The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-12-04

- = p 80 49, $780,
tipped ard cauEnt fire. bat ] put that o8'
easily. After johnson iefi. ] started woTs
sg4fa near the toy ~ the tank. ard n .
few N aufes another Ere started, n =
less time thar Il takes 70 tell the w10if
place wzs a mass q smoke and flames
heard Asheufeiter exclzlrn. Fer God
sake, Frank. hold the ladder
II st}4 down the ladder as fast as ! csuld
and croped for my partner and found
him lying on hfs back near the sslsmanfeF
J picked him up 81 ny arms and tried =
get him up the ladder. but the flames were
roaring arossnd me - thick that / ~as
compelled - Jet him drop. Il almost broks
my heart. ard / could not have felt worse
over a brother. ! kuew had 70 hurry II
order % save my oWu lie. 50 ciimbed out
through me top and swung over the sde
and IN some manner found the adder
That IS All I remember. How ] got dow1
70 the ground 7 % not kno~. Ar- Ashen'
feIter was one or the finest men l ever
knew. and was very kind 70 me"
GallaEher's hands are badly burned
about the fingers. and would have been
burned % A crisp had not he had a large
quantity q tar on them. which pr9tecte1
them from the flames. II is thought MS
recovery viii be rapid.
The scene Of the Accident.
The tank II situated on the highest
piece o. ground IN the preserve. and -
about 60 feet north - the main building
and 50 feet west Of the gymnasium. II
is Ia feet in diameter a. the bottom. Il
feet a. the top. and II feet higa. II was
cos cred by a roof. built on slaves that
projected above the rest % the tank, leay-
ing an opening OF about fourteen inches.
Il g seventy-dve feet above the ground.
and Is bult on large timbers. f2xl2, 2 feet
long. The water had all been pumped
out. so as 70 have the tank perfectly dry
Tor the repairs that had 20 he made.
The ~salamander. or stove. Is a sheet
iron. circular vessel. standing on iron legs.
The fire is made in the bottom Of shaw
lngs and coal. and when the tar becomes
too cool 70 paint with the buckets are
held over the fire By means OF hooks or
sticks. IL was while the bucket was being
he'd over the fire that the handle. which
II fastened to the bucke by solder. came
loose, causing the tar 70 spill and ignite.
Tbs work y generally done on the out
side and h0isteG up. but 20 save the work
o. a man and complete the job in quicker
time Ashenfeiter placed the stove inside
the rank and aid the work himself.
Superintendent Johnson sad last night
tha. he considered the work extremely
dangerous and told AshenfelteT so, out
had no power 10 stop the contractor IN
the work. IL IT had been a workman
alone. he should have done so. Mr.. john
son NdE1 n U4kn LA4UtltS 70 AHF AFH't tA0At
and deplores very much his tragic end.
Deputy Coroner Teater took charge OF
the remains and VIII hold an inquest to-
day. after which the body will be sent to
p0kan ~ the members OF the scottish
Rte Masons for burial. \ telegram was
sent TO his wife apprising her or his
death.
Ashenfelter's Honorable Record.
As contractor on the new university
oa- sArnurn into
frequent intercourse with Edmond ;.
Meany. secretarysof the board OF regents.
and there grew up between them a warm
and permanent friendship. Mr.. Meany
last evening gave the following informa-
ton about his friend:
Il don't know when anything has nap
pened thai seemed quite so awful 10 me
as this sad death. When Mr.. Ashenfelter
came here a year and a half ago 10 bid
on the contract 10 construct the new uni
vers.ty building there probably was not
a man in Seattle who knew him, but after
these eighteen months of living and work
ing in our midst there have been multi
pied for him friends by the score, VINO
vii be completely shocked to hear of his
awful death.
MIR. Ashenfelter was born IN Pennsyl-
vania about 81 year ago of a Pennsly-
wanna Dutch family. whose name was the
synonym of industry and Integrity. Al
ways ambitious as "A young man. ne
struck out for himself before completing
his education. and first began his work
as a carpenter In Illinois. afterwards set
Ting la Chicago. About eight years ago
he removed 10 Spokane, and soon built up
a lucrative business, owning two sawmilis
and carrying on an extensive contracting
business. lie built the Great Northern de-
pot building IN Spokane and the extension
addition to the Medical Lake hospital for
the insane. which work established his
reputation in this state for honest, faith
full workmanship.
Then he formed a partnership with
Sol Cameron, of Spokane, for the purpose
of bidding on the university work. They
were the successful bidders. but Mr..
Cameron withdrew. and AIR. Ashenfelter
threw his whole spirit into the undertake
ing. and successfully completed It, though
he told me he thought when he settled
up all his account he would lose about
5000 on the contract. He was extremely
anxious 70 complete all the remaining
odds and ends OF the work, so he could
turn IL over TO the state and resume his
work IN Spokane.
His Pride I'm His Work.
Tile has a beautiful home IN Spokane.
and a wife and interesting family of seven
children. He often gave expression 10 his
HI EtAt ga AHtA AhAA "a - 49, At ~ A-HaH
verslty. and said he would see 10 il that
every one OF his children was educated
there.
when he started the work on the main
building he was besiegcd by hundreds OF
men needing work. and often said he
wished he could give each one of them
good places to work. He was especially
anxious To help the university students
who were. trying 10 earn their way
through school. and not a few OF such
students can testify 70 his enthusiastic
Encouragement and help. Ii VAS evidence
Of tnts kiu that soon convinced me that
Harry Ashenfelter was a superior man,
as well as a successful builder.
An Incident OF His Royhood.
= remember one incident Of his boy
hood. lie said one day that all during thu
war times no regiment OF Union soldiers
ever PASSED through Philadelphia with
out being generously fed. not to say ban
quoted by tho people Of that city, He re
memherst those times, and once he
climbed over the fence enclosing "A regi-
mont with a basket OF trinkets ON his
arm To sell 30 the soldiers. Al officer
caught him. but beiug interested at the
spirit manifested Icy the little fellow.
passed him i'm. and SO he had sold every
thing he bad. From that moment 10 abe
time % his unfortunate death he was al
ways pushing his own way and climbing
up in tho world.
Nlilc sf work buildlnc she university
ha f1t~a} oriental lodge. No. =. Of Free