Working in the mines was a difficult, laborious and dangerous job. Working with dynamite and heavy machinery led to many accidents, which sometimes led to death. The worst accident in Yukon mining history happened in 1917 at the Pueblo Mine. A cave-in between the 200-400 foot levels left 9 miners trapped. Rescue efforts saved 3 men after drilling an 85 foot drift through solid granite in a record 72 hours! The other six men were never recovered. A plaque commemorating their sacrifice can be seen along the Fish Lake Road.
Another danger that was common in underground mining came from carbon monoxide poisoning, also known as the ‘Black Damp’. Underground fires were used to melt the ice and permafrost in the ground to make it possible to mine the ore in the long winter months. One such underground fire claimed the life of one of the first Copper belt stakers, William Grainger. Grainger, along with an employee, descended into the Copper King to prepare the mine for examination. By the time the mine was pumped free of carbon monoxide the two men were dead.
One of the main reasons why so many men risked their lives in dangerous mines was money. The rates of pay in 1907 were between $3.50 – $6 per 10 hour day, depending on the job title. Hand miners and labourers were at the bottom of the pay scale, while blacksmiths and engineers were at the top. In 1910, 13 workers walked off the job site in protest of poor wages and dangerous working conditions.
The living quarters at the mines were usually log cabins or bunkhouses for the majority of the workers, but two-storey frame buildings were sometimes reserved for management, as was the case at the Pueblo Mine.
(Dobrowolsky, 1993, p.10-13)
