William W. Smith, 26, mine foreman, helped to save John Wechselberger, 22, cage tender, from suffocation, Bonanza, Colorado, August 14, 1923. (See case of SAMUEL M. FOWLER.) Smith was the first man to enter the ore chute to aid Fowler in freeing Wechselberger. He stood a short distance above Fowler with a short plank to keep lumps of ore from sliding down while Fowler shoveled the ore away from Wechselberger, and later he shoveled the ore while another man held the plank. Smith was in the chute almost two hours with Wechselberger and was left in 35 minutes longer, having been overlooked while Wechselberger was being removed from the mine. He was taken out on a rope, and, just as he reached the top, four tons of ore slid from the top to the bottom. 23750-2042
23750 – 2042
23750-2042