Worst disaster in metal mining history claimed Mayo man's life

TOMORROW (Friday), June 9, marks the centenary of the tragic death of Claremorris native Michael Conroy in the granite mountain speculation mine disaster in Butte, Montana, USA.

Michael, who was born in Murneen South, Barnacarroll, undertook, along with Louth man Peter Sheridan, a heroic act in attempting to rescue fellow miners who were trapped deep into the expansive copper mine of the north Butte mining company.

Station tenders Michael and Peter, in their vain effort, were burned to death from the backdraft of a blazing fire below them as they were lowered on a double-deck cage. The flames overtook the cage.

They had gone down the shaft in response to signals and calls for help from isolated workmates. They no doubt knew that the direction of the airflow might reverse, but fearlessly and courageously aimed to get the stranded men out of danger before this occurred.

The intensity of the fire killed the two men before they could be hoisted out of the way of the flames.

Michael was awarded a gold medal and a diploma for his ultimate sacrifice. A memorial was erected in his honour near the fateful site.

In his late teens, Michael left home to work in the mines of Pennsylvania before going to Butte, Montana.

His wife Catherine (Kate), nee Toolan, also a native of Barnacarroll parish, had been living in Mace with her three children three years before Michael’s tragic death at the age of 36.

Her fourth child was born some months after her arrival in Ireland. She wanted to return to Butte but Michael prevented her from travelling, concerned about the movements of submarines on the Atlantic Ocean during World War I, which was ongoing at the time.

Catherine returned to the USA six months after his death to settle his estate and collect her benefits from the mining company. She stayed with her two brothers, James and Michael Toolan, in Butte.

To mark the centenary of the tragic deaths of these Irish-American heroes, Michael Conroy and Pete Sheridan, relatives of Michael from the Claremorris area, are arranging a special commemorative Mass in Barnacarroll Church on Friday, June 9 at 7.30 p.m., preceded by the unveiling of a replica of the memorial stone as erected in Michael’s memory in Butte, Montana.

In addition, students at two local primary schools have undertaken projects on the north Butte mining disaster of 1917.

With a total of 168 fatalities, it is still deemed as the worst hard-rock disaster in mining history.

 

 

ACCIDENT ACCOUNT

The following narrative was an account of the incident at the time.

‘On the evening of June 8, 1917, 410 men were lowered into the Granite Mountain shaft to begin another backbreaking night shift. Earlier in the day, a crew had begun the process of lowering a three-ton electric cable down the shaft to complete work on a sprinkler system designed to protect against fire.

‘At 8 p.m. the cable slipped from its clamps, and fell into a tangled coil below the 2,400-foot level. As it fell, the lead covering was torn away, exposing a large portion of oiled paraffin paper, which was used to insulate the cable.

‘At 11.30 p.m. that night, four men went down to examine the cable. One of the men accidentally touched his handheld carbide lamp to the cable insulation, which immediately ignited the oily paper. The flame then spread to the shaft timbers, quickly filling the Granite Mountain and Speculator shafts with thick, toxic smoke.

“In the confusion that ensued, just over half of the men working the depths of the Granite Mountain shaft were able to find an escape to the surface.

‘One group of 29 men built a bulkhead to isolate themselves from the smoke and gas for 38 hours before making their way to safety.

‘At 2,254-ft. level, another group of eight men were found behind a makeshift bulkhead over 50 hours from the start of the fire. Two of these men died shortly before their rescue, but the other six were recovered safely.

‘Though the intensity of the fire cannot be disputed, only two men were actually burned to death in a rescue attempt at the onset of the blaze (Michael Conroy and Peter Sheridan).

‘The rest were simply trapped and overcome by the noxious, suffocating fumes. By the close of the rescue operation on June 16, 1917, eight days after the fire had begun, the death toll had reached its final tally of 168 men.’

While the Granite Mountain/Speculator Mine Fire was the worst disaster in metal mining history, the rescue mission was a remarkable accomplishment. Rescue crews succeeded in searching over 30 miles of drifts and crosscuts, and at least 15 miles of stopes, raises and manways.

Townspeople turned out in droves to help in whatever way possible. This was done in just over seven days, in an environment saturated with carbon monoxide and dense, tar-laden smoke. Some 155 bodies were recovered and removed, all without the loss of a single rescue worker.

  

For information, contact Antoinette Keane on (087) 9290835 or Jarlath Sweeney on (087) 2439239.