Mining Gazette Date: Feb. 6, 1923
James
Bowden and Michael Pakkala
CAPT. JAMES
Bowden AND ASSISTANT INSPECTOR OF
MINES PAKKALA KILLED
Capt. James
Bowden, shift foreman, and Michael Pakkala, assistant mine inspector of
Houghton county, were instantly killed by a fall of ground in a drift at the 21st level of No. 5 shaft, Isle Royale mine, at 11 o'clock yesterday forenoon. Supt. A.H. Wohlrab of Isle Royale and
Capt. Ed. Colenso, who were with
Bowden and Pakkala, were unhurt. They had a miraculous escape, however, from a similar fate.
News of the tragedy spread rapidly through the district. Both victims of the accident were widely known and friends everywhere in the county were greatly shocked.
The four men had gone into the drift to inspect it and were coming out when a huge slab of rock fell. Bowden and Pakkala were struck and death was instantaneous. Wohlrab and
Colenso were just out of the danger zone and were unharmed. The bodies of
Bowden and Pakkala were recovered within an hour. Mine inspector Alfred James was summoned and an inquest was conducted yesterday afternoon, the verdict being accidental death.
Capt. James
Bowden was 41 years of age and was born in
Cornwall,
England. He came to this country in 1900 and for a number of years was employed at Tamarack. He came to Isle Royale in 1908. Capt. Bowden is survived by his widow and three children.
Michael Pakala was 37 years of age last month. He was an underground foreman for the
Champion Copper Co. in Painsdale before moving to Atlantic ten years ago.
In 1913 he was appointed deputy mine inspector by Thomas James, a brother of the present inspector, and had held that position ever since.
He is survived by his widow and nine children. Five brothers, Jack of Hurontown; Alex and John of Dodgeville, Frank of Painsdale and
Simon of
Flint, and one sister Mrs. Albert
Mattson of Dodgeville, survive. One uncle, who lives on a farm near Atlantic also survives.
Transcribed by Thelma
Lawson Cudmore