Statewide County AZ Archives Obituaries.....Sayre, William 1907
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D. Joshua Taylor http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00006.html#0001358 and Elizabeth Burns  July 16, 2005, 9:04 pm

Arizona Republican-Oct. 24 1907
WILLIAM SAYRE
Arizona Republican Newspaper
October 24, 1907

William Sayre died yesterday morning about 4 o'clock at 
Sisters Hospital from the injuries he received the day 
before in a mine near Wendendale.  The body was taken 
in charge by Easterling and Whiteny and will be sent to 
Wickenburg this morning for interment tomorrow.  Mr. 
Bunker left this morning for Prescott on business at 
the company headquarters.  Fred Anderson, the other 
man injured was operated on during Tuesday night or 
as soon as Sayre had been given attention.  It was 
found that he had a slight skull fracture and the 
wound in his knee was not so bad as had been feared.  
After the operation he was but feebly restored to 
consciousness.  He did recognize Mr. Bunker to the 
extent of responding to the grip of the Federation of 
Miners but his conversation was very limited and soon 
became irrational.  His condition yesterday was 
considered very precarious.


Will Sayre
Arizona Republican Newspaper
October 22, 1907

A frightful incident, pitiful in its entirety, heroic in many 
of its features and possibly to be followed by fatal results, 
had its beginning yesterday morning shortly after midnight, by 
the accidental explosion of two blasts in a mine tunnel, 
seventeen miles from Wendendale.  The victims of the accident 
are Fred Anderson and William Sayre, who were brought to 
Phoenix yesterday and are now in Sisters Hospital.

The incident occurred on one of the properties owned by the 
Harcuvar Copper Company which has offices in Prescott and 
Philadelphia at a camp that was started a little over two 
months ago and is under the superintendence of H.K. Bunker.  
The tunnel is in the hillside approximately 135 feet away from 
the camp.  The two men named were working alone on the night 
shift and had been on duty since 7 o'clock in the evening.  
About 1:30 am someone at the camp heard yelling from the 
direction of the mine and the men in camp went to the tunnel 
opening as quickly as possible.

Arriving they found Anderson lying on a work bench on his 
back.  He was conscious but blind and suffering.  As quickly 
as possible he recited that there had been four blasts 
prepared and that two of them had prematurely exploded.  
He had managed to grope his way out in the darkness and 
did not know the fate of Sayre, whom he urged them to look 
after at once.  They went in the mine and found Sayre lying 
on a muck pile and brought him to the surface.  By candle 
light they saw the men were frightfully, if not fatally hurt.  
Sayre was conscious and spoke to Bunker but a few minutes 
later he began to talk in a way that showed his mind was 
wondering and he did not know where he was.

Anderson known as "Shorty" was fearfully cut up and bruised 
all over the body.

Bunker ordered that no work be done in the mines until an 
investigation had been done and dispatched a boy to 
Wendendale on horseback to summon Dr. F.H. Cartmell and 
this young man and his horse made a record that even Paul 
Revere would be proud of.  It took him just one hour and 
ten minutes to cover seventeen miles and the first five 
miles of the road is very rocky.

As soon as possible two wagons were brought from camp and 
the suffering men placed therein and started for Wendendale.  
The party had made about nine miles when Dr. Cartmell met it 
and a halt was made to examine the condition of the injured.  
Mr. Bunker had brought a lantern but the moon was so bright 
it was not needed.  The two men were brought to Phoenix by 
the first train.

At the hospital yesterday, Drs. Bell, Wylie and others 
helped in fixing up the patients.  Sayre's right arm was 
amputated just below the elbow, his skull was trephine 
and his right eye was destroyed.  Sayre has refused to 
take opiates for the pain but has never lapsed into 
unconsciousness, being cheerful and communicative.

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