Houghton County Mine Inspectors Report

ACCIDENT NO. 16 - April 25th, 1906, Centennial Mine, James Prinn. This accident occurred in No. 1 shaft of the Centennial Mine about seven o'clock in the morning. The skip was being lowered with men in it. James Prinn attempted to get out of the skip before it had settled and was caught by the spring of the rope and killed. An inquest was held by Coroner Fisher.

John George, a witness duly sworn, testified as follows: “I work at the 21st level No. 1 shaft, Centennial Mine. This morning we were riding down on the skip and it stopped at the 18th level. She made a kind of a spring and then stopped, and caught the deceased in the top of the skip. He was sitting inside the skip but got out too soon and was caught on the head.”

The testimony of this witness was corroborated by another witness, John Pearce.

Harold Cowan, testified as follows: “I was one of those in the skip this morning when the accident occurred. I was riding in the bottom of the skip and heard them say a man was caught. I did not see him caught, but saw his body hanging there. The skip was not crowded. I cannot say how many were on but know it was not crowded. The rope must have jammed him. He made the spring too quick. It was the rope that did it.”

Verdict of the Jury: “We, the jury, upon our oaths do say, that the said James Prinn came to his death on the 25th day of April 1906, at the 18th level No. 1 shaft Centennial Mine by attempting to get out of the skip too soon, before the skip had time to settle.”