Jader, Peter Alex, 1875-1894

JADER, YADER

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 8/13/2006 at 11:54:35

KILLED AT THE MINES. – Peter Alex Jader was killed by falling slate in the Jasper County Coal Mines, on Saturday, January 27, 1894. The father’s testimony given at the Coroner’s inquest, tells how the sad accident happened.

PETER YADER,
Sworn: “I am aged 45 years; a miner by trade; father of the deceased. On the afternoon of Saturday, January 27th, 1894, between one and two o’clock my son, Peter Alex Jader, and I were at work in room 6, in the new mine of the Jasper County Coal Company, in Poweshiek township, Jasper county, Iowa. I was loading a car with coal when my lamp went out; I went out into the entry to fill my lamp, leaving my son to complete the loading of the car; while I was filling my lamp I heard a noise in the room in which I left my son, I at once returned to the room, and as I reached the car I heard my son groaning; I found him lying on the ground under a mass of slate, which I hurried to take off; I raised him up, and while I ws holding him, Thomas Sayer, and Charles Froberg came in, who assisted in carrying him to the shaft, where he was raised to the surface and taken home; he lived but about 15 minutes after being hurt, dying in the company’s office. Deceased was born in Sweden, November 1, 1875; has been a resident of Iowa for 13 years, and of Jasper county for five years and a half; I have been naturalized. The roof of room in which we were, was tested in the morning when we went to work, and found solid. It is a slate roof, but pieces occasionally peel off and drop; we had noticed the dropping and had tested it frequently, but did not test is after noon. The props, which supported the roof, were about three foot apart in all parts of the room except where the car stood; we left more room about the car so we could load easier; there was no props under the slate which fell on my son; the company furnishes plenty of props; we had our room propped carefully to the front end of our car; it is customary to allow us room in loading; have been working in the same room for three months past, and my son with me all the time. (Signed) PETER JADER. ~ The Newton Journal, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 1894.