Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-08-11
A1eSanaria d asette.
S w ais Death in a Dream.
FRrn,y E.FNING. AUG. II, 1893.

S w his Death in u Dream.
4 bad dream came star,lingly true
in the minutest details in New York
on Wednesday, when a rotten rope
which held one end of a scattoid or
which three painters were painting the
rear wall of the building at So South
street. broke and precipitated the
workmen six stories 10 the ground
James Fisher, who had only been hired
that morning, will die, and there is IL
tie hope of the others, James DWyei
and Benjamin Simons, who were H.
iured internally.
DIVER said to Simons, his partner,
when he went to work that morning:
"Ben, l had bad dream last night.
! dreamed that you and and another
man were wo king on scatloid. The
rope broke and we were all thrown
down."
"And what then ?" asked Simons.
81 woke up just as the rope broke. !
guess we were all killed, though"
Just then Fisher, who had been hired
TO assist in the work without the
knowledge of Dwyer, came up. 1t was
, rranged that all three should work on
The same scatfold, a rude affair about
is feet long and three feet wide. The
scaffold was drawn up to the root,
where Dwyer and Simons had left it
Tuesday night. Simons stepped onto
il and Fisher followed him.
Dwyer held back and examined the
fastenings Of the ropes carefully. 81
mons laughed at him, and told him to
come on.
~ don't like this rope" said Dwyer,
pointing to the rope holding up one
end of the scotlold-the same which af
terward broke.
Come on, said Simons, inpatient
ly, at held US up yesterday all right.
Its safe enough. What is there to be
afraid OFF,
Dwyer finally Welded, and stepped
on the scafold, holding on by the cor
rice, however, and letting his weight
down gently. The rope held.
II told you so" said Simons:
The scaffold was lowered about
eight feet below the roof, where the
men had left off work last night. The
$ aflold held all right until 9 O'Clock,
vi en- the rope parted without warn
ing.
The three men were precipitated OF
TO Il eavy glass skylight on level
with the first floor above the street, at
the rear of the building. The 6 lass
was supported by heavy galvanized
iron eros spices, but the force of the
fall sent the men crashing through the
glass, breaking half dozen cross
pieces TO the floor.
Plumber F. X. Whitmore, who was at work
in the basement, heard the crash and ran ~
the steps at the rear of the building. He saw
the three men lying unconscious in heap
covered with the paint from their buckets
which had fallen with them Help was eau
eel and the unfortunate trio We're taken to the
ChamheIS Street Hospital. + ish,rs skull is
fir area and recovery is impossible
lJwyer rcgained his senses suti iently to
,,fl Capt; in Cartwright about the accident.
hia,n,d Taylor Brothers his employers,
70 it, AZ d said that the rope was decayed.
.l?tain Cartwright caused the broken rope to
rc on ed aud taken To the station house.
II could almost break II by simply pulling
on it." said he.
The scatiold was the police say. net only
supported by the rotten rope which broke,
but was also without guard rail which, under
the provisions of the law, must be fixed at
the outer edge OF the scaffold. Both the
ropes and the scatIold had been used through
out the JOB.
Taylor Brothers, the contractors, were
promptly notified of the accident, and the
senior member, dward S. Taylor was put
- ar