May 19, 2008

The crystal is gone and the hands are broken and bent, but the pocket watch carried by mine captain William Tippett during his final shift at the ill-fated Barnes-Hecker Mine, near Ishpeming, bears silent witness to America's worst iron mining tragedy.

"Michigan's iron industry, now more than 160 years old, was built on eastern capital and immigrant muscle," said Thomas Friggens, a regional manager with the Michigan Historical Center. "Tippett's death underground in 1926 is a stark reminder of the human investment that helped build the industry."

Today, the watch is exhibited at the Michigan Iron Industry Museum, in Negaunee Township, where the public is invited to attend the museum's first annual "Mine Workers Memorial Day Observance" from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 1.

A time of community gathering and reflection, the special observance will feature speakers, WNMU Public TV13's documentary "Barnes-Hecker: Memories of a Misfortune" shown on the museum's large screen, and light refreshments.

Guests are invited to register the names of family members and others who lost their lives in the mines, for permanent record in the museum library.

Friggens said one of the most poignant highlights of the day would likely be the recitation of the 1926 eulogy - offered in memory of Barnes-Hecker victims just four days after the tragedy - by the Reverend Hugo Hillila at Ishpeming's Finnish Lutheran Church. The Reverend Rudolph Kemppainen, senior pastor (retired) at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Negaunee, will present the eulogy - the first time it has been heard in public since Nov. 7, 1926.

The indoor program begins at 1:30 p.m. Admission is free.

"Mining was fraught with danger," Friggens said. "Flooding, falling rock, premature blasts, defective equipment, simple carelessness and sometimes language barriers among immigrant workers resulted in injury and death. Rock dust stirred by drilling and blasting underground without adequate ventilation could cause lung congestion."

Over time, he said, government and big business took steps to make the workplace safer. Michigan created the office of county mine inspector in 1886; the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company pioneered safety programs in 1911; and by the 1940s, a strong labor movement, focused in part on worker safety, finally took root on the iron ranges.

However, in November 1926, Michigan's worst mining accident staggered local communities. The Barnes-Hecker Mine caved in and back-filled with water when unsuspecting miners set off a blast that ripped open an underground lake. Fifty-one workers died; only one survived. In just 15 minutes - the time it took for the mine to fill with sand and water - 132 children lost their fathers and 42 wives became widows.

The Michigan Iron Industry Museum is one of 11 nationally accredited museums administered by the Michigan Historical Center, an agency within the Department of History, Arts and Libraries. It is located at 73 Forge Road, in Negaunee Township, overlooking the site of the Carp River Forge, a pioneer industrial site listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The recently expanded museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Oct. 31. For more information about museum programs call (906) 475-7857 or visit www.michigan.gov/ironindustrymuseum.

The Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL) is dedicated to enriching quality of life and strengthening the economy by providing access to information, preserving and promoting Michigan's heritage and fostering cultural creativity. In addition to the Michigan Historical Center, HAL includes the Library of Michigan, the Mackinac Island State Park Commission and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. To learn more, visit www.michigan.gov/hal.

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