THE ACCIDENT AT MONT D'OR CLAIM, ROSS.

Kumara Times, Issue 2538, 22 October 1884, Page 2

THE ACCIDENT AT MONT D'OR CLAIM, ROSS.

♦ . The Ross Mercury of yesterday reports : —A very sad accident happened in the above-named claim on Sunday afternoon, by which a miner, named Antonio Bassanelli was killed. Sluicing was, as usual, being carried on, when the Mining Manager, Mr C. Davey, noticed a slip of dirt coming from the top of the face. He immediately cried out to all hands, telling them to " clear away." They all, with the exception of Bassanelli, ran some little distance down the tail-race, but deceased, who was working nearer the face than any of the others, when he saw the fall comiDg, did not attempt to make a retreat by way of the tail-race, bat ran up a sidling close by which slopes down into the race, evidently thinking he would be quite safe there. But the dirt, falling from such a height (the face being nearly 150 feet high) did not remain where it dropped, but rushed some distance down the tailrace, smothering the unfortunate man. When the poor fellow's brother, who was working in the claim at the time, saw that he (deceased) had been smothered, he went almost frantic, and a most distressing scene followed. He was induced, shortly afterwards, to leave the claim, and after a quarter-of-an-hour's hard work the body was discovered and taken to the Company's workshop. The police were promptly on the scene, and had the body brought to Mr Porter's Hotel, where an inquest was held on Tuesday.