied armies. And in the spring of 1915 the cargo holds of ships bound from New York to England, France, and Russia began unaccountably to burst into flames. It was found that a chemist, working for a German, was making pipe incendiary that were smuggled onto ships and started fires in the cargo holds.
The Black Tom Island explosion on July 20, 1916 which rocked New York City and damaged the Statue of Liberty, was deemed by President Wilson, “a regrettable incident at a private railroad terminal.” It was believed that he was trying to keep the United States neutral in the war. Tons of munitions were stored at this facility before being shipped to the allies overseas and the explosion caused over $20 million in damages. Not until after the war, Jaffe explains, did investigators uncover that saboteurs snuck into the depot and set off detonators. Reparations of $50 million was not fully repaid until 1979. It is unclear the total number of fatalities, which ranges from three to five people and injured many (Karnoutsos).
Side note: U.S. citizens were killed in WWII on U.S. mainland by Japanese bomb. A pregnant American woman and five children killed in the only enemy-inflicted casualties on the U.S. mainland in the whole of World War II.
Refferences
Jaffe, Steven H. New York At War: Four Centuries of Combat, Fear, and Intrigue in Gotham. New York: Basic Books, 2012. Print.
Karnoutsos, Carmela. "Jersey City Past and Present." Black Tom Explosion. New Jersey City University, 2007. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.
Sabotage?
For more information on checks, visit, National Mining Memorabilia Association
Front
Back
Miners by Nationality:
35 Greek
33 Austrian
14 American
13 Mexican
13 Italian
7 Colored
3 Polish
2 Welsh
1 Spaniard
1 Servian
By the Numbers*:
Children:
152 Children, mostly minors
4 Children born posthumously
156 Total children left fatherless
Miner with the most documented children: Frank Mauro with 8 children
Most of the children on record were minors; few were counted or mentioned if over 18 years old.
Burial?
56 Known burials
9 Not able to Identify
7 Remains not recovered
50 Unknown location of burial
Age of Miners:
Youngest:
16 years old - Felipe Herraram
16 years old - Joe Leyva
Oldest:
58 years old - Joe Torchio
Average Age - 32 years old
*includes rescue worker, Walter Kerr
Trinidad Catholic Cemetery
1917 Las Animas County Officers
Robert R. Ross, Judge of the County Court.
Walter L. Campbell, Clerk of the County Court.
J. J. Marty, Sheriff.
J. S. Abeyta, Jr., Clerk and Recorder.
W. L. Wills, Treasurer.
J. D. Harper, Assessor.
J. T. Bradley, Coroner.
Bowdry Floyd, Clerk of the District Court.
Devner Post, April 29, 1917, p 2
Where are the miners buried?
When looking at this picture overlooking the Hastings camp, it seems like your ordinary mining camp. Zooming in on the side of Chas. Niccoli Saloon, I was very surprised to find a swastika. With the outbreak of World War I, could a Nazi sympathizer committed sabotage? Well, the answer is no. The swastika had been a sign of good fortune and well-being traditionally and according to the Holocaust Teacher Resource Center, Adolph Hitler did not adopt the symbol to represent the Nazi Party until 1920, well after the 1917 mine explosion.
L. C. McClure collection 1890-1935.
Swastika
Where are the miners buried?
Trinidad Catholic Cemetery
Steve Antonucci
Edward H. Atwood
Jesus Cardness
Vincenzo Circo
Mark Cortessi
Mike Check
Tony DeKalva
Frank Dolan
Isadore Dorados
Antonio Vancich
Sam Fibras
A. F. Felix
Libor Gerdelka
Frank Gerl
Tony Glavich
Felipe Herrera
John Klovas
Frank Korich
Joe Kosich
John Kresovich
Martin Kresovich
Tony Kresovich
Jose Leyra
George Markus
Frank Mauro
Bruno Nicolucci
Charles Nicolucci
John Novara
Mike Obradorsk
Serfano Odorizzi
Valentine Palvick
Anthon Polesick
John Flack (Slock)
Antonio Spaneda
Matt Stimac
Andy Takovich
Joe Tator
Jack Tomesick
Ivan Turkovich
Jose Valdez
Matt Valenick
Paul Vinzcinco
Frank Vurnick
Ludwig Yedenack
Tony Zatkovich
Frank Zurnada
Jack Zele
1 Unknown
Masonic Cemetery
Joe Banner
Aaron T. Brown
George F. Brown
William Short
Walter Kerr (Rescuer)
Roselawn Cemetery
James Lockhart
Frank Papes
Fairmount Cemetery
Eugene O. Pratt
Union Highland Cemetery
David Reese
Pictures of the records from Trinidad Catholic Cemetery
Not able to identify or body not recovered
Jim Anusus
Marcellino Barberoaka: King. Barber/Harbero
Harris Batzakas (Haris Basakas)
Pietro Bertolina
Frank Churich (CHURCICH Churichm)
R.L.Davis
John Diakis (Hadzidakis)
John Kopelas
Anton Marincich
Pete Nenich (Nedadich, Menadich)
Theros Pappas (Theodore Barbayianis)
Mari Simonelli
George Skrakes (Krokas)
Joe Torchio (George, Gregorio)
Theros Vihos (Theres Vinos)
Dave Williams (D.E. Williams)
Unknown burial
Steve Badel
George Capaco
Tom Conkas (Caukas)
Joe Corretich
Jim Costas (Kostas)
Gus Cristulakis
Alex Dely
Pedro Diaz
Saveriano Diaz
Frientafolas Fleitis
Gonzalas Fores (Mores)
Joe Hernandez (Hernandes)
James Howard
Jesse Johnson
Mike Jonas
Jeff Jones
John Junos (John Jimas, Tzanon)
John Katres
Sam Kikas (Kikos)
Tom Konugres
Mike Kumelis
James Legas
Pedro Lopez
Tom Manville
Salvatore Mariana (Marionni)
Unknown burial, continue
Miguel Mayorga
William Meredith
George Meridakis
George Metaxas
James Metaxas
John Metaxas
H.J. Millard
Arthur Mitchell
B.B. Myers
Arthur Pappas (Athan)
George Pappas
John Pappas (Papathanasion)
Apiros Pappaulis (Spires)
Dimitrius H. Pappoulias
Keriakas Pietrakas
Steve Rokich
Mike Skaulas (Skaulos, Schoulos)
Archie Smith
Chales E. Smith
Joe Smalick
Anton Steros
Steve Tsouhlarakis (Stuhlas)
Ben Valdez
Alejandro P. Vlexander
Tom Vlahos (Valahos)