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Show FORMER RESIDENTS DIE OF POISON GAS IN CALIFORNIA MINE Word comes from Sonora, Calif., of the death by poisoning mine gas of former Milford men George Weston, Sr., George Weston, Jr., father and son, and Reed Weston, brother of the senior Weston. The Weston brothres, victims of the tragedy operated the White Rock mine, now known as che Plumbic property pro-perty west of Milford in about 1919. They followed mining here for several sever-al years and were well known by the older residents of Milford. In giving an account of the accident acci-dent which occurred on November 19, the "Morning Union" of Nevada City, Calif., says: "Poisoned gas killed three men in the . shaft of the Saratoga Acres miine, one mile from here, while they were working today, and tonight rescue res-cue crews with doctors standing by to aid them as they dropped were attempting at-tempting to penetrate the shaft to rescue the bodies. After attempting unsuccessfully for four hours to penetrate the death-choked depths of the shaft where the victims were mining gold, rescue workers said there was no hope that the men would be brought out alive. Authorities said miners given up for dead were: George Weston, Sr., and George Weston, Jr., father and son, and Reed Weston, brother of the senior Weston. The tragedy became known when the father and son failed to return to their home tonight. Mrs. Weston summoned Reed and Charles Weston and sent them to find her husband and son. I Upon reaching the mine, Reed and Charles Weston started down the shaft to locate the missing men, but had gone but 70 feet -hen Reed Weston Wes-ton dropped unconscious. Realizing the cause of his companion's compan-ion's collapse and himself sensing the effects of the gas, Charles Weston started back, only to emerge reeling and staggering and ran for aid. Word was sent to author-ities her? and rescue crews, doctors and ambulances ambul-ances were sent out to the mine, but all attempts by veteran miners to penetrate the shaft for any distance without feeling the effects of the gas were frustrated. |