On that first day, the Gold Hill News ran a story about the Bickle brothers: “Three brothers named Richard, George and James Bickell, aged respectively 33, 31 and 27 years of age, were working in the Crown Point Mine.  Not long after the fire was discovered and the deadly smoke was pouring out through the Crown Point shaft, Richard and George groped their way to the cage and rang the bell to come up.  When  they arrived at the surface, George was discovered insensible, leaning over his brother and holding him as with a death grip, which it was quite difficult to disengage.  Richard had his head torn almost completely off, and his left arm was hanging by a little strip of skin to the shoulder.  He had doubtless become insensible, and sinking down upon the cage, his head dragged by the shaft timbers at the sides of the elevator.  George still lives, but is insensible and suffering from asphyxia, produced by the inhalation of the terrible smoke so foully charged with deadly carbonic acid gas[1].  He is under the care of Dr. Hiller, who has strong hopes for his recovery.  The third brother, James, was still in the mine at last accounts.  They were natives of Yorkshire, England.”

April 8, 1869

All through the night, firemen and miners alike have been venturing into the mines to recover the bodies of their lost companions.  About 11 p.m. the previous night, three Gold Hill firemen; Putnam, Lee and Mercer and one fireman from Washoe Engineer Co. No. 4, Harry Anne, descend into the Crown Point Mine, to the 1000 ft. level where most of the trapped miners are believed to be.  One by one, the corpses are sent to the surface.  Recovered from the Crown Point are: James Bickle, Patrick Buckley, Jeremiah Shanet (Chenette), John Rohan (Rowen), Edward and William Jewell, Patrick Hogan, A. G. Grant, A. J. McDonald, Peter Blouin, Thomas McCoy, Joseph Matthews and William Mitchell.

 By 11 a.m., the bodies of four more miners have been recovered at the 800 ft. level of the Crown Point: Thomas McCullin (McCullum), Harry Stevens, Thomas Toland and one identified only as a “Scotchman, newly employed by the Yellow Jacket Mine”

By afternoon, the bodies of Michael McDonald, George Tampkins (Tompkins), Matt Tooney, Johnathan Jones and another unidentified miner has been recovered.  Eight to ten men are still believed to be trapped in the mines.

 The recovery efforts continue with firemen and miners alike continually risking their own lives to enter the mines.  Many of them overcome with poisonous smoke and gases that fill the shafts, they themselves becoming asphyxiated as they  locate the bodies of the dead workmen, dragging them to the hoists to be carried to the surface.

 Richard Bickle, Joseph Matthews and William Mitchell are all buried today.  Their funeral was at 1 p.m. at the Odd Fellow’s Hall of which they were all members.  Richard Toy’s funeral is at his home in Bower’s Canyon where his body is then taken to Virginia City by the Virginia Miner’s Union for burial.

 John Hallasy, whose body had been misidentified the previous day as John Ring, is identified as “a short, thick set man, black hair and chin whiskers, fresh complexion and apparently about 30 years of age.  He stated <stayed> at the National Hotel, where he boarded, that he had a family in or near San Francisco.   He only went to work in the mine last Monday.”

 George Bickle, who was rescued along with the body of his brother the day before, has died. 

 The newspaper describes in sometimes-graphic detail the condition of the bodies discovered.  One of the dead miners taken out of the Crown Point mine was found hanging in a shaft on a ladder, one of his legs apparently “fast inside of one of the rounds of the ladder and his arms in their death grip fist to the same while his head fell backwards.  It was “with difficulty that his discoverers separated the corpse from the ladder.  The remains were lowered with ropes a distance of fifty feet.”  He died between the 800 and 900 Ft. Levels.”

 April 9, 1869

 The fires continue to burn unabated.  By 7 o’clock, the engineers, brakemen and all hands are compelled to stop the machinery and leave the buildings.  Thick clouds of smoke rolling out of the ventilators, windows and doors.  The fire is getting bigger.  No one believes the eight or ten men known to still trapped below are still alive.  At 11 a. m. measures were taken to close the shafts of the mines with planks.  All fresh air is excluded, by 12 o’clock, great bodies of steam are sent down each shaft, the hope is to smother and extinguish the flames.  The steam is sent into the shafts at the Yellow Jacket and Kentuck through large pipes with blowers that are connected to boilers.  No new bodies have been found.

 By April 12^th,  “malicious rumors”  are being spread in San Francisco – indicating that parties “interested in the mines” intentionally set the fires.  The people of Gold Hill and the surrounding towns are incensed by the accusations.

April 14^th,  five bodies still remain unaccounted for… still missing are Daniel O’Neil, George Edwards, Thomas Laity, A. Reinay  and Martin Clooney.  A Relief Committee has been assembled at the Gibson & Gross Saloon in Gold Hill.  Committees were formed to determine the needs of the families who lost husbands, fathers and sons.  Individuals were assigned to inquire and report on the following miner’s families:  William Mitchell, Patrick Hogan, William and Edward Jewell, Archie McDougall, John Rowan, Peter Blouin, Jerry Chenette; James, George and  Richard Bickell, Patrick Buckley, A. G. Grant, Daniel O’Neil, K. Ryan, Anthony Toy, Patrick Quinn, J. McClelland, John Hogan, John Hallasy, Joseph Glassen, Thomas McCallum, Richard McCormick, Thomas Laity, A. Reinay, George Edwards, James Peters, George Tompkins, Jonathan Jones, Thomas Toland, Harry Stephens and Martin Clooney – all told, thirty-one miners.

In the April 15^th edition, the entire calamity is reviewed on the front page of the newspaper.  An article appears about John Hallasy, the unfortunate miner who had just been at the mine for two days when disaster struck.  “John Hallasy – The unfortunate man who lost his life in the Yellow Jacket mine, April 7, has a cousin living at Dayton, Lyon County, whose name is Michael Hallasy.  He writes us that the deceased was a native of Ireland, was 39 years of age, and leaves a wife and three children living in the town of Hartland, McHenry County, Illinois.  His name was first reported as John Ring, and it was thought his family resided in San Francisco.  Our Relief Committee will no doubt ascertain the situation of the wife and her fatherless little ones.”

Two more bodies are found – K. Ryan  and John O’Brien about 70 feet north of the shaft.  They were lying on their backs, some 20 feet apart, on the floor of the tunnel.

The body of Joseph Glassen was shipped to Grass Valley, California for burial.

April 19^th, the Yellow Jacket has claimed another victim.  William H. Williams was killed when he and another man were working at the 400-foot level, engaged in trimming out the shaft timbers where they interfered with the passage of the cage.  Even though he was ordered not to go into the “drifts” where the gases and fumes still were, he left his companion  working and sat in the drifts for 15 to 20 minutes.  When he began feeling sick, he headed to the cage, rang the bell to go up.  Williams suddenly sank down against the side of the shaft, where he was dragged past two sets of timbers, and then his body rolled down between the heavy timbers and the side of the cage, falling over 500 feet to the bottom of the shaft.  It was later determined nearly every bone in his body had been broken and his head torn completely off below the chin, a small piece of scalp alone remaining attached to the back of the neck.  He was a native of Kea County, Cornwall, Canada, 33 years old and left a wife and three children.

April 20^th,  William H. Williams’ funeral took place at the Theatre Hall in Gold Hill at 2 p. m. under the auspices of the Miner’s Union.

April 21^st, the Relief Committee met at the Cross & Gibson’s Saloon to listen to reports concerning the victims and their families:

Thomas McCollum – “the deceased was a native of Cornwall, Canada West; about 25 years of age, and unmarried; leaves a father and mother in Canada, in fair circumstances, one brother, married, and three sisters, one married and the others single.  Deceased had no money or property, as far as we can ascertain, except $37 on his person when taken out of the mine.”

A. G. Grant – “deceased was a native of Summerstown, Canada West, and unmarried; he leaves an aged mother, three brothers and three sisters, one married; do not know what that his mother was dependent upon him, but it is evident that he has sent her money occasionally, as duplicates were found in his trunk to that effect.”

Archibald McDougall – “deceased was a native of Canada West, aged about 27 years, and unmarried; he leaves an aged mother and a large family of brothers and sisters, most of them in Canada; no money was found on his person, or certificates of any money to his mother or not, but many of his friends think he did.”

K. Ryan – “A. McMartin reported the wife of deceased as being destitute of means, in delicate health, and has one child, three years of age; she is owner of the house she lives in, and from appearances is comfortable; I would recommend her as a suitable person to take charge of any money given her by this committee.”

Patrick Quinn - "deceased leaves a wife in Taunton, Massachusetts, with three sons, the eldest 16 years of age; they are destitute of means, and have been cared for by an uncle for the past five years; deceased left $125 in money.”

Joseph Matthews –  as reported by John Minedeau – “I am his brother-in-law; he was 21 years of age, single, and was born in Deerfersies, Devon, England; he has two sisters living in Cornwall, both married; one is my wife, and the other is married to a man in good circumstances; his father lives in Georgia; he had no other relatives that I know of; I do not know of deceased having any money or property.”

Jonathan Jones – “deceased was a single man, between 30 and 32 years of age, and was born in the town of Remsen, Oneida County, New York; he has a father, two brothers and two sisters; his father is in comfortable circumstance; never knew of deceased aiding his parents in their support.”

Bickle Brothers – “Richard was 33, George 31 and James 28 years of age; they were born in Calstock, Cornwall, England, and were all single men; they  have an aged father and mother, two brothers and a younger sister; the three brothers have been supporting their father, mother and young sister, and also aiding the widows of two deceased brothers; they leave no money or other means.”

Thomas Laity – “deceased was a native of Crowan Parish, Cornwall, England, aged 32 years, and unmarried; he leaves an aged father and mother in Cornwall, a brother in Gold Hill, and another brother in Michigan; deceased assisted in the support of his parents, but leaves no money or property.”

Harry Stevens – “deceased leaves a wife and child near Kelston, Cornwall, England."

John O’Neil – “deceased leaves a wife and four children, the oldest a boy of 13 years, and the youngest a boy between 4 and 5 years old; the oldest girl is about 10, and the youngest 7 years of age; Mrs. O’Neil is willing the girls should be sent to the school of the Sisters of Charity, but the boys she is anxious to keep with her.  They own the house they live in, but have no other property or means of support; they are indebted to the St. Louis meat market, Stern & Son, Kennedy & Mallon, Hampton and M. Frankenheimer.  Mrs. O’Neil says that her husband had in his vest pocket at the time of his death seven share of Crown Point stock; she does not know who he bought it from, but thinks he did not buy it from a broker.”

Anthony Toy – “deceased was a native of Redruth Parish, Cornwall, aged 24 years; leaves a wife residing in Gold Hill to whom he was married at Virginia [City] on the 28^th of last month; deceased left no one dependent upon him for support except his wife; she is destitute of money or means, and I would recommend her as a suitable person to take charge of any money you may see fit to apportion her.”

Patrick Buckley – “deceased leaves a wife in Grass Valley, California.  She is a prudent, industrious, and deserving lady, capable of taking care of any money you may see fit to apportion her, and withal a kind and affectionate mother.”  Together with this report, Mr. Gibson presented a letter received by him from Mrs. Buckley, dated the 15^th instant, in which she says:  “My husband’s salary supported myself and three young children, also his aged father in Ireland, but that is gone now, and with the help of the Almighty I must do the best I can for future support.  I have not a dollar in the world after my husband’s burial, and when I heard of his death I had to borrow $20 to pay for traveling expenses to Gold Hill.”

Jeremiah Chenette – “deceased was unmarried, and a native of St. Huacinthe (sic) in Canada, where his father now is.  He has a brother in White Pine.  His father is very poor, and deceased was obliged to borrow money to defray his expenses to this country.”

Peter Blouin – “”left a widow and no property except a little household furniture.  She proposes going to her home in Canada, if she can obtain means sufficient; if not, she will try and obtain a situation at the mint in Carson.”

Patrick Hogan – “There are set of his credit, on the books of H. H. Flagg, five (5) shares of Kentuck and fourteen (14) shares of Alpha mining stock, on which there stands a balance due of four hundred and sixty dollars and twenty-two cents, ($460.22).  I furthermore find that he has a brother and two sisters residing in San Francisco.”

George Edwards – “deceased was 35 years of age, and leaves three orphan children at Grass Valley, California, the oldest ten years of age.   I do not know what of any other relatives than those orphans.  Deceased left no property nor means of support.  Appended to the report was the following letter:

“Grass Valley, California, April 16, 1869.  William H. Smith, Esq., Foreman of Crown Point Min, Gold Hill – Dear Sir: Your very kind favor of 15^th instant was duly received, and in reply I would inform you, in addition to my letter to Superintendent Jones, of 14^th instant, that there are three children aged 5, 7 and 10 years, which are under my immediate charge.  Their mother died about 21 months ago.  Two of the children are with me – the youngest and oldest – the other is with Humphrey Julien.  Mr. J. has four children of his own, and I have six.  We are both day laborers, which keeps us digging all the time for them; which, if you are a man of family, you well know.  Therefore, if anyone has any claims for charity, these little ones have; and if your committee donate anything for them, please send it to me, and I will see that it is judiciously used for their benefit.  Yours Very Truly, James Gluyas”

George Tompkins – “deceased was 29 years of age, single, and was born in Hamilton, Canada West.  He has a brother working in the Hale & Norcross mine, Virginia; also, two sisters, one living in California and the other a resident of Gold Hill.  His mother lives in San Francisco, and was partially dependent upon him for her support.”  Appended to the report was the following letter:  “San Francisco, April 13, 1869.  Wm. D. C. Gibson, Esq. – Dear Sir: Yours of 9^th instant at hand.  I am much obliged for your handsome acknowledgement to me for doing what I ought to do.  On Friday, an old lady, nearly 80 years old, called at my office with a telegram from Gold Hill, saying her son was among the lost.  She says he was her only support.  Now I want you, if you can, to look out for her.  I have supplied her wants for the present.  Her time on earth is short and her necessities easily supplied.  Sorry to trouble you on this matter.  Mr. Ball is going to look into the matter to see that it is all right.  Yours Truly, Edward Cahill”

William Mitchell – “deceased was nearly 23 years of age, and born in the Parish of Dinkinhorn, Cornwall, England, where he leaves a father and mother; leaves a brother in Gold Hill, and another brother somewhere in the Eastern States; deceased left no money or property.”

James Peters – “deceased was aged 26 years, unmarried, and a native of the Parish of Crowan, County Cornwall, England; he leaves seven brothers and sisters in the United States, of whom two brothers and a sister reside in Gold Hill, one brother in White Pine, one sister in Tennessee, married, one sister in Michigan, married, and one sister in New Haven, Connecticut, single.”

Mat Tooney, deceased, had not been assigned a committee to look into his affairs.  Two were assigned to do a follow up.

William H. Williams – This unfortunate man who was accidentally  killed in the Yellow Jacket shaft, Gold Hill, last Sunday night, was a native of the Parish of Kea, Cornwall, England and not Canada, as before stated..  He was 35 years of age and leaves a wife and three children at the place of his nativity.  A story was quite prevalent that his wife and children were now on their way here to meet him, but persons who are intimately acquainted, inform us that such is not the case.  Mr. John Bennetts, working in the new tunnel at the old Chollar croppings, called on us yesterday in relation to this matter.  He was an intimate friend of the deceased, being a native of the same place, and deceased only two or three days before his death spoke of having written to his wife, and expressed no intention whatever of sending for her to come here.”

April 26^th – May 3^rd,  the mining disaster continued to make the news every day during this next week.  Theories abound on the cause of the fire including an explosion associated with giant powder and common blasting powders but the most accepted theory is of a “quiet” fire that may have burned for four or five hours before being discovered.  Smoke gradually accumulated and filled the passages – timber was destroyed at the particular point, an extensive cave of waste rock and earth filled into the worked out space overhead, gases, smoke and noxious fumes filled the egresses.  The heavy gases caused the deaths of the miners.