Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-19
HIS LIFE CRUSHED OUT
Peter Nelson Killed at New City Post
Office
A Huge Stone Falls Through . Break
In the Engine-A Terrible
Sight.

About l:1O o'clock this afternoon there
was an accident at the new city post Office
building which resulted IN the almost In
slant death of one Of the men employed on
the work. Peter Nelson. a derrick man. A
large stone. which was being lifted into
place on a level Of about the second story,
dropped and struck Nelson. pinning him
between the stone and one of the iron cir
ders of the first floor. He was alive wnen
the stone was moved and ne was lifted out.
but he died at the Emergency Hospital be-
fore the physicians were able to do anything
at all.
1t was shortly after the dinner hour ard
the work on the new building was going
on leisurely and quietly. Several derricks
are in use in various portions of the struc-
ture. and enc of them was being used to
raise a massive piece OF granite.
The stone was tied up In a heavy wir
cable from the derrick that IS stationed at
the northwest corner Of the building. The
stone was just inside of the front wall and
above what Will eventually be the main
corridor Of the building. The accident oc-
CT rred just inside of the main entrance on
Pennsylvania avenue.
The stone had been raised to height OF
three or four feet above the Intel OF the
front door, and vas to have been placed in
the wall inside the doorway. Notwtthstand-
ing the fact that the workmen about the
building have been warned against standing
under one of these swinging stones, Nelson,
who was standing at work just below the
level Of the main 6oor did not move when
the block of granite swung above him. All
of sudden and without the slightest
shadow of warning this great piece OF stone
dropped q distance of about twenty feet,
as II the wire cable itself had snapped.
Nelson was standing on one OF the stones
of the foundation. SO that his shoulder was
just above one of the iron girders of the
main floor. The stone struck him almost
CIlra re 6lx nd xvh fin racf-
ing place on the foundation, Nelson was
edged tightly between the stone and the
iron.
Immediately there was great excitemen,
and people rushed 10 the scene OF the ac-
cident. Nelson was still alive, and, though
he was eroaning pitifuliy, IL was impossi-
bic to tell whether or not he was con-
scious. In all probability he was not. His
| right ann was practically severed at the
wrist. so that nothing was left but a bloody
| stump, and the iron beam beside him was
covered with blood. There were cuts about
| his head and il was evident that he had
also suffered frightful internal injuries.
When help came in a few seconds il was
| found that the man was so tightly wedged
| between the stone AMI the girder that he
| could not be lifted out. Levers were placed
| beneath the block of granite and in a few
| moments the man was lifted out from be
| low and then carried out into the bright
sunlight, a mashed and bruised body. The
| ambulance was summoned and he was SEN
| TO the Emergency Hospital, but died JUS
| as he was being laid out on the operating
| table. A cursory examination disclosed th'
| fact that one at least OF his arms wa.
| broken and both legs. The coroner was
| summoned and viewed the remains latei
| in the afternoon. Ali the witnesses to Ia,
| sad occurrence were noted and an Inquest
| will probably be deemed necessary.
| The stone which fell upon the unfor
| tunate man was one Of the large blocks o
| granite used in the main walls of the new
| building. 1t was six feet long by four fee
| wide, and about three feet thick, and prob
| ably weighed something over three tons
/ The accident was not the result of a breal
| in the wire cable. as was at first supposed
| or in the big wooden arm of the derrick
| 1t occurred in the engine itself. The wir,
| cable runs around the big drum" of tn
| donkey engine, and this drum is held II
| place by the dog" a piece of iron an incl
l and a half thick, which catches in tn
| ratchets of the wheel and prevents IL from
| slipping back. This heavy piece of iron
| for some unknown reason, snapped off lax
| a match stem, and as all hold on the C bl
ceased Instantly, the stone fell as though /
| had no support whatever.
| Nelson was white man about THIRTY
| years Of age. He was IL married, and wa.
| regarded by the stone contractor as one o.
the best men in his employ. He was en-
| gagged about the del rick, ard was supposed
| to have been familiar with it's workings
| only a few days ago by Mr.. Bell, to worl
| about the new building. Comparatively littl.
| is known of him here, as he had only beer
| connected with this job slice last Monday
| and he boarded With the family of one o
1 his fellow WOrknen.