This image shows Fred Spencer, a Monson Slate employee, after he had lowered himself into one of the quarries to rescue two fawns that had fallen into a narrow mine shaft. While one fawn is clearly visible, the other is lying beneath the slab of slate in the center of the photo.

Since the open pits were not protected and there was often no signage signifying the beginning of a pit, it was easy for persons or area wildlife to fall into the pits if they were not paying attention.