A Charity Ball for the Blue Canyon Mine Dead
Bellingham Hall fills to raise money for the families of married miners killed in the Blue Canyon disaster, while surviving miners add to the relief fund.
WHATCOM, April 17.—Special.—A charity ball for the benefit of the families of the married men who were killed in the Blue Canyon disaster last week was given at Bellingham Hall last night. The attendance, though very large, included but a small portion of those who purchased tickets, which were $1 each. The surviving miners at Blue Canyon have also contributed liberally to the relief fund.
“The surviving miners at Blue Canyon have also contributed liberally to the relief fund.”
Mine disasters in Washington were once followed by community balls and subscription funds rather than formal safety investigations. The relief effort shows how tightly resource extraction and local families were bound—and how little safety net existed. Modern debates over industrial safety and disaster relief still ask who pays when workers die.
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