St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-01-14
a Sad Fatality.

BY the bursting of an emery wheel at
the Lincoln Iron Works in Rutland.
last week, Thomas Ross, the proprietor,
was so seriously injured that death re-
suited in about two hours. Mr.. Ross
stepped up to an emery wheel and was
| polishing a disc when the accident oc-
Cured. The wheel was Is inches in di-
ameter, and It inches in thickness, and
was speeded up to 1900 revolutions per
minute. In some way Mr.. Ross lost his
hold upon the disc and it was carried
down between the wheel and wooden
rest which stood beside it. causing the
former to burst into two pieces of near
| ly equal size. One of the fragments
struck Mr.. Ross in the left upper side
of the face, destroying the eye and
breaking the bones into the cavity of
the skull. The other portion of the
wheel flew up high above his head and
came down upon the left side of the
skull, producing second opening to
the brain. The injured man was taken
to his home on Grove street, where his
wounds were dressed. He never re-
covered consciousness, and at about
halt-past five o'clock in the evening
passed away.
Mr.. Ross with F. NJ. Strong of Yer
gennes) was the inventor of the Howe
scale. In 1857 he moved to Brandon
and contracted with Howe (from whom
the scale takes its name) to manutac-
ture the scales. After few years he
sold out his interest to Mr.. Howe. In
1865 he moved to MiddIebury, where he
conducted foundry and machine shop
l. D..
1860, and in partnership with his broth
er-in-law, c. H. Forbes, established the
Lincoln Iron Works. The company
did a good business, and the partner
ship was continued until 1872. 1t was
then dissolved, and Mr.. Ross continued
the business up to his death. Within
short time he had invented an improv-
ed coffee mill which was likely to be-
come a large and profitable business
Mr.. Ross also invented and patented
several other useful articles. He was
gifted by nature with a remarkably
clear intellect and an active brain. He
was industrious and made the most of
his opportunities.
Mr.. Ross was quite a prominent fig
ure in town and church matters. He
took an interest in all public business
and was honored by public trusts. He
was member of the Congregational
church and took an active part in its
affairs. Tuesday evening last he was
elected deacon and chairman of the
committee on discipline. He was pres
ent at the meeting and the act was par
ticularly gratifying to him. He was
man of deeds, not words. At Tuesdays
church meeting however he spoke at
some length, and startled those who
heard him by saying so much and say
ing it so impressively. The Rutland
Herald, from which we have taken
much of the above, says of Mr.. ROss's
character: His private life was unex-
ceptionable. His public acts we're I'M
selfish. All measures for the general
good had his sympathy and his help.
He asked no recognition he sought no
office. The church, the village and the
town are his debtors. His acts were un-
Obtrusive, his methods open. He COM
pretended fully the obligations of citi-
zenship and never hesitated in the face
of duty. Few men got SO much praise
as Thomas Ross; a smaller number de-
seIve it. His character can be described
in two words that make the grandest
obituary ever penned; he was a good
citizen