Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-22
COKED TO A CRISP.
Little Willie Heron Meets Fearful
Fate at Mcdonald by
FALLING INTO A BLAZING OVEN.
While Playing Marbles He Stepped Back
and was Quickly
REDUCED TO A SMALL BLACK cINDER

When Dave Heron returns to his home
at Mcdonald he will shudder at the fearful
fate which has befallen one of his younger
brothers. Several friends of his family
were in town yesterday searching for him,
as it was understood he was working in
Pittsburg.
AT o'clock in the afternoon two bright
and promising young lads were deeply alb
sorbed in a game of marbles at Mcdonald
station. They had selected, for game at
BULLS eye" the top of the coke ovens,
which, owing to their smooth surfaces. were
a favorite resort for the youngsters. One
of these was Willie Heron, the 9-year-old
son of Michael Heron, who is a miner.
Little Willie and his companion prosecuted
their game with ali a boys ardoi, unthink
ing of the terrible thing that shortly hap
pened, and unmindful of the wreathes OF
brown smoke which curled upward from the
charging holes of the ovens all around, or
the mass of living coal which blazed so close
to them.
Fell Into the Fiery Furnace.
The ovens were ready for drawing and the
coal was at white heat preparatory to being
Stacked, an operation which would have
been performed the day previous if the
works had not been closed down because of
the flood. The workers were absent and the
boys had the place ali TO themselves. 1t
came to Herron's turn to play and then oc-
CURED one of these terrible accidents which
Fate holds in reserve as a climax to the more
ordinary trials to which the human race is
liable. The unfortunate lad in stepping
back to take a shot at mis- adversary's
marble, disappeared without an instant's
warning into the vortex OF flame which
issued from a charging hole.
The poor lads companion at once sought
help, and not a moment was lost in trying to
recover the unfortunate boy. The Superin
tendent of the works, which are owned by
w. 2. Rend, at once hastened TO the ovens
and ordered the drawing door broken down.
The bricks were town down without delay,
but 10 minutes had elapsed in the interval,
and the workers knew their efforts were uu-
availing to save the boys life. he perished
almost instantly on falling within the oven,
sutfocated bv the IUxious gas and all that
now could be done WAS to recover his re-
mains.
A CarboniZed Human Body.
The Superintendent inserted a drawing
rake within the oven and in minute or so
all that was left of little Willie Heron was
an undistinguishable black mass OF cinder,
so small that 1t would fit mans open palm.
1t was reverently gathered up and placed in
bag, and thence conveyed to the home of
the boys stricken parents, who are beside
themselves with grief at the terrible death
o! the bright little fellow.
The occurrence was an accident and could
not have been avosded. The charging holes
are always open when the ovens are in use.
W. P. Rend has declared his intention of
doing everything possible by the family,
and has charged himself with the funeral.
Dave Heron had had a tiff with his
family and was not living with them. They
had lost trace of him, but now were anxious
he should return to them in face of the
calamity that had befallcn them. Coroner
Mcdowell was notified.