Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-11-13
FA14L
A Party of FRY workmen overeon. b,
Gas in u sewIfr at chicaeo-Threo of
Them Lose TRpir Lives.

A Party of Firj workmen overeoms BY
Gas In a Sewer at Chlcago-Threc of
Them Lose Tbeir Lives.
CHICAGO, OF. 24.-Treacherous w
gas claimed tht lives OF three mel in the
town of Lake yesterday. Edward McCar-
thy, Peter Nobney and Stephen Brennock
are dead fronI its effects, and John Smith
and Patrick Mtlnerney seriously ill. Bren-
mock was trekoreman of a gang of men in
the employ 81 the Union Rendering Com
a who nd been engaged in skimming
the grease from the filthy water that
flows through the Stock-Yards sewer. The
sewer cross{s the stock yards in asoutherly
direction dnd empties into the %stagnant
south brsqth, and is the Receptacle Of the
otfal and filth of the packing-house district.
Brenock f'as notified yesterday that the
flow of lie sluggish current was stopped,
and was directed to remove the obstruc-
tious. After all investigation the OBJ
stacle Mas located i'll the northern
division jbf the yards, near the outlet Of
an e%igjteen-inch drain-pipe, connecting
the sever with Armour II Co.'S ack-
ing hoJse. The cover of a manhole was
lifted Ind a ladder lowered into the thick,
Slim, fool below. The sewer is five feet
in daileter and its bottom at this point is
abntt ten feet below the surface of the
grund. Mccarthy and Mooney entered
tie sewer and after remaining a short time
we're compelled to come out for a breathing
.Ame. After a short period Mccarthy
and Mooney descended the ladder a
second time to continue their work.
A few steps from the foot of the
ladder Mccarthy, who was slightly in
advance of his fellow-workman, encount-
cred the flow of the deadly gas, and pitched
forward OH his face into the reeking cess
pool. At the same instant the fatal blast
struck Mooney, who turned to make his
escape. He seized tine rotten rung of the
crazy ladder. 1t broke beneath his weight
and he fell back against McCarthy's body.
Brennock heard the cries of the
suffocating men, and calling the
other workmen to aid him descended
to the rescue. He grasped Mooney, but the
Sitting fumes filled his throat and lungs,
and he, too, fell into the sluice. Smith
and McInerney started down the broken
ladder to rescue Brennock. Before Smith
reached the bottom of the ladder he was
overcome by the gas. McInerney seized
Smith by the coat collar and held him,
while others pulled both men out of the
Qeatll-hOIe.
A crowd had gathered by this time, and
men ran to the packing-house for pike
poles. The gas poured out of the man
hole in volumes sufficient to daze the by
ISLANDERS; but the work of rescue did no
flag. The pike-poles were twisted i'll
to Brennock's clothing and he wa
hauled out. A faint, Pickering
pulse was %perceptible, and efforts to revive
him were at once begun, which after {
time proved successful, but the unfortunate
man died late last evening. McCarthy's
body was not found for three hours aftcl
his fatal entrance into the sewer. and liz
was, of course, quite dead, as was Mooney
Brennock and Mooney were married, the
former leaving a wife and seven children
and the latter a wife and four children.
Smith and McInerney will recover.