Hugh Harrigan

     Hugh Harrigan was born on 31 January 1882 at Scammon, Cherokee County, Kansas.¹ He was the son of Hugh Harrigan and Anna Marie McCormick. Hugh Harrigan was baptized on 5 February 1883 at St. Bridget's Catholic Church, Scammon, Cherokee County, Kansas.¹

Hugh was enumerated with Hugh Harrigan on the census of 1885 at Mineral Twp, Cherokee County, Kansas, as Hugh Harigan. Hugh is a white male and 3 years old. He was born in Kansas and he came from Kansas.² Hugh Harrigan was the godparent at the baptism of Annie Celia Brady on 6 October 1895 at St. Bridget's Catholic Church, Scammon, Cherokee County, Kansas.³

Hugh was enumerated with Hugh Harrigan on the census of 13 June 1900 at Mineral Twp, Scammon, Cherokee County, Kansas, as Hugh Harigan. Hugh is listed as a son. He is an 18 year old white male born Jan 1882 in Kansas. Both of his parents were born in Scotland.⁴

Hugh Harrigan married Lillian May Stoker on 16 April 1902 at St. Bridget's Catholic Church, Scammon, Cherokee County, Kansas, other participants were Thomas Brady.⁵

Hugh Harrigan died on 22 June 1917 at Mine No. 8, nr Stone City, Cherokee County, Kansas, at age 35.⁶
An obituary was in the Pittsburg newspaper: Mineral, June 23--Hugh Harrigan, Jr. and Mike Moran were burned to death by a gas explosion in old Mayer No. 8 mine north of here about 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon. The bodies were brought from the mine at 6:30 o'clock last night. No coal was being dug yesterday and Harrigan and Moran were working cleaning up the mine. It is believed that when they closed some crosscuts to change the air course, gas was driven back against and exploded. The faces and bodies of the men were burned and charred, indicating death was due to burning. The men were working far back in the mine and it was hours before the rescuers reached the bodies and brought them out. Perry Moran, brother of one of the dead men, was in the party of rescuers that brought out the body. First Death in Large Family Hugh Harrigan was 33 years old. He is survived his widow and seven children; his parents, Mr. and Mrs Hugh Harrigan, Sr. and eight brothers and four sisters. The death of this son is the first to occur in the family of fifteen. One of the brothers surviving Hugh is Bernard Harrigan, former president of the United Mine Workers District 14 and now a commissioner for the Southwestern Interstate Coal Operators Association. Another brother is Joe Harrigan, a member of Battery D, which was mustered into service in Pittsburg last night. The home of the Harrigans is in Carona.

Amoung the brothers beside those mentioned are Dan, John, Ed, Angelo, and Leo. Three sisters live in of near Carona and one married sister live in Chanute. Arrangements for the funeral of Harrigan had not been completed early this afternoon, but it was thought that it will probably be held tomorrow. Moran was about 30 years old. He is survived by his widow and three children. The funeral will be held from the residence tomorrow afternoon at 3 o'clock. Burial will be held in Hosey Hill Cemetery. Operated by Francis Ryan The mine in which the fatal explosion occurred is being operated by Francis Ryan under a lease from the Mayer company. After the Mayer company quit operating the shaft it first leased it to a firm of Italians who later gave up the lease and them Ryan took hold of it . The mine is pretty well worked out and less than 30 men are now employed. State Mine Inspector Fred Green and his deputies are making an investigation of the accident.⁷

An obituary was in the Columbus newspaper: Two men were killed by an explosion in Mine No. 8, near Stone City, yesterday afternoon. The victims were Hugh Harrigan, of Monte Carlo, and Mike Moran of West Mineral. Yesterday was an off day at the mine but Harrigan and Moran, both company men, went about their work as usual and happened to be the only persons in the mine at the time of the explosion.
Both of the victims were well known throughout the coal mining district, and each is survived by a family. Harrigan leaves a widow and seven or eight children, and Moran is survived by a widow and two children. It is not known when the explosion occurred. It was about 4 o'clock when the engineer noticed black smoke pouring from the shaft but the explosion could have taken place sometime before because the smoke and gas does not always escape readily. An alarm was given and a rescue party entered the mine. The bodies of Harrigan and Moran were found about one-half a mile west of the bottom of the shaft. Both had been dead for sometime. Harrigan's body was stretched out flat, while the body of Moran was found in a sitting position, with one arm across his forehead, While both bodies were badly burned death was probably due to suffocation. From the appearance of Moran's forehead, he was either struck by some flying object or he ran against something while attempting to flee from the gas. A mule was in the mine at the time of the explosion, It was found standing, still hitched to a car, some distance from the bodies of the two men. The mule had one eye burned out, and the animal was badly burned all over. Just what Harrigan and Moran were doing in the mine and what caused the explosion is not know. It is reported, that the men were engaged in laying track. Their dinner pails were found empty showing that the explosion occurred some time after noon. The mine is located a short distance west of No. 9, where twenty men were killed by an explosion last December.⁸
Hugh Harrigan was buried on 24 June 1917 at St. Bridget's Cemetery, Scammon, Cherokee County, Kansas. Miss Mary Grady came down from Pittsburg Sunday, to attend the funeral of Mr. Harrigan.^9,10
The following appeared in the Columbus paper: Investigation of the disaster at Mine No. 8, near Stone City, June 22, which cost the lives of Hugh Harrigan and Mike Moran, company men, caused a warrant to be issued for the arrest of Francis Ryan, charging him with failing and neglecting to have the mine tested for gas before the two men entered the mine and neglecting to have the gas diluted. It is alleged that Ryan was the lessee and operator of the mine at the time and therefore was responsible for the explosion which killed the two men.
Ryan was arrested this forenoon and brought to Columbus to appear before Justice E.R. Pattyson, by whom the warrant was issued. The date of the trial has not yet been set because Ryan wished time to consult with his attorneys. The offense with which Ryan is charged is a misdemeanor under the Kansas las, and not a felony as was first reported.
The complaint upon which the warrant for Ryan was issued was sworn to before the county attorney by Fred Green, state mine inspector.¹¹
The following appeared in the Columbus paper: That Francis Ryan did not dilute the gas in Mine No. 8, near Stone City, bdfore it was entered by Hugh Harrigan and Mike Moran, on June 23, was the decision reached this morning by Justice of the Peace Bol Pattyson, and as a result Ryan must pay a fine of $100 or appeal his case to the district court. He probably will do the latter. June 23 was an off day at Mine No. 8, which Ryan operates under lease, and the regular force was not at work. Harrigan and Moran were company men, however, and they entered the mine as usual, expecting to spend the day repairing tracks.
About 4 o'clock in the afternoon a cloud of black smoke eminated from the mouth of the mine, the result of a gas explosion. the engineer gave the alarm and when a rescue party entered the mine, both Harrigan and Moran were found dead. Harrigan's body lay stretched out flat, while the body of Moran remained in a sitting position with one arm across his forehead. While both bodies were badly burned, death was probably due to suffocation.
Following an investigation of the disaster, Fred Green, state mine inspector, swore to a complaint charging Ryan with failure to take proper precaution against gas in the mine and Ryan was arrested by Constable Arthur Pattyson. The case was tried yesterday afternoon, but Justice Pattyson withheld his decision until this morning.
The Advocate was in error yesterday in stating that Ryan's arrest grew out of the explosion at Mayer Mine No. 9, near Stone City, last December, that mine being operated by Ryan and Reedy.¹²