Cowan, James E.

Three fatal mining accidents happened in the Tri-State field within 24 hours of each other last week. James E. Cowan, 53, of rural Chetopa Kansas was killed Thursday morning. Haskell Downs, 33, of Picher Oklahoma, was killed instantly when struck by a slab while working in the ground at the Skelton Mine No. 7, at Douthat Oklahoma, Thursday afternoon. John Curtis Anderson of Picher was killed instantly in the ground at the Smith Mine shaft of the Beck Mining Company, near Baxter Springs Kansas, on Wednesday night of last week. Thursday Morning James E. Cowan, about 53 years of age, a resident on Chetopa rural route, was fatally injured about 7:30am Dec 28, 1944, when a can in which he was being lowered at the Muncie Mine crashed into the pit of the shaft. The hard rock lead and zinc mine is located a mile and a half northwest of Treece Kansas and is operated by the Federal Mining and Smelting Company

Cowan was employed as a dragline foreman in the ground and was being lowered into the shaft to start his day's work. The accident was attributed by the hoisterman to the hoist friction band slipping, causing the can to plunge out of control down the shaft. The exact distance that Cowan fell is not known as he was unconscious when reached by other workers. He was rushed to the hospital in a Durnil ambulance of Picher Oklahoma, but soon passed away. It is reported that both of his legs were broken and death attributed to a cerebral hemorrhage. Born in Cherokee county Kansas, he was reared north of Galena Kansas and had been an employee of the mining company about 10 years. Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Goldie Cowan; two sons, Jay Cowan in the armed forces and Lindell Cowan living near Melrose Kansas; a daughter Mrs. Addie Abram of the home, his father Samuel Cowan of near Galena Kansas and other relatives. The body was taken to the home, three miles southeast of Melrose, Friday morning and there awaited the arrival of his son in the Army, before burial arrangements could be announced. Note: Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at 2 at the Baptist church nine miles south of Columbus Kansas with Rev. W. H. Shargo officiating and burial was in the Greenlawn cemetery in Cherokee County Kansas, northwest of Picher Oklahoma and Treece Kansas.

Haskell Downs, 33, of Picher Oklahoma, was killed instantly when struck by a slab while working in the ground at the Skelton Mine No. 7, at Douthat Oklahoma, Thursday afternoon. He was employed as a hard rock lead and zinc shoveler. The Skelton Mine No. 7 is being operated by the Big Chief Mining Company. . .

Haskell Downs, 33 year old miner who was killed instantly when he was struck by a slab while working in the ground at the Skelton Mine No. 7, near Douthat Oklahoma, about 3 Thursday afternoon, Jan 4. He was employed as a shoveler and his home was on North Connell avenue, Picher Oklahoma. Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Nellie Downs; two daughters, Barbara Downs and Dolly Mae Downs and a son Claud Downs of the home. Two sisters, Mrs. Dolly Lattimer of Picher and Mrs. Maud Hawkins of Fairfax Oklahoma.

The body was brought to the Durnil funeral home, at Picher, and prepared for burial. Funeral services were held at 2 Sunday afternoon at the Durnil chapel with Rev. H. Ford, pastor of the Picher Union church officiating and burial was in the G.A.R. cemetery at Miami.

Picher Oklahoma, Jan 5 Haskell Downs, 33, shoveler, was killed instantly when struck by a falling slab while he was working in the ground in the Skelton Mine No. 7 at Douthat Oklahoma at about 3 pm Thursday. Downs' death brought to three the number of fatal mining accidents in the Tri-state field within 24 hours. James E. Cowan of Chetopa was killed Thursday morning when he was dropped in a can down the Smith shaft at the Muncie Mine near Treece Kansas. John C. Anderson of Picher was killed instantly at the Smith shaft at the Beck Mining Company near Baxter Springs Kansas Wednesday night.

Downs is survived by his widow, Mrs. Nellie Downs; two daughters, Barbara Downs and Dolly Mae Downs, and a son, Claude Ray Downs, of the home, and two sisters, Mrs. Dolly Lattimer of Picher and Mrs. Maud Hawkins of Fairfax. Funeral services will be held at the 2 Sunday afternoon at the Durnil funeral chapel, Picher. The Rev. H. Ford, pastor of the Picher Union church, will officiate. Burial will be in the G.A.R. cemetery at Miami.