Golden, Colorado
Malachite Mine Accident
March 1878
Fatal Accident.
Death of Charles Rolph at the Malachite Mine.
The death of Charles
Rolph, well known in Central, at the
Malachite mine, Golden, was mentioned in the
Call some few days ago. The following testimony,
explanatory of the accident, was taken at the
coroner’s inquest and published in the Globe:
Patrick S Ryan,
on oath said:
“This is the State of Colorado, don’t know the
county. I know this man lying here dead to be
Charles Rolph.
He cane to his death by falling rock in the
tunnel of the Malachite company, between 1 and 2
o’clock on Thursday afternoon of the 14th inst,
We went into the mine between 1 and 2 o‘clock;
he sat down to take a smoke; I went in and went
to work. I worked about twenty minutes when he
got up and relieved me; told me to go back and
he would work on a while. I was sitting down
about two minutes, and I turned and looked in
where he was working. I saw him running toward
me, and then when he came within about two feet
from where I was sitting, the dirt fell on him,
and he fell on his face and hands. I started to
run out of the tunnel and my light went out by
force of my running. I turned back and lit my
light. I had run about thirty feet before I
turned back, and then went out of the tunnel and
informed Charles
Chapman and
William Russell that
Charles Rolph
was killed by caving in of the tunnel. Myself,
Charles Chapman
and William
Russell then went back into the
tunnel; we went to work to get him out;
Harry Mullen, May Doyle
and myself began throwing the rocks
off him; the first thing we saw of him was his
head; we got off his head and body about 800 or
400 pounds of dirt and rock; when taken out we
found him to be dead. There was a hole under his
ear and a cut on his back. His back and one of
his legs seemed to be broken. The rocks which
were removed would weigh 200 pounds. He had a
light in his hat when he started to run, but the
falling rock knocked it out, and I believe the
falling rock caused his death. I have been a
miner for nine years, and have worked in Eastern
mines. My opinion was that the tunnel was safe,
and I believe the company did all that was
necessary as regards the safety of the tunnel.
This tunnel was run in about 500 feet. The
deceased and I were working as partners under
contract with the Malachite mining company.
The Evening Call, Central City, Co 19 Mar
1878
Transcribed by Audrey. Thank you,
Audrey!
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