Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-05-21
rHs ELEVATOR ACCIDENT.
Warren tiutchinss Mario. Escape
from Death.

As promised yesterday . reporter was de
tailed - investigate the case of the nan who
was crushed under the elevator Al Prlsistly's
factory, and the facts were found. ssrs iaearly
a. stated by the young lawyeE, snd gi'sen IN
IHE Ts1EdKAAI yesterday morning. The
accident hAppened lsst Saturday morning,
and when the circumstances are known Il II
difficult 10 see how the man escaped instant
death. The man who was injured Is Warren
Hutehins, Of ll2 Michigan street. Is years
old, and teacher by profession. He was
driving span OF mules for another man,
and went to the factory for load of school
desks for Mr.. Haney. The decks were up
stairs. Mr.. Hutehins went up, helped 10 load
them on the elevator and then went down
the steps 10 see that his team WAS not dis
turbed by ths descent of the elevator. The
elevator shaft Is built outside of the factory
proper, with al opening 90 TIE alley and
inside to the shop. As Mr.. Hutehins reached
the ground hoor he saw that the
mules were becoming uneasy, and ~ reach
them by d short cut. he attempted to pass
through the shaft under the elevator as IL
was coming down. The man on the car saw
that Hutehins was going thdlgh the shaft
and attempted TO stop, but casting about
the brake broke and the elevator dropped.
lie went down on his face on the sawdust,
which is about two feet thick IN the bottom
OF the shaft, with the elevator hnd It's load of
three or four hundred pounds on his back.
Ii went down with such force as To loosen
the planks on the bottom Of the elevator,
and all who witnessed the accident supposed
that the mau was killed. lle was able TO
speak, however. and said. ''rhise the eleva-
tor" Levers were obtained and the elevator
was lifted enough to allow hiel TO crawl out.
lie got up, brushed the sakg-dust of his
clothes, and with little assistance walked
To the wagon, was Laid upon the
blankets and driven home. AT home
he went to bed and has been there ever
since. When called upon yesterday after
noon he was feeling very well, and expects
10 be out again IN a few days. One of ms
shoulders was badly bruised, but ia nearly
well. What bothers him mosstis two bruises,
one on each side of his spine. just above the
kidneys, supposed 10 have been caused by
two bolts which projected through the iioor
of the elevator. He said he never knew how
to sympathize with people who are buried 10y
falling walls until his experience with the
elevator. He was not stunned by the fall.
but when he asked them 10 lift the machine,
and until he got out and found ie could
walk ne supposed he was mortal'y injured.
He takes his misfortune good -naturedly,
and says that be hopes that the accident may
be the means of preventing other accidents
of a similar character. Mr.. K. II. Priestly
has called upon him twice since the accident
and urged him TO call surgeon to examine
his injuries. but he has not done 81 Mr..
Hutchins has taught school neari, forty
years. From 1875 to 1879 he had q aree OF
the gardens III connection with Corr II Uni
versity He spent a short time oi "a farm
near Big Rapids, came to this city May,
'S4, and last Fall and Winter taught the
school at Eagle Mills. He has certificates
from the Professor of Horticulture and 9th
ers at Cornell University highly commend
ing him as teacher and horticulturist.