Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-08-02
A Fatal Lime.kiln-A Mother and Two
Children Suff0cated.

There was sad accident on the farm
OF John E. Cameron, near this place.
yesterday, by which his wife and two
OF his children met their deaths. Mr..
Cameron has lime-kiln on his farm,
about quarter of mile from the
house. Yesterday morning he built
a fire in the kiln, and before leaving it
lowered son thirteen years of age
into the pit, by means of the bucket
and windlass, to see that the drafts and
fuel were in proper condition. All
being right, the boy was hauled UP.
and the two went to work in hay
field. The operation of lowering and
hosting the lad had been witnessed by
two other children of Mr.. Cameron-a
boy about nine years old and girl
aged five. Fifteen minutes afterward
the little boy came running into the
house, pale and breathless, and startled
his mother and grandmother with the
exclamation, ELLEN is in the lime
kiln, and l can't get her outv' The
two women ran to the kiln, followed
by the boy, who had explained to them
that he had thought it would be nice
to ride his little sister up and down in
to the kiln, when SHE commenced to
scream, and he tried several times to
draw her up, but couldn't start the
bucket. When the women reached the
kiln, Mrs. Cameron looked down and
saw her child lying at the bottom, hav-
ing become overpOwered by the gas
arising from the limestone that had
commenced to burn. The heat was
also becoming intense in the pit.
Mrs. Cameron, believing that her
little boy could put the uncon-
scious child in the bucket and get
back into it himself before suffering
any serious consequences from the gas,
placed the boy in the bucket, and i'm
pressing him with the necessity of
haste when he reached the bottom,
lowered him down. The little fellow
jumped from the bucket, and succeeded
in getting his sisters body into it, He
then grasped the rope himself and his
mother and grandmother began to turn
the windlass as rapidly as possible.
The bucket was raised but two or three
feet when the brave boy fell back to
the bottom, overcome by the gas.
Tho bucket was drawn to the top, and
the body of the little girl quickly re-
moved and placed on the ground.
Mrs. Cameron then told her mother
in-law, a lady nearly seventy years of
age, that she must lower her into the
kiln, as she must go down to rescue
her son. The old lady seized the crank
and Mrs. Cameron got into the bucket.
The weight was more than old Mrs.
Cameron could control, and the crank,
slipped from her hands, and whirling
round struck her on the head, stretch
ing her, bleeding and senseess, to the
ground. The mother of the children
was precipitated with great force to
the bottom, and no doubt rendered I'M
concious before the poisonous gases
had their deadly effect upon her.
About this time the Pittsville stage
John Kane, driver, came along by
Cameron's farm. Kane discovered
the body of old Mrs. Cameron lying
bleeding by the kiln, and that of
the child lying near her. He stopped
the stage and jumped out to see
what was the matter, followed by a
gentleman passenger. The bodies of
Mrs. Cameron and the other child
were discovered at the bottom of the
kiln. Kane told the passenger to turn
| the WlndlaSS as soon as he gave him
the word, and then rapidly descended
I into the pit, hand over hand down the
rope He placed the body of Mrs.
/ Cameron in the bucket, and she was
| pulled quickly up and placed on the
ground. The bucket was then lower
/ ed, and Kane succeeded in getting into
1t with the boys body. Kane was I'M
/ conscious when he reached the top,
and 1t was long time before he was
able to sit up. BY bathing old Mrs.
/ Cameron with water Kanes compan-
+ ions soon restored her to consciousness,
/ but her daughter-in-law and two grand
chlldred We're dead. As soon as Kane
/ was able to walk the three corpses and
/ old Mrs. Cameron were put into the
stage and taken to the house. and Mr..
/ cameron was summoned from the
/ held, where he was working all uncon-
sclous of the terrible tragedy. Mrs.
I Cameron was about thirty-fve years
/ old. This kiln is singularlv fatal
! one. No longer ago than last fall two
men working for Mr.. Cameron were
+ suitocated IN it under circumstances
similar to the above. and three persons
besides have met their death in it Mt
different times during the past seven
yearS.-PittyrWe Pa Cor. Y. I.
Times.
y resolution to abolish corporal
punishment i'm thu. ,,,,I,lin -.h,,,t.s hos