The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1898-11-02
BAD ACCIDENT AT KELLETryILLE.
Carriage In the Salmon Creek Mill
Runs Away and Results. in Injuring
Several Persons, One Fatally.

Several Persons, One Fatally.
A ssrious accident happened about 3
O'Clock last Saturday afternoon at the
Salmon Creek Lumber Co.'s mill near
Kellettville, the particulars of which are
thus told by correspondent:
The mill was running and the carriage
had been run back to have log rolled
on. The log, large sixteen foot hem
lcck, a cut from the tree next the stump,
the top end being next the saw, in roll
ing onto the carriage rolled on in such
way that the back end of the log came in
front of the back head-block. When the
carriage was moved up so as to receive
the log properly the hind block caught
the projecting end of the log and the log
was showed forward, the forward end of
the log lying on the bearers and inclined
away from the carriage. The end of the
log was close to James Gilfillan, the saw
yer, and in its progress it struck him,
pushing him with irresistible force
against and over the lever handles that
controlled the feed and the saw works.
The lever handles were pushed forward
and the sawyer pushed oyer and to ono
side-whether he dropped on the side
next the saw and the carriage or on the
side away from the saw is not quite cer-
tain. In pushing the levers forward the
steam that operates the feed works was
turned on full, and as soon as the car
riage had freed itself from the log it shot
forward with fearful velocity. All of
the above had occupied but a very few
seconds. The setter, Lewis Perry, was
thrown with fearful force from the car
riage and narrowly escaped being thrown
down the slab pit, escaping, however,
with general shaking up and some
bruises not of q serious character.
Lewis Williams was working on the
slasher and his work necessitated his
crossing the carriage track. He was
standing at the instant the carriage freed
| itself of the log with one foot between the
carriage rails and the other out across the
track in the attitude of taking a step, and
looking toward the saw and carriage and
the scene being enacted there. Standing
little beyond wnere the wire rope that
moves the carriage passes over the
grooved pully on which it turns, and
looking at the carriage almost in
straight line in the direction it was NOV
ing, it is possible he did not see so as to
realize that it was running away and to-
ward him. His position was such that
the foot that rested outside the track was
between two of the dead rollers on which
the lumber is carried away from beyond
the saw. Standing on the carriage track
at its end, and beyond where Mr.. Will
liams stood, and serving the purpose of q
| bumper, in case the carriage should run
off-a thing not as infrequent in mills
operated by steam feed as many might
suppose-was a section of a carriage. The
runaway carriage caught Mr.. Williams
and dragged him along the track and
over the rollers that stood at the side of
the track until it came in contact with
the stationary carriage, grinding the fiesf
aud bone of part of one leg to pulpy
mass. The other leg was also injured
quite severely. there was wound on the
chin, aud it is quite certain there were
severe internal injuries, also.
He was perfectly conscious wher
picked up and so remained until he died
He seemed to realize the fatal character
his injuries from the first and said to the
men that gathered him mp ''that he was
done for" DR.. Deter of Kellettville was
summoned at once, and all the aid was
given that could be rendered. Later DR.
Bowman of Tionesta arrived also. Am
putation of one log was necessary. But
all the while insisting he would die, anc
soon after the operation had been sue
cessfully performed and the limb nicely
dressed, he ded-at about one o'clocE
Sunday morning. Mr.. Giliillan seemed
to be injured quite severely but was able
to walk around again on Sunday.
The awful tragedy has cast gloom
over the entire community, and recalls
with horror the holocaust of year ago
when three lives were lost in the burning
of the Brooklyn House in Kellettville
The manager at the mill. Mr.. r. u. Gil
lespie, who was away when the accident
occurred, but there as soon after as it was
possible to get there, and Mr.. j. b. Col
Inns, the store manager of the Salmon
Creek Lumber Co., did all that could b'
done for the injured man, and for his be
reaved wife. Every aid was extended
that could tend to soften the grief ant
temper the blow coming so suddenly ant
awfully. Mr.. Williams had been mar
ried something over year, and had beeI
at work on the mill where he met deatl
so suddenly only about a mouth. III
leaves no childaen.
SOME OTHER ACCIDENTS.
Accidents have been numerous enough
in the vicinity of Kellettville, and be
tween that and Hickory, to make quite
chapter, recently. Four weeks ago Mon
day a log fell over on the saw in the Sal
mon creek mill breaking the saw il
pieces, but, fortunately, doing no bodil.
harm to anyone there. A few days later
and on the night Mr.. Wheeler's planin
mill at Endeavor was burned, the black
smith shop at the Salmon creek mills wa
burned. Had it not been a wet night tn
fire might have been of much greater ex
tent. And last of all, and fearfullest O
= all, the tragedy there on Saturday. o.
the same day and at about the same tim