The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-12-08
THE ACCIDENT AT NoRWALK.


Some of our comments upon the ao
cident OF Norwalk, by which the two
SOUS of Mr. Mckinley lest their lives,
were made under misapprehension OF
the facts. The distressing event is de.
scribed by the Norwalk Reflector thus
On Monday, the 22d, about / o'clock,
by some accident, bucket was lost in
the well, and James, the younger of the
two lads. was let down by his brother,
to recover it, the lad stepping one foot
into large hook, and holding on by a
rope attached-an apparatus used in
digging and etoning up the well-and
the brother wound down the windiass.
1t is not positively known whether be
reached the bottom of the well alive or
not, probably he did not, but failing to
come up with the rope, John, the older
brother, spoke to the father. who was
standing, near by, and said he thought
something bad happened to Jimmy -
and he would go down and see where.
upon the father let him down, in like
manner. He also failing to return to
tho surface after sufficient time, and
t making no response to the calls of his
father--(the bottom of the we'll could
not be Distinguished )-the latter became
alarmed, and sent for neighbor to as
sist him. The neighbor came, and vas
about descending into the well when Mr..
HiIam Rose, who was then present sug.
gested that there might be-" damps"
there. A lighted candle was at once
obtaine and let down into the we'll; ;
but it aad hardly descended eight feet
before it was extinguished. Then the
terrible truth flashed upon that stricken
father, that his boys were lost, and his
feelings can neither be describedn or
imagined.
A large number of people soon assem-
bled at the scene of disaster, and the
afternoon vas spent in unsuccessful
efforts to recover the bodies. Attempts
we're made in various ways, to expel or
neutralize the foul gas, but without
success Water was thrown into the
well; powder was let down 10 vessel
and exploded by pouring Goals of fire
down upon it; rosin, ignited by means
of red hot iron; waste aud balls of can.
die wieking saturated with turpentine
and other combustible material, were
set on FIRE and lowered into the we'll.
While these and other means of simi-
lar character were being employed to-
expel the deadly vapor, the FIRE engine
w:s taken to the spot; the hose lowered
to The bottom of thewell, and the brakes
set in nation, hoping thus se.introduue
81 fficient pure air to overcome the
clamps" But all would not do
Every method that seemed TO promise
hope of success, was tried in vain.
We believe that at one time lighted
torch was lowered to the bottom of the
well, but in pulling it up it went out,
and upon again making the attempt,
the light was extipeuished within FIVE
or six feet of the top. The failure to
purify the air in the well, may have been
occasioned, more or less. by its peculiar
construction AS We have stated, it
vas about fifty eight feet deep; three
feet in diameter at the bottom, and
fifteen to eighteen inches at the top 4
Finally, at about dark, men we're en-
ployed TO take up the we'll. At about
IL O'Clock, having gone down some
twenty feet with their W ork, efforts werc
again made, by means of large bel,
lows from the Railroad Machine Shops
and in other ways, to purify the atmos-
phere in the we'll; which proved sue,
cessful, and the bodies were recovered.