Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-03-05
RISE AND FALL OF MURPfi (
The Thrilling Adventures of lr. Murphy
and Barrel.

MOE ANU ALL VT MOhHT!
Tho Thrilling Adventures of Cir. Murri,
and Barrel.
This Is the story Ot Murphy :
travels. Murphy did not travel f.,
agreat length of time, tut he move,
rapidly while he wus at it, end h,
met 18th II variety of i"vihr-.,;VSua
to any related by Marco Polo ~
Bayard Taylor,
The true story oi Murpl.y's tray
us Is told by the employee of {
prominent accident liability insur
ance company, whose duty it was IL
adjust claims.
One day he received Il telephone
message directing hin. to call at ~
unfinished building in the down
town region and investigate an acci
dent which threatened to result in Il
lawsuit against the company. He
went to the b,iilding and made in.
quiries, and the facts, as nearly rs
lie could get them, will! be hereafter
submitted
1t seemed that Murphy and Clancy
(Irish) and third man named
Schmelz (not Irish) had been put to
work to clear the rubbish and de-
bris from the top floors of the build
ing. They did not wish to carry it
down five or six floors. so in Il spirit
of ingenuity they rugged block and
tackle in one of the elevator shafts
and prepared to lower the rubbish
down in barrels, The pulley was
fastened to a crosshead beam at the
top of the shaft, and the rope tralcd
down through the shaft to the first
floor, 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 pipe
and brought the first barrel down
without any trouble. He emptied it
and sent it 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 III the
shaft holding to the rope and wait
ing for the signal At the top of the
shaft ScAmelz 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 off into the shaft. 1t was Il
heavy load, consisting mostly Of
brick dust and fragments of plaster
ing 1t started down tho shaft very
rapidly. Murphy, in accordance
with tho law of nature, started up
the shaft ut the same time. He start
ed so suddenly that he had no time
to think of letting go of the rope or
giving it turn around the pipe.
The barrel gained speed and SO did
Murphy. Half way up the shaft
they passed each other. Just as
Murphy reached the top of the shaft
with Il slam and a swing the barrel
struck the cement floor at the bot
tom of the elevator shaft. The force
of the blow drove the bottom out OF
the barrel, releasing the loose COLI
tents.
AS Murphy was heavier than an
empty barrel, he began to descend
from the top of the shaft, and de
scend in hurry at that, while the
shell of the barrel started upward
This time Murphy met the barrel
fairly. 1t shot up and struck him
from underneath. He kicked madly
and diseptangled himself and finish
ell his descent ut Il speed which
would haze deticd instantaneous
photography. He camo down in a
sitting posture Oh the heap of loose
mortar, shavings and brick. AT the
saIuc moment the barrel jammcu in,
to tho top Of the shaft and WIS fur
thor shattered, although still held
together by several tu:us Of rope
Murphy Was SO terribly j !rred
that ho let go of the rope. Tho rope
being free, tho wrecked barrel &c
scendCd of it!own weight and buried
Murphy beneath pile Of loose
slaves
schmelz ard Clancy came running
from the top Of the building and
dug him out. He was il Il daztd
condition and had nnly Il c.O"dy
recollection of what had h!ppcnpd.
In addition ia Three wells on the
heal he had re> eiy ID u jolt il the
back and Litten the emil OF his
tongue
They took him to the hospital,
where he remained for severed days.
trying to piece together the Goa
fused impressions of his trip Ee
Jill not blame Clancy and S>hmel.:.
but no did say that they ought Il
have reached out AMI pulled him l..
just as he arrived ut the top of the
shaft. New York sun.
Thackeray and Liddcll.