John Hightower

July 19, 1901. John Hightower, occupied as a "lander," moving cars on and off the cage at the surface landing at the Catherine Mine, was killed by a blast. The deceased is to blame altogether in this case.  Shots were to be fired on the north side of the shaft, and the men had retired to the south side after lighting the fuse.  All men of the shift who had any occasion to be underground were there, hence there was no special guard placed at the shaft, nor would have it have been possible to station a man directly at the shaft, as blast reached that point.  While waiting on the south side of shaft for the shots to explode.  Hightower came down the shaft for water.  His instructions were, that when he needed water to send his pail down.  Some of the men heard the cage descend, but supposing that it was an empty car-one due at that time-knowing there was no one above who had any occasion to come down, paid no attention to it.  Hightower going to the place where the water is gotten from a roof hole, passed directly in front of and between 40 and 50 feet from the face containing three loaded machine holes.  They exploded, and Hightower was found by the men when they returned to the face a few moments after.  Coroner's verdict: "Death by an explosion of dynamite in shaft No. 1 of the Catherine Lead Co.