Aftermath of the Roslyn Mine Explosion
As families bury their dead in double-funerals, the Governor orders a strict investigation into the safety and ventilation failures that caused the catastrophe.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Roslyn, May 13.—Citizens assembled at Unity Hall for burial rites; as many as ten bodies were followed to the cemetery at once. There were three double funerals, being a father and son in each instance. The widows and orphans are bearing up nobly, and they are worthy objects of sympathy. Governor Ferry has directed Joseph James, coal mine inspector, to make an immediate, thorough investigation. From a study of the law, the Governor has become satisfied that if its provisions for ventilation and safety had been complied with, the explosion would have been almost an impossibility. If the safeguards required by statute have not been provided by the owners, the Governor will see that they are prosecuted. The law provides that where fire-damp is generated, every working place must be examined with a safety lamp, and air circulation must be at least 100 feet per minute. The Governor is determined to discover who is responsible for the negligence.
“The Governor is convinced that these and other provisions for the safety of the miners were not strictly observed.”
This disaster at the Roslyn mines sparked a massive civic debate regarding state oversight of industrial working conditions. It highlights how the 'boom' economy of Washington coal mining frequently prioritized extraction speed over the basic survival of its immigrant labor force.
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