Morning journal and courier., 1882-04-18

An Engineer Makes Two Hundred and
 Fifty Revolutions in a Minute and
 Half and Escapes With His Life.
 From the Providence Journal
 On Friday afternoor last MT. Thomas Me- Garahan, engineer and machinist for the Providence Coal company, had narrow es- cape from instant death. On account of one of the pulleys on the shaft that runs the dusiing- machines slipping, he went to the main shaft to throw of the friction in order to stop the machinery. The main shaft is in the upper portion of the building, and is 3 inches in diameter, is feet from the floor, and from the roof. He reached up to throw off the friction, and in some manner his frock coat was caught in the set screw in the collar that holds the shaft in position. He
 was quickly drawn up tight to the shaft, and
 went spinning round at the rate of 160 revo- lutions per minute. He, however, did not lose his presence of mind, and as he went
 whirling round he tried to pull himself from
 the shaft by catching hold of the brace on
 which the shaft rests. His clothing, how
 ever, refused to give way, and his hands and
 arms were bruised and torn in his attempts to free himself. What made the situation more dangerous was the fact that the friction,
 which acts as gears, was only about eight inches away, and should he be drawn into
 that his lease on life would be short. Another singular fact was that the collar containing the screw which caught up McGarahan was separated from the other portion of the shaft
 by an inch board of hard wood, which was nailed to the brace. He was hauled on the shaft sideways, and there being but about six inches space between the board and hang CT, in which the shaft hung, he was kept in that uncomfortable position while going around the shaft Had it not been for that board, however, he would probably have been wound around the shaft tight and death how cbortlx Tho train nf his body on the board by being pulled by the shaft tore his clothes, which finally. gave away and he was released. He fell to the floor, partially unconscious, but was able after little to rise and made his way with
 assistance to the first floor. There was no other person in that department when the accident occurred, but just as MeGarahan | broke away from the shaft MT. Henry c. Clark the proprietor, made his appearance to ascertain why the dusting- g-machine had not been stopped Before the accident McGarahan had on a frock coat, cardigan jacket, vestS pantaloons and two shirts When he drop ped from the shaft he was naked, his clothes having been pulled off by fragments. One of his stockings was pulled off completely, while the upper portion of the other was torn and lacerated by being pulled round
 with such rapidity against the piece of board that separated him from the collar to which he was attached. Two of his lower ribs on
 the left side were broken. It was only eight
 weeks before that he fell about p feet into
 a coal pocket and fractured two ribs on his right side. MT. McGarahan, who is pleas
 ant, short, thiok-set fellow, about ? years of age, said to the reporter this morning: "When was going round the shaft thought sure 1 was cooked, but I was bound not to give up. | knew there was no one to stop the engine, and that there was no one about to render
 me assistance, as the men were all in another | part of the building I was also fearful that
 my legs and arms would be thrown into the
 friction and mangled. I think I was on the l shaft about one minute and half.n