The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-04-28
RISE AND FALL . MURPHY.


M and Barrel
This ie the story Of h.xphvsst
travels. Murphy did not trasA for ,
a great length of time. but he na.ed
rapidly while be was az il, anaAa
met with a variety of incidents eq1Al,
to. any related by Marco Polo On
The true story of Nurphy's trav-
els is told by the employee Of q
prominclIt accident liability insur-
anoe company, whose duty II was 70
adjust claims.
One day he received q telephone
message directing him to call at an
unfinished building In the down
town region and investigate an acci-
dent which threatened 10 result in q
lawsuit against the company. he
went to the bidding and made In
quiries, and the facts. as nearly as
he could get them. viii be hereafter
submitted.
II seemed that Murphy and CLANCY
(Irish) and q third man named
Schmelx (not Irish) had been put 10
work TO clear the rubbish and de-
bris from the top floors Of the build
ing. They did not wish 10 carry II
down i've or six floors. 80 in n spirit
Of ingenuity they rugged q block and
tackle in one of the elevator shafts
and prepared to lower the rubbish
down in barrelA The pulley was
fastened TO a crosshead beam at the
top Of the shaft. and the rope trailed
down through the shaft to the first
hoor, where Murphy was stationed.
His duty was to let out the rope
and lower the barrel He gave the
rope a couple Of turns around a pipe
and brought the FIRST barrel down
without any trouble. He emptied II
and sent IL up again and made his
turn around the pipe and brought
down barrel No 2 with great sue
cess.
After the second empty barrel had
gone up Murphy was standing in the
shaft holding TO the rops and wait
ing for the signal. At the top of the
shaft Schmelz and Clancy, satisfied
that the system was in working or
der and that no further signaling
would be necessary. hooked the rope
to the loaded barrel, which was
pushed of into the shaft II was q
heavy load, consisting mostly of
brick dust and fragments of plaster
ing. II started down the shaft very
rapidly. Murphy. in accordance
with the law of nature. started NJ
the shaft at the same time. He start
ed 90 suddenly that be had no time
to think of letting go of the rope OF
giving il a turn around the pipe.
The barrel gained speed and 50 did
Murphy. Half way mp the shaft
they passed each other. just N
Murphy reached the top Of the shaft
with a slam and a swing the barre
struck the cement floor at the bot
tom Of the elevator shaft. The forcs
of the blow drove the bottom out OF
the barrel, releasing the loose con
tents.
AS Murphy was heavier than ar
empty barrel. he began 10 descend
from the top of the shaft. aud de
scend in a hurry At that. while The
shell of the barrel started upward
: This time Murphy met the barre
fairly. II shot up and struck hin
from underneath BE kicked madly
and disentangled himself and finish
cd his descent at a speed which
would have defied instnntaneoui
photography. he came down IN {
sitting posture on the heap Of loos'
mortar. shavings and brick. At th'
same moment the barrel janmed in
to the top OF the shaft and was fur
ther shattered. although still helC
together by several turns Of rope.
Murphy was 80 terribly jarreC
that be let 60 Of the rope. The rop'
being free, the wrecked barrel de
scended Of it's own weight and burieC
, Murphy beneath a pile Of loos'
staveA
Schmelz and Clancy came running
from the top of the building ans
, dug him out. He was in = dazes
, condition and had only a cloudy
> recollection Of what had happened
In addition to three welts On tn
head be had received Jolt" in m
back and bitten the end Of hi
tongue
They took him % the hospital
: where he remained for several days
: trying 20 piece together the con
fused impressions Of his trip b
did not blame Clancy and Schmelz
but be did say that they ought q
I have reached out and pulled him Il
just as he arrived at the top Of In
shaft.-New York Sun