Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-22
MANY NARROW ESCAPES
Accidents Happen to Foreman Key With
Peculiar Frequency.
He Has Had Many Bones Broken, but
CoOlly Continues to Risk
Further DELEGATIONS.

The last fatal accident on the city post
office building has resulted In recalling
many "reminiscences of awful falls expert
enced by iron workers on high buildings.
Peltaps no man has ever had more start
ling experiences in this way than has Will
lam Key, foreman Of the gang of iron
workers in which the fatal accident oc-
Cured
Key was employed on the Auditorium in
Chicago, and saved himself in as danger
GUS a fall as perhaps any man has ever ex-
perierced. He was working 12O feet above
the ground floor in the Auditorium, which
height is a little greater than that from
which Beach fell on Friday. He was as
ssting in launching an iron girder on
derrick, and when the great mass of iron
swung into tho air it carried Key with 1t.
He was launched down the pit of the stair
way head first. He had gone sixty-five
feet. when he came in contact with an mp
right iron post, about which he threw his
arms and swung in circular motion until
he had made several revolutions. He low
cred himself to the floor near which he
grasped the post, and. returning to ibis
work, continued throughout the day. He
received not the slightest injury, and ex-
perienced no Inconvenience from his ter
rfble leap into space. In speaking of this
fall which is known to many persons, he
going head first down the well of the stair
case, and, seeing the upright post ahead of
him. believed that he would come in con-
tact with it, and determined to grasp it.
Had he missed his mark he would have
gone among the iron Orders, probably
striking his body from floor to floor until
ne made the entire distance Of 12O feet
Many Bones Broken.
While William Key escaped from that
fall without injury, he has not Jared so
we'll in other accidents. He has had both
wrists broken, has had his left arm broken
in three places, has had his leg broken. as
We'll as three ribs These breaks were sus-
tanned IN a number OF accidents. Keys
peculiar experience is that he has never
fallen except head first, and of his five
very serious mishaps all have occurred in
the month of August.
Nv hen l saw Charles Beach fall last
week. said Mr.. Key to a Star reporter to-
day, at reminded me of the danger Of Au-
gust. I felt as If l had had another close
call ard wanted to see this month pass
BY"
Key. like most Of the men who work in
dangerous places on high buildings Is
fatalist to considerable extent. He is a
fatalist at least when the subject of death
is considered. He believes that when his
time comes he will go. and that 1t makes
little difference whether he Is working $50
In the air or whether he is enjoying the
comforts Of a quiet home. The accident
that did him the most injury occurred
when he fell from the second story of a
building head first a pile of stone in
the basement. That caused serious injury
and some broken bones.
The Dream Came True.
Another accident occurred under peculiar
circumstances. 1t was In the fatal month
Of August, and Mr.. Key had dreamed of a
horrible accident, in which he was the
principal Before he went to work he re-
lated his dream to some of his intimate
friends, and they tried to persuade him not
to go en- the building. but he thought it
was childish to be Influenced by a dream
and went to work as Usual.
I was as sure that morning." said Mr.
Key today, that would meet an accident
as am now sure that I did meet it. The
me from the moment I got up in the morn
ing until 1 was wedged in against the
granite wall by an iron girder which I had
tried to pry out with a crowbar, but which
had fallen against me. All the muscles Of
the upper part of my left arm were pulled
beam. as 1 saw that I must either accept
shattered arm or remain there to have
the beam come against my body with all
its weight I was laid up in bed for eleven
months as the result Of that accident and
I did not receive a cent Of wages during
rnat time
Key is regarded by the officials and all
the workmen on the post office building as
a man Of exceedingly cool head and steady
nerve He moves about on the Iron beam
of the seventh floor of the post office build
ing with as little apparent concern as If he
were walking on the street: He believes
that in the book of destiny is written the
day on which he shall die, and as the book
is closed to him, he gives little thought to
it.