Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-02-24
FATAL ACCIDENT.
Killed in :, PHI by Failing Earth

Killed i'll u Pit by Failing Earth.
Yesterday afternoon about o'c!OcI.
Frederick Kahl, a foreman il the employ Of
Urban & Burger, was almost instantly
killed by being struck by 2 mass ot falling
earth in tn, property cn South Queen
street, known as "Sprenger's vaults,
now belonging 10 Urban tS Burger. Tie
circumstances are as follows: NCssrs.
Urban & Burger are about erecting dwell
ing houses on the site Of the vaults :iHa
had force Of men at work removing some
nine or ten feet Of earth Will: which the
top of the vaults is covered. Tins Garth
has a frozen crust .! spi"c two ieet lii
thickness. and it was removed by under
mining it and then breaking Ia the frozen
crust with diggin.-irons. Just as the mon
were quitting wo,i. last evening, Mr.. kahl
said lie felt cold and would warm himself
up by working q little. Taking "a shovel
he commenced to dig under the o"cr-
hanging crust. \ number OF the work
men were around him, when some one
called out that the crust was giving away.
All the men ran from beneath the ia!iin-:
earth and escaped, except Mr. KaIl. who
moved slowly, as though nc thought there
was no danger. INSTANTLY :. huge cake of
frozen car:l, weighing several tons fell ii.to
the pit. The outer edge Of it st:u",, III.
kahl a slidin. blow OF the left shoulder.
pushing him forward. throwing him to the
ground and falling on i:is lower limbs.
For a moment he held up his head, resting
upon his hands, aud ti.cn sank i!cipl:s> to
the earth. In :. very icw moments; he wa
cxtricated and carried 20 the residence "a;
Amos Urban, Oh tii;: opposite side Of tn.
street, but died ;ctorc ,cachin" it. d.. i.
+. w. Urban and DR.. /. !. Warren VIZ"
almost Immediately ;n tie 9rOml:d af;:t az
tempted TO rcsusrtate him bT artificial
respiration, bU: without avail. D.. i. ".
Raub was also soon iii attend ,nc". b!t the
man was beyond earthly aid. ;t::ll tI'" body
was soon atterwaiHi rci!?,:v.l - t!ia late
residence OF Mr. Kaiil, St. I"s"pa street.,
near St. Joseph, church.
Coroner Mislilcr being notified cm-
paneled :, jury and viewed the ra..,;,::&.
The body was in no way disiisul,:. cScc.t
4 slight abr. ;!on on ti.c i&:l Sl.Gudnl,
and few bTuin.S .n the low@. En!h&. Tii;
jury adioum.r,i ~ !caa"uniD!C in thr ui'-
phaEs' court I,ol.- .ilii :nornin. al . clock
to hear tes,iun.y Dr. 3. =. ". UrbaH,
Jacob C.. Hes, EI"ard Webb, John Fink
and John Mcii,.li.; were swoin, anI thci'
testimony as 10 tic circumstances of the
accident wcr" substantially as a'n', given.
1he .l!iiy Ic:.i":ct - 'I:'i!'i pi Gc;i'!t
caused 10y injuries, rec iy"'i b. She. ta!!;n !:
OF 4 mass OF tai:!:.
Mr. Kahl WAS a:,n;it IS Cr 80 gears OF
age, an honest, iadTSt:i".t man, with :.
wife and two children. "::@ oG them Scvcn
and the othc. about two years Old. For
two or three years past Mr. Ealil ilA;. i,;n:.
in the employ of CrbalI q Burger. AID ,y
reason oi' his E2ciitogioiia cnn'iuct was
made !, foreman OF inun!y @: i.,rir other
workmcn. iic was the leader Gf the
Spring Garden drum corps, q s,.c'n!ec cf
Lancaster lodge No. G2. X. of T., and ol
Lancaster Division, No. 6, Uniform Rank
X. of j.. and also Il mcmi;cr O. the A;nc.i-
can Mechanics. lie was implicitly trusted
10y his employers and highly esteemed hy
Il large circle Of friends and acqu.;:;tanccs,
who are greatly gricvcd by lis scdGcn
death.