The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-06-14
HIS DEATH WAS
INSTANTANEOUS.
Engineer Frost, Of the Home Brewing
Co., Crushed to Death.
DRIVING ROD ENDS HIS CAREER,
TO a Hot Box When Driving
Rod Crushed Down Upon His Head
Fireman First Discovers his Ter
ribIc Fate - No Inquest.

Mr.. w W. Frost. night engineer pr
the Home Brewing Company's refrger-
ating plant, corner OF Clay and Har-
rison street, met instant death at il'N
O'Clock last night by having his head
crushed under the driving rod Of one OF
the engines in his charge
Mr.. Frost who was highly respected
by his employee began his work as usual
at o'clock last evening His duties
we're well attended to and Up 20 II o'clock
ali went well.
Il was shortly after 1850 o'clock when
James Morris. the big negro fireman.
paused in his work OF heaving coal into
the lurid maws OF the big furnaces 20
the north OF the engine room. He had
noticed that one OF the two triple ex-
pansion engines IN the adjoining room
had stopped and wondered that it Old
not start up again as usual.
He called 10 tho engineer but no sound
save the monotonous throbbing OF the
companion engine answered He drop
ped his shovel and peered into the door
way Of the engine room whose floor
level is five feet higher than the firing
pit.
FOUND HIM DEAD.
Everything seemed 20 be as usual TIE
engineer was as he was sometimes wont.
IN attending his mighty charges. lying
prone on the floor with his head inside
Of the iron framework whore the crank
usually made IT'S swift circles. The en-
gineer was quiet and motionless
The fireman looked again and IL struck
hin, odd chat fhta hr4 rvuv arms n the
engineer were limp and still instead OF
busiiy working about the crank box.
At this the negro scrambled up 10 the
engine room and cautiously approaching
the engine saw that the heavy driving
rod had dropped 20 dead centre" lie
grasped the engineers shoulder, the
truth burst upon the Mortified negro and
he alarmed the other employees nearby.
An investigation showed that the en-
gineer was llfeiess.
He had evidently discovered that tho
crank box was becoming hot and so shut
off the steam until be could attend 10 the
matter.
The engine stopping he thrust his head
down into the iron work surrounding tho
crank, which he was compelled 20 do IN
order 10 turn on a little water faucet
below the crank which saturated guam
tity Of cotton waste cooled the heated
Journal.
HOW m OCCURRED.
According to the fireman. the engine
"Creeped." I'm other words. unless the
drinng rod was at one extreme or the
otht- II its circuit. enough steam would
lelk psse the shut-of valve 10 push the
rod until i; arrived at the other dead '
centre
Tho engineer possibly knew this. BIT
failed 20 have the driving rod at dead
centre" when he placed his head under
r.. Moving slower than an hour hand az
first, as It approached its full leverage
the big road increased its speed 20
Jump. and In one terrible half-turn drop
ped swiftly upon the head Of the help
ness engineer.
The left side Of the unfortunate mans
head was crushed IN as II made Of paper.
and death must have been instantaneous
II was with some difficulty that the
dead engineer was cxtricated from the
position IN which he met his horrible
fate crow-bar had TO be used % force
the crank around. and so enable the
willing hands to lift the body.
NO INQUEST.
Coroner Taylor was summoned. but
after examining the facts, he deemed
an inquest unnecessary.
Mr. Frost was about hfty-hve years
old. and leaves a wife and family OF
four children, all Of them grown. Two Of
these are daughters. and are married. re
spectively, TO Officer r. r. Sowell. ~
the Second District. and Mr.. J. J. Gravln
the well-known butcher
Tho family was notified The news
completely prostrating Mrs. Frost.
Mr. Frost had been employed with the
Home Brewing Company Tor four years.
The arrangements for the funeral have
not teen completed.