Gould can 5253: Dawson Mine Disaster (1913)
1913 · Ephemeral film · 17 min
Synopsis
Dawson City, New Mexico: Films taken immediately after the "Dawson Mine Disaster", the second worst mine disaster to take place in the US on October 22, 1913 when 263 men were killed. Shows bodies being removed / cemetery / Bureau of Mines trains and experts arriving etc.
Uploader's description on archive.org
Details
- Running time
- 17 minutes
- Collection
- Prelinger Archives
Reviews on the Internet Archive
★★★ · Interesting · barticle · 2012-11-16
This does indeed look staged. A rather clumsy reinactment, probably filmed some time after the fact. Men stand around "having their pictures taken"--by a movie camera. Nevertheless, the film provides an interesting and valuable glimpse at mining practices of a hundred years ago. The rebreather equipment resembles space suits. There's also a pulmotor demonstration. Why do the men keep those masks on once they're clear of the mine? Probably so we can get a good look. I wonder at the meaning of the shot of long strips of paper on a wall? Three stars for mainly historical interest.