True story of the worst hard rock mining tragedy in US history that occurred on June 7, 1917, when a worker at the Granite Mountain copper mine accidentally started a fire that rapidly spread into a fiery inferno, trapping 400 miners underground and killing 168. The narrative follows the history of copper mining, the Copper Kings, the people involved in the tragedy, the company’s responses, and a detailed analysis of what happened.

The first half describes the causes of the disaster and rescue efforts. It highlights the heroic actions of two men - Manus Duggan and James Moore. They each saved lives by leading a group of men to build a bulkhead in two different places, which enabled them to escape the toxic gases produced by the fire. This section delves into the lives of the men and their family members. It is based on interviews of descendants and contemporaneous news accounts.

The second half covers the miners seeking safer conditions and better pay via unions, and the resistance to their demands by the company. It covers labor history and the associated violence. It speaks of politicians, corruption, and legal battles. It is an engrossing book filled with tragedy, heroism, and the struggles of workers for improved conditions. The author provides many detailed footnotes. He ties the Butte mining disaster to the bigger picture of politics, labor, and legislation on local, state, and national levels. ( )

Gripping story of a horrendous tragedy that coincided with America's entry in WWI. On June 7, 1917, workers in the Granite Mountain copper mine in Butte, Montana accidentally started a massive fire which raged out of control underground, trapping 400 miners and killing 169. It was the worst hard-rock mining disaster in US history. The hero of the fire was young miner called Manus Duggan, who saved the lives of other miners by building a bulkhead to shield from the toxic gases, but tragically lost his own life within sight of rescue, leaving a pregnant wife. The story of Duggan and his wife Madge forms the story around which the book revolves, as she recovers from the tragedy to give birth to a daughter and then go onto a remarkable career in public life. The latter half of the book covers the savage fight between miners seeking safer conditions and better pay and the implacable Anaconda company which stubbornly fought against their union and its demands, a fight that frequently turned violent and led to the savage murder of an official of the Industrial Workers of the World, the radical left labour organisation which was opposed to the war and which sought to hijack the Butte miners strike for its own purposes. This is a tremendous book, full of tragedy, heroism, the passion of workers struggling for a better deal and those who sought to stop them. Simply a great and though-provoking read. ( )

1917, Butte, Montana was one of the most tumultuous places in the United States. The United States had just recently joined World War I and Butte’s copper mines were needed to help aid in the war effort to manufacture weapons. Men worked in poor conditions and mining was taking place around the clock non-stop. On June 7, 1917, the greatest mining disaster in American history started. In North Butte, at the Granite Mountain Mine, a fire was started below ground that trapped several hundred miners below ground. Some escaped, but over one hundred men perished. The book explains the heroics of men like Manus Duggan whose heroics and bravery helped save some miners from certain death. The book has several first-hand accounts and also has letters and documents that bring this historic tragedy to life. This book was a good read because I am from Butte and have been to the Granite Mountain Memorial several times. Reading more in-depth about the story of the tragedy was very interesting. Reading letters and excerpts of experiences from that day was very intriguing. The story is a big part of history in Butte. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the tragedy. Outside sources are trying several things to tell the story of the tragedy in Butte. One of the things the district is doing is having a writing contest about the Granite Mountain disaster. This would be a good source to use. This book is also a good book to learn about the history in Butte.