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Captain Daniel Benson


WAS KILLED IN A MINE
Steamer Dirigo Arrives From the North With the Remains of Captain Benson.


Steamer Dirigo arrived about noon from the North. Aboard the steamer on the way down was the body of Capt. Daniel Benson, who was killed a few days before the Dirigo left the North. Benson had been at work in the Treadwell mines on Douglas Island and in sinking a drill hole struck an old unexploded blast. An explosion immediately followed and Benson was killed.

The dead man is an old time Puget Sound steamboat master, having been employed on nearly all the old time craft. He was master of the old Merwin, Lilly, Louise and various other stern wheelers that plied out of Seattle to the up-river towns. Benson has been in Alaska a year to two. The remains were taked to Bonney & Stewart's morgue immediately after the Dirigo tied up,, from whence the funeral will probably take place.

Source:  Seattle Daily Times, Saturday, February 24, 1900, page 3, column D


CAPT. DAN BENSON KILLED
MEETS WITH VIOLENT DEATH IN THE TREADWELL MINE


Neck Broken and Skull Crushed by Fall of Rock--Fell Thirty Feet--Was a Union War Veteran and a Pioneer Puget Sound Mariner.

Capt. Daniel Benson, a pioneer Puget sound mariner, met death February 15 in the Treadwell mine, on Douglas Island. His violent end came about through the fall of a hanging rock. It appears he was at work blasting in a shaft or tunnel when an explosion jarred the rock loose. It fell a distance of twenty-five or thirty feet, striking him on the head. Instant death resulted from concussion of the brain. His neck was also broken.

Capt. Benson had been employed in the mine since last September. He left Seattle for Alaska two years ago in July and for a while worked in Atlin, from which district he went to the Treadwell.

The remains of Capt. Benson and the news of his sad death came on the steamer Dirigo, which arrived from Alaska yesterday. The body was taken to the Seattle undertaking parlors, where funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon. Interment will be made at Lake View cemetery.

Capt. Benson was a native of Saginaw county, Michigan, and was born in 1845. He came to Seattle in 1871, and resided here with his family at 913 Lenora street. He was a veteran of the civil war, having enlisted in 1862 in Company H, Illinois volunteer infantry. He served until July, 1865. Though he saw continuous service and distinguished himself for bravery, he never drew a pension or became a member of the G. A. R.

For eighteen years Capt. Benson ran as master of Puget sound steamers, notably the Chehalis, City of Quincy, George E. Starr, Edith, Washington, Josephine and the Eliza Anderson. He was a man well thought of by his many friends and acquaintances. His death is mourned by a large number of relatives. He leaves a widow and two sons, George and Orville Benson, and three brothers, J. S. Benson, for thirty-nine years a resident of Seattle, [unreadable line] Benson of Bayview, Skagit county. Mrs. Mary McCormack, of Midland county, Michigan, is a sister.

Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Sunday, February 25, 1900, page 6, column C

 

 



 


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