The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-06-10
DEATH ON THE DOCK.
Duluth Tribune of Thursday

Duluth Tribune of Thursday.
What is doubtless the most horrible
accident that has happened in this city
Tor many years occurred on the North
western Fuel Co. S dock No. 2, about
4:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon, res
ulting in the death and mutilation of
Thos. Burk, the engineer OF dock No
l. Hearing the prolonged alarm of
steam whistles in the vicinity Of the
dock, thereporter hurried down to the
scene of the terrible accident and found
the facts concerning it as follows:
The engineer left his engine house
OF dock No. /, the east dock, and went
TO the east end Of No. 2 to adjust the
wire hosting rope on the first drum, it
being running a little out Of ORDER
He was standing astride the main shaft
which is only eight or nine inches
above the planks of the dock, with one
one the knuckles revolving between
his legs. He leaned over to adjust
the rope on the drum with his right
hand, when the head Of the coupling
pin in the knuckle caught in the left
leg of his breeches and drew the limb
under the shaft, and very suddenly be-
cause it sustained very little Of the
weight Of his body at the time. He
was thrown violently to the dock, his
head first striking near the edge Of it,
and then quickly nearer and nearer to
the fatal shaft as his mangled body
was Whirled rapidly over and under it.
Men on the schooner Gen. Seigel and
on the dock heard the first death cry
but none saw him caught, although it
was plain from the position Of the re-
mains how it occurred. The body
must have made over half dozen
revolutions before the engine could be
stopped, and then what a horrible
sight met the eyes Of those who had
nerve enough to face it. Strong men
took one look, then turned and walked
away. The legs and body to the mid
die Of the back were wound round the
shaft, the head and shoulders resting
face down upon the planks with the
arms bare and shattered and the fin
gers all pounded into shreds, out
stretched toward the vessel. There
was nothing in the mangled mass Of
flesh, bones and intestines wound about
the shaft to give evidence of what they
formerly were, and only the shoulders
the battered head and arms retained
the semblance Of Il man Frank Pier
son, first mate of the schooner Gen.
Seigel, volunteered to remove the re-
mains from the shaft, but only sue
ceeded in doing so with the use OF d
knife to cut away strips Of clothing
and flesh wound tightly around it. Ali
particles of the body to be found about
the scene Of the accident were collect
ed and the whole laid out on a board
and washed as well as possible by the
kind hearted sailor. In the meantime
Deputy Coroner Dunphy had been
sent for, but when he arrived he de-
cided that no inquest was necessary.
The remains were placed in coffin
and kept at the dock last night, and
will be buried this morning.
Thos Burk was about forty years Of
age. He has wife and five young
children living in Detroit Michigan.
He came up from that city four or five
weeks ago to settle some business mat
tiers at Superior just after the death Of
his mother at that place For month
past he was engineer on dock No. l,
Of the Northwestern Fuel Co., and
proved himself to be steady and
faithful employe.