EDITOR SENTINEL — A very sad accident occurred at the Big Tunnel this morning a few minutes past 6 o'clock a.m., wherein two men were instantly killed by a large rock falling from the roof of the tunnel upon them. David McKay, one of the victims, had his head almost bruised to a jelly and turned to one side, but strange to say that the flesh was not cut; he was a native of Edinburgh, Scotland, and possessed a farm somewhere near Chilliwhack, B.C., and was unmarried. John Carsen, (or better known as Rocky mountain Jack,) had his head cut, body badly bruised and both legs crushed; he was an old pioneer of the Rocky mountains for nearly thirty years; also unmarried; both men were very quiet, steady and industrious.
No blame can be attached to any of the persons in charge of the work in the tunnel; the instructions of the Overseer to his foremen are very imperative, to pass no rock that presents the slightest danger; pick the roof well that no accident may occur; these instructions the foremen have endeavored to carry out most rigidly and caution their men, from time to time, to take no risks that might possibly be the cause of death. Unfortunately a bad seam crosses the Tunnel at the place where the rock fell from and it was the full determination of the day shift foreman on resuming his work that morning to remove the rock, (which fell upon the poor unfortunate men,) should he be compelled to do it by blasting it down, as he had a mental prejudice against its appearance; but two hours too late, as his time for resuming work did not commence until 7 o'clock, a.m. Another man had the back of his skull slightly fractured by a small piece of the fallen rock from the same place the rock fell. Half an hour previous to the sad occurrence one man was slightly wounded in the mouth and chin by the falling of a large piece of rock. This accident cast a sad melancholy gloom over the place for the time being.
Tim
