MINER INDEX Robert White of Frankclay, was fatally injured Tuesday morning while at work in the underground mines of the St. Joe Lead Co. in Leadwood. He was removed to the Bonne Terre Hospital, where he died at 6 p.m. Wednesday. He was 44 years of age. White was engaged in drilling a hole in the mine stopes, to remove ground that had been declared unsafe. The first blast of dynamite did not completely break loose the earth, and after waiting a reasonable length of time, White examined the stope and went in to place a second charge. He had lighted the fuse and was walking away when a piece of rock plopped off from a height of twenty feet, striking him on the head. His miner's hat protected his head, but he fell against another rock, fracturing a rib which punctured the lung. An inquest was conducted Thursday at 4 p.m., at the Boyer Funeral Home in Leadwood. Funeral services will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at the Frankclay Methodist Church, conducted by the Rev. M. F. Johnson of Leadwood. Interment will be in the Frankclay cemetery. He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Delpha Smith White and three children: Thoris, Helen and Norman. One child, Alice, preceded him in death. Besides his immediate family he leaves one brother and one sister. He was a veteran of the World War, having served in the U.S. Army two years. He received his honorable discharge at the conclusion of his service. Published by THE LEAD BELT NEWS, Flat River, St. Francois Co. MO, Fri. May 1, 1936.FRANKCLAY MAN DIES FROM MINE INJURIES Robert M. White, aged 44, of Frankclay, was fatally injured in an accident in the Leadwood mine of the St. Joseph Lead Co., which occurred about 11 o'clock Tuesday morning of this week. His death occurred at 6:56 o'clock Wednesday evening at the Bonne Terre Hospital. Funeral services will be conducted at the Frankclay M. E. Church at two o'clock this Friday afternoon by Rev. F. M. Johnson, of Leadwood. The accident occurred while Mr. White was engaged in taking down rock from the mine ceiling. He had prepared a small shot, lighted the fuse, gave the alarm and had started to get out of the way of the blast when a rock fell down from the ceiling and struck him, inflicting head injuries which rendered him unconscious. Other men working nearby risked their lives by coming to his aid in the face of danger, being caught in the impending blast. With but seconds to spare, he was carried out of the danger zone and taken from the mine and, after being given first aid, was removed to the Bonne Terre Hospital where he passed away, as stated above, without having regained consciousness. Robert M. White, was born in Reynolds County on April 6, 1892, son of O. T. and Delphia White. On March 20, 1910. he was united in marriage to Delphia Smith who survives with their three children - Thoris, 16, Helen, 9, and Norman, 4. He is also survived by one brother, Monte White, of Desloge, and one sister, Mrs. Audrey Reynolds, of Reynolds County. Mr. White came to Frankclay about 18 years ago. He was a veteran of the World War. He was highly respected by all who knew him, a valued employee of the Lead Company, and popular among his fellow workmen. The entire community deeply sympathizes with his family in their great sorrow. This is the third fatal accident to occur in the St. Joe mines in recent months. For many years, the Company has sponsored a safety campaign, the result of which had been, prior to a few months ago, a record of no serious accidents in its mines for several years. It is a matter of genuine regret that within the past six months four men have lostt their lives and others been seriously injured in accidents in St. Joe mines in this district. The FARMINGTON NEWS, Farmington, Missouri, May 1, 1936. |
