One hundred years ago, 31 coal miners died

One hundred years ago, 31 coal miners died when a massive explosion rocked the town of Ravensdale as a huge fireball erupted from the mine’s portal. It happened at the Northwestern Improvement Company’s Ravensdale mine at 1:25 pm on November 16, 1915. Earlier that Tuesday morning, 150 miners had been working when all but 34 were sent home because of an electrical problem in the hoist machinery. As the remaining miners continued working underground, a powerful explosion killed 31 men, leaving 20 widows and 55 dependents. Three men survived. A coroner’s jury comprised of John Marlow, Thomas Dobson, James Carson Jr., E.F. Lawson, Dennis Driscoll, John Sullivan, Foreman, and J. Tate Mason, Coroner; found that 31 miners came to their “death by reason of an explosion of firedamp and coal dust.” Some of the victims were buried in the Ravensdale cemetery where a Commemorative plaque has recently been placed. The original of this poster featured all the victims, with assembled photographs and their names printed below. This composite of that poster was cleaned up with photographs meticulously enhanced by Donna Brathovde of Ravensdale. Donna, together with JoAnne Matsumura of Issaquah further researched all 31 names to determine the correct spelling for the deceased, many of whom were immigrants with uncertain spellings. The corrected names of the victims are as follows: Jacob Ramshak, Louis Tazzioli, John S. Davies, Luigi (Louis) Minaglia, Domenick Novaria, Thomas Spek, Frank Wegher, John B. Castagno, Edris D. Morgan, Charles B. Davis, John (Jack) Errington, Thomas Mosiakoski, Patrick J. Dowd, Emil Pawellek, Howard Salter, Noah Goodman, John (Jack) Muncie, Guilio (Joe) Baldacci, John Testa, John Arko, Mansueto Pennacchi, Leandre Thibaut, Lorenzo Dasmartino, Morris Angeli, Thomas J. Kane, Joe Krajnc, John C. (Jack) Storey, Romeo Medaini, John Martincic-Miller, Josef Zgonc, and Joe Galob. Research for this project was provided by Michael Brathovde as part of the Ravensdale History Interpretive Signs project, sponsored by the Ravensdale Park Foundation, King County Parks, and funded in part by a grant from 4-Culture.