The Story of “Big” Bill Murphy
Tonopah, Nevada – 23 February 1911
In the early morning of February 23 1911, fire broke out at level 1,666 deep within the Belmont Mine. With no time to spare a 28-year-old cage operator named Bill Murphy descended in the mine cage — twice — to rescue the stricken miners, bring them back to the surface. On his third trip down, he did not return.
Murphy and 16 other miners were lost. Murphy, and some of the other miners, are buried in the Tonopah Miners Cemetary on the outskirts of town.
This monument on Main Street in Tonopah was erected in front of the Tonopah Post Office to honor the heroic acts of “Big ” Bill Murphy and the 16 miners who perished that day.
The plaque on the monument reads:
“Big” Bill Murphy – This statue depicts Big Bill Murphy, hero of the tragic Tonopah Belmont Mine fire that killed 17 miners on February 23, 1911. Murphy went down in the mine cage a number of times to bring up stricken miners. On the last trip, he did not return. Statue designed and built by Adam Skiles. Dedicated May 28, 2005.
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