Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-04-17
wH,RlEp AROUND A SHAFT.
An Engineer Makes Two Hundred ana
Fifty Revolutions u y Minute aud .
Half and E~eapes with His Life.

Half and ESeapes with HIS Lille
From the Providence Journal
On Friday afternoon last Mr.. Thomas
McGarahan, engineer and machlnlst Tor
the Providence Coal Company, had q
narrow escape from instant death. On
account of one Of the pulleys on the shalt
that runs the dusting- slipping,
he went to the main shaft TO throw OF
the friction in order to stop the maehin-
cry. The main shaft is in the upper
norton of the building, and is 3 inches
in diameter, is 4 feet from the floor and
4 from the root. He reached up to throw
of the friction, and in some manner MS
frock coat was caught in the set-screw
in the collar that holds the shaft in posi-
ton. He was quickly drawn up tight to
the shaft, and went spinning round az
the rate of l60 revolutions per minute.
He, however, did not lose his presence
of mind, and as he went whirlinglround
he tried to pull himself from the shaft by
catching hold of the brace on which the
shaft rests, his clothing, however, refus-
ed 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, when acts
as gears, was only about elght
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 Otn-
er portion of the shaft by an inch board
of hard wood, which was nailed to the
brace. He was hauled on TO the shaft
sideways, and there being but about SIX
inches space between the board ana nan
ger, in which the shaft hung, hewas kept
in that uncomfortable position while go
ing around the shaft. Had 1t not been
for that board, however, he would prob
ably nave been wound around the SHAFT
Highland death would have eusued short
". The strain of 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, par
tally unconscious, but was able after
little to rise and make his way with ass
istance to the first floor There was no other
person in that department when the accl-
dent occurred, but just as Net ARABIAN
broke away from theshait, Mr.. Henry I.
Clark, the proprietor, made his appear
ance TO ascertain why the dusting-ma-
chine had not been stopped. Before the
accident McGarahan hadO frOck coat,
a cardigan jacket, vest, pantaloons, and
two shirts. When he dropped from the
shaft he was naked, his clothes having
been pulled of by fragments. One of his
stockings was pulled offcomptlcely while
the upper portion of the other was only
torn. His left side and groin were severe
ly torn and lacerated by being pulled
round with such rapidity against the
piece of board that separated him from
thecOllar to which he waSattached. Two
of his lower ribs on the left side were
broken. 1t was only eight weeks before
that he fell about - feet into u coal
pocket and fractured two ribs on his right
side. Mr.. McGarahan, WHO'S pleasant
short, thick set fellow, about - years o
age, said to the reporter this morning:
"When was going round the shaft l
thought sure was cooked, but L was
bound not to give up. l knew there was
no one to stop the engine, and that there
was nOOne about to render me assistance,
as the men were all in another part of
the building. | was also fearful that my
legs and arms would be thrown into the
friction and mangled. | think | was on
the shaft about one minute and half"