The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-10-17
Shocking Accident at the Blu
ford PloW Works this
Morning.
Second Meeting of the Bust
ness Mems Association.
Shooting Affair just outside
of the City Limits.
A Gay Young Man Hurries
out of Town, to avoid
Arrest.
Sparkling Locals of every
Name and Nature.
MYSTERIOUS AND SHOCKING ACCIDENT.

MYSTERIOUS AND SHOCKING ACCIDENT
This morning, about 8 O'Clock, it was
currently reported that an accident had oc-
CURED at the Buford pillow works and that
three or four men had been killed outright
and as many more wounded. An ARGUS
representative went Immediately to the es-
tablishment in question and met Mr. B. d.
Buford who gave him all of the informa-
ton possessed by him and then intro
duced him to Mr.. NJ. 8. O'Neil,
FOREMAN OF THE SHOP
in which the accident occurred. From the
statements of these, and other gentlemen
subsequently interviewed, we are enabled
to present the following correct account
Of the shocking accident.
For some time tine elevator in use near
the westerly extremity of the wood shop,
has rubbed the guard and floor of each
story, when ascending and descending.
and it was determined to plane and other
wise reduce the projection Of the
elevator platform. This morning there
fore. soon after O'Clock, Mr..
O'Neil took workman named j. Dedrick
Struss, Cor John D. Struss as he is better
known to his associstes,) with the necesss.
ry tools up to the third floor in the elevator
and the work was begun. While Dir. Struss
was at work, the elevator boy, Frank Blom>
quist. stood uponIt
WITH MR.. sTRUss
while Mr.. ONeil sat upon the third story
guard rail, with his legs dangling above the
elevator platform, instructing Mr. Struss
how to proceed Not long afterward,
without any warning whatever, the eleva-
tor began to descend. or rather. it began to
fall like an apple from tree, and IS the an
tomato spring proved too weak to catch
the ratchet ON either side and thus to check
the descent, the elevator fell to the base
ment floor
WITH LOUD CRASH.
At the instant it began to fall, however,
Mr. O,Neil had sufficient presence of
mind to throw himself backward
over the rail and thus landed
all right upon the floor. Young Blom-
quist chung with deathlike tenacity to the
elevator rope and being thus enabled to
maintain vertical position all the way
down escaped unhurt. but dreadfully
frightened, as Immediately after the mis-
hap he started for his home on keen run
and hasn't been seen since. With poor
Struss, however, it was altogether different.
Soon after the elevator started he fell
PRONE UPON THE PLATFORM
and being unable to regain his feet
the terrible conclusion when the elevator
struck the basement floor wounded him
shockingly The accident occurred not
far from $50 o'clock and Struss was
placed upon cot and taken to his home
at No. I'll Fourteenth street, between
Seventh and Eighth avenues, all the while
conscious and suffering the most excruci-
ating pain. Prior TO removing him Drs.
Carter and Eyster were called for by tele
phone, and the response was quickly made
by both persons, and they accompanied the
injured man home. An invalid bed, made
especially for cases similar to this, which
was at the Kenworthy residence on the
bluff, was sent for by DIR. Carter. and Struss
was placed thereon.
THE EXAMINATION
revealed q shockingly fractured right thigh,
the right wrist broken, some injuries about
the face and head, and internal injuries,
the extent of which could not be deter
mined. At this time the unfortunate mans
groans, accompanied with frequent splitting
of blood, were distressing in the extreme,
and up to late hour it is impossible to
tell just how badly he is injured
Before leaving the works the writer
sought out Mr.. John G. Lafrenz. foreman
of the iron department, by whom he was
referred to Mr.. J. J. Carroll, one of his
men, who is o neighbor of the injured man
and knew more about his family than any
body else did Mr.. Carroll said that in
every respect Mr.. Struss was likely, in
iustrious man. He owns story and q
half house in which he lives, (and this is
about al of his worldly possessions, has o