Montana Historical Society
Archives
RS 310_RS 498
Montana. Industrial Accident
Board.
Montana Industrial Accident Board records
1915-1971
5.6 linear ft
This collection is a sub-subgroup
(Board) of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry records, RS 498. The
Industrial Accident Board operated independently until 1971, when it was abolished and its
duties transferred to the Department of Labor and Industry. Please see the primary finding
aid for more Montana
Department of Labor and Industry records. These records of the Industrial
Accident Board consist of a financial journal, Board minutes, and two subject files
concerning the Speculator and Bear Creek (Smith Mine) mine disasters. (OVERSIZE MATERIAL:
map case)
33:6-7; Financial Records
Volume 120:9-6; Map Case
English
The Montana Industrial Accident Board was established in 1915 for the purpose of ensuring
financial compensation to victims of industrial accidents. Mining has played an important
role in the history of Montana, and the industry has been a significant employer.
Consequently the Accident Board played a major role in providing compensation to victims of
Montana's mine disasters.
Mining is a dangerous occupation, and large and small mine disasters have claimed the
lives of many miners in the state. On June 8, 1917 a fire, started by a carbide lamp, spread
rapidly through the shafts of the Speculator Mine, owned by the North Butte Mining Company
in Butte. The disaster was responsible for the deaths of 164 miners. Following an explosion
in 1943 in the Smith Mine, a coal mining property of the Montana Coal and Iron Company at
Bear Creek, 74 miners lost their lives.
The Industrial Accident Board was abolished in 1971 and the Board's duties were transferred
to the newly formed Division of Workmen's Compensation within the Department of Labor and
Industry.
This collection consists primarily of Board minutes (May 3, 1915-December 6, 1971). Also
included is a financial journal (1915-1925) listing Board expenses and premium income debits
and credits; and two subject files (1934-1950, undated) concerning mine disasters.
One of the subject files (1934-1950) contains information relating to the Bear Creek
(Smith) Mine disaster including correspondence; lists of miners killed and their next of
kin; lists of widows and other beneficiaries paid compensation and funeral allowance; a list
of 73 miners buried by a Red Lodge funeral home; and a list of those receiving emergency
hospital service from the American Red Cross, including addresses, occupations, type of
injury, and dates of admission and discharge. Also included is a "List of Widows Receiving
Compensation as of January 1, 1940" for fatal injuries in mining accidents.
The other subject file (undated) contains a "List of Fatal Accidents Occurring at
Speculator Mine June 8, 1917" (undated) providing the name of the accident victim; date of
death; their beneficiary; date claim was filed, allowed, paid, and the amount; and marital
status. (OVERSIZE MATERIAL: map case)
The collection is arranged by series.
Collection open for research.
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical
Society Library & Archives. The Library & Archives does not necessarily hold
copyright to all materials in the collection. In some cases permission for use may require
additional authorization from the copyright owners. For more information contact an
archivist.
In 2024, the various collections of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry were
integrated under one collection identifier, RS 498, in order to help facilitate access,
reduce redundancy in the Montana Historical Society Library & Archives catalog, and to
follow best archival practices.
Collections from Montana Department of Labor and Industry's various Divisions and Bureaus
that were previously treated as separate entities are now integrated into this collection, RS 498. Rather than reprocessing over 20 linear feet
of DLI materials, MTHS staff decided to keep the past arrangement of those
collections/finding aids and provide access to them via links in the primary finding aid.
This decision has allowed the MTHS archival staff to maintain intellectual control over the
collection, while removing the need to reprocess it. It also keeps State Agency finding aids
at manageable sizes. Please read the scope and content note carefully to determine if
this subgroup/sub-subgroup pertains to your research needs.
Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers.
Montana Historical Society Library & Archives, Helena, Montana.
Acquisition information available upon request
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Montana Historical Society
Archives catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places
should search under these terms.
Coal mines and mining--Montana.
Copper mines and mining--Montana.
Granite Mountain Speculator Mine Disaster,
Mont., 1917
Mine accidents--Montana.
Mines and mineral resources--Montana.
Smith Mine Disaster, 1943.
Industrial accidents--Montana.
Bear Creek (Mont.)--History.
Smith Mine (Mont.)
Speculator Mine (Mont.)
Montana
Mines and Mineral
Resources
Detailed Description of the Collection
Financial Records
1
Journal
1915-1925
Minutes
1 / 1-2
Volume 1
1915 May- 1919 April
1 / 3-4
Volume 2
1919 May -1922 March
1 / 5-6
Volume 3
1922 March- 1924 September
1 / 7-8
Volume 4
1924 October- 1927 January
1 / 9-10
Volume 5
1927 January- 1928
December
1 / 11-12
Volume 6
1928 December- 1930 July
1 / 13-14
Volume 7
1930 August- 1932 March
1 / 15-16
Volume 8
1932 April- 1933 October
1 / 17-18
Volume 9
1933 October- 1935 May
1 / 19
Volume 10
1935 May- 1936 June
2 / 1
Volume 10 (cont.)
1936 June- 1937 August
2 / 2-3
Volume 11
1937 August- 1939 June
2 / 4-5
Volume 12
1939 July- 1941 April
2 / 6-7
Volume 13
1941 May- 1942 November
2 / 8-9
Volume 14
1942 December- 1944
October
2 / 10-11
Volume 15
1944 October- 1947 March
2 / 12-13
Volume 16
1947 March- 1949 March
2 / 14-15
Volume 17
1949 March- 1950 December
2 / 16-17
Volume 18
1951 January- 1952
December
2 / 18
Volume 19
1952 December- 1953
December
3 / 1
Volume 19 (cont.)
1954 January-August
3 / 2-3
Volume 20
1954 August- 1956 April
3 / 4-5
Volume 21
1956 May- 1957 November
3 / 6-7
Volume 22
1957 November- 1959
October
3 / 8-9
Volume 23
1959 November- 1961
September
3 / 10-11
Volume 24
1961 October- 1963
September
3 / 12-13
Volume 25
1963 September- 1965
August
3 / 14-15
Volume 26
1965 August- 1967 May
4 / 1-2
Volume 27
1967 May- 1969 March
4 / 3-4
Volume 28
1969 March- 1970 April
4 / 5-6
Volume 29
1970 April- 1971 December
Subject Files
4 / 7
Bear Creek (Smith) Mine Disaster (includes
correspondence, a list of miners buried by a Red Lodge funeral home, an agreement for
funeral services, a list of miners receiving services from the American Red Cross, a
list of miners killed and their next of kin, and a list of widows paid compensation)
1943-1950
OVFD /
Speculator Mine disaster (consists of a "List of
Fatal Accidents Occurring at Speculator Mine June 8, 1917") (OVERSIZE MATERIAL: Map
case)
undated