Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1889-07-26

y
siding in LaPorte, among the num-
Der Judge Mason and family who
sympathize with the bereaved family.
The following is written by an eye
witness of the sad accident at Kipp's
Splash dam on Thursday July 18th.
1t was received after the above was
in type. ED.
BY AN EYE WITNESS.
Special to the Republican.
On Wednesday of last week O. f.
Mingos and d. NJ Hinman of Mon
roeton friends of G, W. Kipp made
a visit to Mr.. Hipp's place of busi-
ness, about four miles above Lopes
to enjoy brief vacation and see the
log drive. On Thursday p m, Chas.
Swepenizer, Mr.. Kipp's book-zeeper,
o. T. Mingoes, Isaac Kipp and Chas
Burrus, all of whom had been giving
a helping handwriting that the
splash dam was full and over-howing
left some men working on jam of
logs about % rods above the dam,
and repaired to the dam to raise the
gates. Mingos and Burrus taking
the right hand lever and Kipp and
Swepenizer the left. The levers were
raised and brought down once, then
there came a snap, a crash and the
gate and timbers raised and at the
same time sent forward with great
force for about ten feet, when men
and all took horrible leap Of fully
ten feet, some of the timbeTs going
end over end, all in the mad rushing
waters together. Just as the snap
was heard Kipp, who very thought
fully planned an avenue of escape,
should an accident occur, made
quick spring, and fortunately struck
upon some planks leading to the
shore, and was safe. In moment
after the mad leap Of timbers and
men, all came to the surface again.
Burrus in the midst Of the timbers,
to the right and Swepenizer and
Mingoes to the left. Then came the
struggle for life. Burrus, however,
seemed to be in luck In moment
the timbers separated and he was
carried with great force toward the
shore. and finely made landing on
the right bank 40 rods below the
dam. Swepenizer and .Hingos We're
carried with the main current. the
latter being seen for the last about
eight rods below the dam, when his
body disappeared. G. f. Heverly
who had been on the dam about five
minutes before the accident and feel
ing the dam give, had communi-
Gated this fact to the others when
they went on to raise the gates. Mr..
II. was spectator TO this horrible
scene and at once put down the
stream in search OF the unfortunate
men. About 40 rods below on the
right bank he found Burrus, who
was very fortunate, only receiving
two or three slight bruises. A bout
so rods below the dam on the left
hand side he found Swepenizer com
pletely worn out in his terrible fight
for life. He was badly bruised and
cut. but not serious. Swepenzer
said he could have stood it only a
few minutes longer. In his strug-
Gle logs had passed over him and he
was under water for the greater part
of the distance he was carried. His
escape certainly was a mericle. Only
for n projecting tree that he came in
contact with and caught on to, he
would have been drowned. The
search was continued to the mill,
mile below the splash dam, and Min
roes' body not found. 1t was eyi-
dent that he had been killed when
he went down with the timbers. Men
gathered in large numbers, search
inc for his body until dark, and was
resumed again on Friday morning.
Finally 10y lss%sssing the logs in the
dam at the mill ffSsss ~ eiy was found
badly cut and bruised, at 4 p, m,
(Fridav). The body was at once
taken to Monroeton. Mr.. Mingos
was about SO years of age and a
Iprominent business man. lie leaves
wife and two sons TO mourn his