Tragedy at the Vale of Coolgardie

COOLGARDIE COLLAPSE.

THE VALE FATALITIES. INQUEST OPENED. BURIAL OF VICTIMS.  –    Evening Star 10 Jan 1906
(From Our Special Correspondent).

Bonnievale and Coolgardie are grief stricken, the most hard-hearted individual once more having forced home to him , with awful suddenness the truth of the Biblical warning, ” In the midst of life we are in death.” Poor “Jacky”‘ Hansen !” No longer will he, the idol of the supporters of football in the old camp, gladden their hearts with desperate and brilliant rushes on the field of battle, nor will the cheery voice of “Jack” Milroy, and the kindly and sound advice ” to keep in the narrow path” of Fred Christensen be heard. They have been snatched away, with the exception of Christensen, in the prime of life. The townspeople mourn their loss. The immediate cause of the fall of stone which sent the three mates to the Great Beyond has been much discussed, but little light has been thrown on the subject, and in all probability it will never be known what actually transpired. Beaver, who had such a providential escape, being away in search of tools when the fall occurred, is greatly distressed and can give no information. It. was generally known that the place where the unfortunate men were working – the 170ft. level—was treacherous, and on this account more than ordinary vigilance was exercised. Still pieces were put in to hold up the other timber and dirt.

The opinion is expressed that a huge piece of stone came away from the hanging wall and knocking away the stilts and caused the other timbers to collapse and let down on the poor miners heads a tremendous quantity of earth and rock. From the very outset the chances of rescuing the men alive were remote, but when Milroy, terribly mangled— his legs were smashed in several places, his left arm was broken, the bones protruding, and his head fearfully cut—was dragged from a heap of earth and stone and asked in a faint voice for,a drink  the hopes of the rescuers were raised, and they redoubled their efforts to reach the spot which would, give up to them Milroy’s mates. Milroy, however, did not survive long; it was indeed marvelous that  a man so frightfully injured was recovered alive. The work of rescue was executed with the utmost vigor. But it was not until half past four—six hours after the accident—that the rescuers came upon the body of Hansen. A casual glance was only needed to tell that life had long since left him His limbs were rigid and both legs were doubled up. However, he was in no way battered about, and except for the dirt of the mine which adhered to his brow he seemed to taking a peaceful sleep.

Photo by Norman Jorgensen.

The body was mournfully carried away and placed alongside that of Milroy’s, and the search for Christensen was renewed. Several tons of debris were removed before his inanimate form was revealed to the gaze of the rescue party. It was a sad sight. Battered and torn it was plainly evident that the poor fellow had been killed outright. The bodies of the victims were taken to the surface between five and six o’clock, and the police cart conveyed Hansen and Milroy, still clad in their working clothes and wrapped in rugs, to Coolgardie. A private buggy bore the other victim, and at six o’clock the spectacle of three miners, suddenly deprived of their lives, being carried off to the morgue was a particularly sad one.

Bonnievale 1907

Constable Fleming was in charge of the conveyances, and at 7.30 last evening Coolgardie was reached. As they passed along Hunt street to the Government Hospital, those in the vicinity knew too well the meaning of the mission. Mrs Christensen pleaded hard to be allowed to take the body of her late husband home, but her request could not be acceded to. All three men. were well known. Mr. Christensen had been a resident of Bonnievale for eight years, and had been in Western Australia for 19 years, a portion of which time was spent in Kimberley and the North-west. He was a Norwegian, and his wife has only been in the State a few years. She is consequently unable to speak English very well, and has no relatives in Australia. J. K. Hansen Jorgensen had been a resident of Bonnievale for 11 years, and there was probably not a man in that mining district better known and respected than “Jacky”

Grave of John Milroy, Coolgardie Cemetery

Hansen. Up to the time of his sad death he had been secretary of the Bonnievale Mechanics Institute, and was always prominent in anything that had a tendency to advance the interests of Bonnievale. John Milroy had been a resident of Bonnievale for four years. The fourth member of the party yesterday (W. Beaver) is a brother-in-law to Milroy. The unfortunate women who were so suddenly bereft, have hardly yet realised the true state of affairs. Mrs. Hansen said last evening that she could not realise that her husband was killed until she had seen his body. An inquest was formally opened before Mr. A. P. Wymond, acting Coroner, and a jury consisting of Messrs, C. Dedman, C. Gatley, and J. Lapman this morning. After viewing the bodies and having them identified proceedings were adjourned until the Inspector of Mines (Mr Crabb) will have returned The funeral took place at 4 o’clock this afternoon, the three bodies being taken to the cemetery at the one time.  There were difficulties connection with the carrying out of the funeral. Hanson being a Wesleyan, Milroy a Presbyterian, while Christensen belonged to another denomination. However, it was overcome by holding a combined service at the cemetery.

Vale of Coolgardie Share Certificate. for Michael Ephrussi, Paris