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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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