JOE BELLI
Arizona Silver Belt
November 5, 1892

The death of Joe Belli, in the Hoosier shaft last Saturday, was 
an accident for which no blame attached either to the management 
or employees. Belli and Fred Wills worked in the cross-cut at 
the bottom of the shaft, 260 foot from the surface.  The 
waster rock is hoisted to the 160 foot level.  A heavy pentice 
just above the 160 foot level protects those working below 
from falling rock which might become detached above.

Just before noon a heavy shower of rain set in and a small 
stream of water ran into the mouth of the shaft and over 
the pentice to the bottom where the men were at work.  It 
was at the time when the men were quitting work for dinner 
and Duncan Smith was at the windlass.  Wills who was about 
to ascend, concluded to wait until the water stopped 
falling, and Belli then put his foot in the loop at the 
end of the rope and gave the signal to hoist.  Belli has 
ascended to within a few feet of the tunnel floor, and 
Smith saw his hand outstretched as though to grasp the 
planks but before another turn of the windlass, Smith 
felt the rope slacken and realized that the man had fallen.  
Belli fell at least 95 feet.  Wills' candle had been 
extinguished by the splash of water and he did not know 
what had happened until he reached out his hand and 
touched Belli.  He drew the body into the drift and 
found that life was extinct and as soon as help could be 
procured the dead miner was raised to the surface.

The funeral took place Sunday afternoon from the hospital 
and was very largely attended by friends of the deceased.

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