AMOS WHALEY KILLED INSTANTLY IN MINE ACCIDENT
Published by THE LEAD BELT NEWS, Flat River, St. Francois Co. MO, Fri. February 22, 1924.

    Amos Whaley, 45 years old, of Elvins, better known among his associates as "Shag" Whaley, was killed instantly, Saturday afternoon at 4 o'clock in a mine explosion at No. 16 shaft of the Doe Run Lead Co.   Charles Buff also of Elvins was injured.  William R. Jones, contractor who was with the other two and was within four feet of the point of explosion, was uninjured.   The cause of the explosion is unknown.  The coroner's jury in an inquest held by Coroner C. J. Hill of Bismarck Sunday morning at the Horne undertaking establishment in Elvins returned a verdict of death by explosion, cause unknown.

    Jones and a crew of six men were working in Gumbo drift of the above named mine.  They had fired a round of 23 holes.  All surviving members of the crew agree in their testimony that they counted the full 23 separate explosions before any of them returned to the scene.

    Immediately following this round of shots, Charles A. Sippy and Fred and Clarence Johnson, three other members of the crew, left the mine and went to the surface.  Jones, Whaley, Buff and Chris Wampler, who was also of the crew, went back to charge a second round of 18 holes.  Just previous to the fatal explosion, Wampler had gone for some more fuse to a point about 300 feet away and was out of danger.

    At the time of the explosion, Jones was standing on a gad, with his back to the wall, and not more than four feet from the point of explosion.   This position saved him, since the force of the explosion was outward.  Whaley was standing immediately in line of the force of the explosion with his back turned and not more than 6 feet away.  He evidently died instantly, his skull having been crushed.  Buff was about 6 or 8 feet from the explosion, but was standing to one side and escaped with minor injuries.  He sustained flesh wounds and bruises about his head, face and chest and was taken to Bonne Terre hospital.  He is making satisfactory progress toward recovery.

    No satisfactory explanation of the cause of the explosion has been obtained.

    Whaley's funeral service was conducted at the Flat River Baptist Church, Monday afternoon by the pastor, Rev. E. D. Owen.  Interment was made at Parkview cemetery.  He is survived by his wife and four children, Alma, 13; Louie, 10; Leo, 8; and Charles, 2. 

Published by THE LEAD BELT NEWS, Flat River, St. Francois Co. MO, Fri. February 22, 1924.