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The Scofield Mine Disaster

Question
Background Information
Archive
Teacher Resources

Central Question:

In what ways did the Scofield Mine Disaster encourage Progressive Reform?

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The family of Levi Jones, who was killed in the explosion, surround his coffin


Image courtesy of the Utah Department of Cultural and Community Engagement.
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A father and son killed in the explosion lay in their coffins



Image courtesy of the Utah Department of Cultural and Community Engagement.
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A crowd surrounds graves as they are dedicated by LDS leader George Teasdale


Image published before 1923 and property of the public domain.
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Read more about the Scofield Mine Disaster below!

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Denounce Strike of the Scofield Miners

A newspaper excerpt from the Pleasant Valley Company miners, denouncing the Scofield miners' labor strike.
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Great Precautions Now Taken

Excerpt from James W. Dilley's History of the Scofield Mine Disaster, an entry about precautions taken to increase the safety of the mine after the explosion on May 1.
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Deseret News Mine Inspector

A quote from a mine inspector published in the Deseret News on May 4, 1900. The inspector relates that many safety precautions were not followed, which led to the explosion.
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Investigate

Excerpt from James Dilley's History of the Scofield Mine Disaster, people proclaim that there should be a thorough investigation into the disaster, and modern precautions should be taken to protect all miners.
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Necessary Precautions

Excerpt from James W. Dilley's History of the Scofield Mine Disaster, places the blame for the explosion on insufficient safeguards
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Cause of the Explosion

Excerpt from James W. Dilley's History of the Scofield Mine Disaster, the account tells that the explosion came from the direction of the poorly stored powder magazine, indicating that the tragedy was preventable.
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Inspector Not Warned

A newspaper article from the Salt Lake Tribune. The inspector of the mine, Gomer Thomas, denies ever being warned of unsafe mine conditions.
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Interview Manufactured

An article in the Salt Lake Tribune from Thomas Sneddon, superintendent of the Diamondville mines. He denies a quote that was attributed to him in an earlier article, in which he reportedly said there had been negligence on the part of the mine.
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President McKinley Expresses Sympathy

President McKinley's written condolences to Utah after the explosion, published in the Salt Lake Tribune.
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Investigate (2)

A newspaper article published in the Salt Lake Tribune on May 4, 1900. The article calls for an investigation of the cause of the disaster once the site has been excavated.
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The Scofield Disaster

An article in the newspaper, the Latter-day Saint Star, which gives a death toll from the explosion and quotes President McKinley's condolences.
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The Scofield Disaster Song

A song written by an unknown author about the community fallout from the mine explosion.
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Preparing for Inquest

A Salt Lake Tribune article, May 3, 1900, that tells of the prosecuting attorney and Justice of the Peace were preparing for a legal inquest into the cause of the disaster.
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Sensational Charges

Robert Forrester, an engineer in charge of the mine, speaks out against sensational newspaper articles, not backed by evidence, that placed the company in full liability.
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New York Evening Journal

The New York Evening Journal has a picture of the mine explosion, and compares the sight of it to a volcano erupting.
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The Accident Ought to be Enough

The Salt Lake Tribune, the accident will not have been in vain if it is enough to compel corporations and state authorities to put safety precautions in place.
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Photographs

A collection of photos from the aftermath of the mine explosion.
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Scofield Mine Disaster Song (2)

A YouTube video of a song written about the Scofield mine disaster.
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Lyrics to Scofield Mine Disaster Song (2)

The lyrics, written out, to the YouTube song about the Scofield Mine Disaster.
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This lesson can be adapted to fulfill either a Utah History Core Standard or a US History II Core Standard. Find the resources for both classes below.

7th Grade:

UT Standard 3.4: Students will identify the causes and effects of the Progressive movement using examples from community or state history, such as the organized labor movement, tax reform, the Scofield mine disaster, and education and child labor reforms.

11th Grade:

U.S. II Standard 2.1: Students will use primary and secondary sources to identify and explain the conditions that led to the rise of reform movements, such as organized labor, suffrage, and temperance.

Lesson Plans
Utah History Standard 3.4

7th Grade
US History II Standard 2.1

11th Grade
Graphic Organizer
7th Grade
11th Grade

Instructions for Graphic Organizer

Teachers: You may need to simplify, adjust, or scaffold these instructions for students, depending on grade level/ability. This is just a general outline.

  1. Choose 6 sources from the archive page to analyze. (Teachers: you can add or remove rows from the table if you want students to look at more/fewer sources)

  2. In the first column, write the name of the source, the author, the date it was published, and the type of source it is.

  3. The next four columns list different responses to the Scofield Mine Disaster. In each row, mark which responses are seen in that source by drawing an "X" or a checkmark in the corresponding boxes. More than one response may be seen in one source.

  4. Compare worksheets with the people around you, make sure a variety of sources have been analyzed by the people in your group. Pay attention to trends such as which responses were more commonly seen in the sources. You may want to add up the number of checkmarks in each column within your whole group.

  5. Discuss the three questions at the end with your group, and then answer them individually on your worksheet.