New Waterford in Cape Breton Region, Nova Scotia — The Atlantic Provinces (North America)

Miner's Monument

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 21, 2019

1. Miner's Monument (north inscription)

Inscription.

Miner's Monument. . Erected to the memory of those killed in explosion in No. 12 Colliery New Waterford July 25th 1917. Gaeton Angelo Aged 24 Yrs. . Frank Pancryk Aged 32 Yrs. . Constantino Boa Aged 22 Yrs. . Isaac Boone Aged 38 Yrs. . George Butt Aged 26 Yrs. . George W. Butt Aged 18 Yrs. . Joseph L. Butts Aged 37 Yrs. . Richard Butts Aged 37 Yrs. . Archibald Cameron Aged 38 Yrs. . Lawrence Cameron Aged 18 Yrs. . Matthew Cherry Aged 44 Yrs. . Peter Colman Aged 43 Yrs. . Henri Commaire Aged 19 Yrs. . Thomas Crumney Aged 46 Yrs. . Charles Curry Aged 50 Yrs. . John Curry Aged 45 Yrs. . Michael Curry Aged 26 Yrs. . George Delaney Aged 26 Yrs. . George Domokosch Aged 24 Yrs. . Thomas S. Durham Aged 41 Yrs. . Joseph Fedora Aged 26 Yrs. . Timothy Fahey Aged 40 Yrs. . Charles Ferguson Aged 22 Yrs. . George Fraser Aged 19 Yrs. . Arthur Gadd Aged 15 Yrs. . William Gadd Aged 31 Yrs. . James Gillis Aged 18 Yrs. . Arthur Killoway Aged 41 Yrs. . Eugene Killoway Aged 36 Yrs. . Paul Kleizer Aged 23 Yrs. . Thomas McDonald Aged 18 Yrs. . Roderick McEachern Aged 20 Yrs. . Paul McIntyre Aged 21 Yrs. . John D. McKay Aged 45 Yrs. . John H. McKenzie Aged 21 Yrs. . Frank McLean Aged 19 Yrs. . Andrew McLellan Aged 43 Yrs. . John McLeod Aged 21 Yrs. . Laughlin McNeil Aged 33 Yrs. . Vincent McPherson Aged 17 Yrs. . Joseph Martin Aged 28 Yrs. . George W. Matthews Aged 29 Yrs. . Richard Miller Aged 19 Yrs. . Nelson Milley Aged 17 Yrs. . Thomas Milley Aged 55 Yrs. . Thomas Murphy Aged 21 Yrs. . John Newman Aged 17 Yrs. . Philip Nicholson Aged 18 Yrs. . Michael O’Leary Aged 37 Yrs. . George E. Parsons Aged 28 Yrs. . William T. Parsons Aged 28 Yrs. . William J. Peach Aged 27 Yrs. . Reuben Penny Aged 27 Yrs. . Carl Pietzrack Aged 17 Yrs. . Silas Reynolds Aged 50 Yrs. . James H. Rose Aged 37 Yrs. . Wenzel Schima Aged 23 Yrs. . John Sinclair Aged 17 Yrs. . Mitro Skacun Aged 23 Yrs. . William Snow Aged 65 Yrs. . John J. Steele Aged 16 Yrs. . Herman Teichman Aged 45 Yrs. . Joseph Walsh Aged 19 Yrs. . John R. Whalen Aged 36 Yrs. . Vladislow Wierschbizki Aged 30 Yrs.

Erected to the memory of those
killed in explosion in No. 12 Colliery
New Waterford July 25th 1917
Gaeton Angelo Aged 24 Yrs. • Frank Pancryk Aged 32 Yrs. • Constantino Boa Aged 22 Yrs. • Isaac Boone Aged 38 Yrs. • George Butt Aged 26 Yrs. • George W. Butt Aged 18 Yrs. • Joseph L. Butts Aged 37 Yrs. • Richard Butts Aged 37 Yrs. • Archibald Cameron Aged 38 Yrs. • Lawrence Cameron Aged 18 Yrs. • Matthew Cherry Aged 44 Yrs. • Peter Colman Aged 43 Yrs. • Henri Commaire Aged 19 Yrs. • Thomas Crumney Aged 46 Yrs. • Charles Curry Aged 50 Yrs. • John Curry Aged 45 Yrs. • Michael Curry Aged 26 Yrs. • George Delaney Aged 26 Yrs. • George Domokosch Aged 24 Yrs. • Thomas S. Durham Aged 41 Yrs. • Joseph Fedora Aged 26 Yrs. • Timothy Fahey Aged 40 Yrs. • Charles Ferguson Aged 22 Yrs. • George Fraser Aged 19 Yrs. • Arthur Gadd Aged 15 Yrs. • William Gadd Aged 31 Yrs. • James Gillis Aged 18 Yrs. • Arthur Killoway Aged 41 Yrs. • Eugene Killoway Aged 36 Yrs. • Paul Kleizer Aged 23 Yrs. • Thomas McDonald Aged 18 Yrs. • Roderick McEachern Aged 20 Yrs. • Paul McIntyre Aged 21 Yrs. • John D. McKay Aged 45 Yrs. • John H. McKenzie Aged 21 Yrs. • Frank McLean Aged 19 Yrs. • Andrew McLellan Aged 43 Yrs. • John McLeod Aged 21 Yrs. • Laughlin McNeil Aged 33 Yrs.

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online

• Vincent McPherson Aged 17 Yrs. • Joseph Martin Aged 28 Yrs. • George W. Matthews Aged 29 Yrs. • Richard Miller Aged 19 Yrs. • Nelson Milley Aged 17 Yrs. • Thomas Milley Aged 55 Yrs. • Thomas Murphy Aged 21 Yrs. • John Newman Aged 17 Yrs. • Philip Nicholson Aged 18 Yrs. • Michael O’Leary Aged 37 Yrs. • George E. Parsons Aged 28 Yrs. • William T. Parsons Aged 28 Yrs. • William J. Peach Aged 27 Yrs. • Reuben Penny Aged 27 Yrs. • Carl Pietzrack Aged 17 Yrs. • Silas Reynolds Aged 50 Yrs. • James H. Rose Aged 37 Yrs. • Wenzel Schima Aged 23 Yrs. • John Sinclair Aged 17 Yrs. • Mitro Skacun Aged 23 Yrs. • William Snow Aged 65 Yrs. • John J. Steele Aged 16 Yrs. • Herman Teichman Aged 45 Yrs. • Joseph Walsh Aged 19 Yrs. • John R. Whalen Aged 36 Yrs. • Vladislow Wierschbizki Aged 30 Yrs.

Erected 1922.

Topics. This historical marker and monument is listed in these topic lists: Disasters • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical date for this entry is July 25, 1917.

Location. 46° 14.932′ N, 60° 5.424′ W. Marker is in New Waterford, Nova Scotia, in Cape Breton Region. Marker is on Plummer Avenue east of Baker Avenue, on the right when traveling east. Monument is located at the center of William Davis Square. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3453 Baker Avenue, New Waterford NS B1H 1Z6, Canada. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other

Miner's Monument (<i>west inscription</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 21, 2019

2. Miner's Monument (west inscription)

markers are within 5 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Standing The Gaff (a few steps from this marker); New Waterford World War Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); William Davis (approx. 0.7 kilometers away); Earl Leadbeater (approx. 0.7 kilometers away); Armoured Face Conveyor (approx. 0.7 kilometers away); Joy (approx. 0.7 kilometers away); Anderton Shearer Loader (approx. 0.7 kilometers away); New Victoria Veterans Who Died Overseas (approx. 3.5 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in New Waterford.

Also see . . .
1. New Waterford No. 12 Colliery Mine Explosion, 1917. Historic Nova Scotia website entry:
On the morning of July 25, 1917, at No. 12 Colliery in New Waterford, Nova Scotia a devastating mine explosion erupted causing many casualties. It remains the worst mining disaster to have occurred on Cape Breton Island. There were 270 men and boys in the mine that day, 65 of whom lost their lives and many more were injured. Of the miners who were killed, 30 were from Cape Breton, 22 were from Newfoundland, and the rest were immigrants from Germany, Austria, Russia, and Italy. (Submitted on June 22, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. Worst Cape Breton Coal Mine Disaster. Nova Scotia Museum of Industry:
The follow-up investigation discovered the circumstances of the explosion. To finish opening the crosscut, the face had been prepared for blasting: undercut, holes bored, and explosives

Miner's Monument (<i>south inscription</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 21, 2019

3. Miner's Monument (south inscription)

placed. It was not known that behind the shot hole was a cleavage in the coal. When the shot was fired, instead of bringing down the coal, the force of the explosive took the path of least resistance, flaming down from the back of the hole, through the fault, and out the undercutting, into the dead-end crosscut. The flame exploded methane accumulated there and, fueled by more methane and/or coal dust, roared through the level and beyond. (Submitted on June 22, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

3. Miners' Memorial Monument. Labour Landmarks website entry:
The Miners’ Memorial Monument, located in a square at the centre of town, consists of an inscribed shaft bearing the names and ages of those killed in the explosion, a base inscribed with the words “Miners’ Memorial,” a floral pattern above the engraved names, and a statue of a coal miner standing on the top. Unveiled on 15 July 1922, the monument was designed to serve as a memorial to the victims of the explosion. It was originally established at a location on Ellsworth Avenue, near the site of the No. 12 mine, but it was later moved to the Miners’ Memorial Park on one of New Waterford’s main streets, Plummer Avenue. (Submitted on June 22, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

4. The statue that crowns the Miners’ Memorial. Labour Landmarks website entry:
The statue that crowns the Miners’ Memorial is a representation of a coal miner, with

Miner's Monument (<i>east inscription</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 21, 2019

4. Miner's Monument (east inscription)

a mine lantern in hand. This is not simply a generic miner, however, but the image of a specific person linked to the events of the 25 July 1917 explosion. The statuary is a representation of 45-year-old John D. McKay, the shotfirer who had been blamed by the company for causing the explosion. McKay was also the treasurer of Local 19 of the Amalgamated Mine Workers, a respected community member, and a devoted father. In choosing the image of John McKay to top the memorial, the coal miners were explicitly rejecting the findings of the provincial inquiry into the causes of the disaster. (Submitted on June 22, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Miner's Monument image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 21, 2019

5. Miner's Monument

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 21, 2019

6. Miner's Monument

Credits. This page was last revised on September 26, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 21, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 354 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on June 22, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.