The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-02-02

Bowen coal company; First, by not nav
ing the necessary connections adjusted
to the safety valve whereby steam could,
properly and without endangering life,
escape, and that the said James Sulli-
van would not have met with accident
had such adjustment been provided; sec
ondly that the proper means to convey
the said James Sullivan to his home was
not provided. namely, stretcher and
the necessary blankets to prevent ex-
posure.
Thomas Hasson.
w. S. Nyhart.
ID. ]. Jones.
Charles Davis
ii. Il. Frutchie.
w. A. FetZinger.
The inquest was conducted by Cor
oner Roberts in the arbitration room
| at the court house.
TWO POINTS RAISED.
Mine Inspector Prytherch had re-
quested that the inquest be held. Under
the law coroner has no jurisdiction in
a mine accident unless he is asked by
mine inspector to conduct an investi-
| CATION In this case two circumstances,
indicating possible negligence, had
been raised. One was that the COM
pany had not provided proper and
safe method OF relieving the boilers of
steam pressure: the other contention
was that the company was negligent in
not having an ambulance. a stretcher
| or other means at hand for caring for
injured employees.
Attorney J. Nj. Harris was present
in the interest of Sullivan's relatives
and was permitted to question the Wit
nesses. The same privilege was ac-
| corded Mine Inspector Prytherch.
There were six witnesses. four of whom
had been subpoenaed by the coroner.
The other two were relatives of Sulli-
van and were called by Attorney Har-
| rs.
| The coroner's witnesses were John
Perry, n. Jones. Joseph Blackham and
+. Allen. All except Jones are en-
ployed at the boiler house.
| From their testimony the following
| facts were developed: Sullivan was
alone in the boiler house when the ac-
cident occurred. He had never been
| instructed 10 allow the steam TO es-
cape and it was not a part of his duties
as he was an ash wheeler. On the
night III question he mounted the short
! ladder leading to a small doorway
which opened into a loft or confined
space in which the safety valve, lever
| and ball are located. Or, rather, it
was presumed ne did this. Anyhow,
the first intlmation of the accident
came from him. He was standing out
| side the boiler house and calling 10
Blackham, the fireman in charge, who
! had gone to the breaker. Bldckham
found that Sullivan had been scalded
about the face, neck, hands and arms.
He was taken into the Office and COW
cred with a coat Handkerchiefs We're
tied about his hands. He was rational
and able to walk about.
REASONS FOR DELAY.
one messenger was dispatched for a
physician and another to ascertain
where Sullivan lived. Each had to
walk about IA quarter of a mile. One
of the messengers returned and said
he had tried to get three physicians but
two were i'll and DR.. Olmstead was
lame and had directed that the injured
man be brought home.
| When the employees of the washery
started TO assist Sullivan 10 walk
home, his brother and cousin appeared
and took him away with them. Sulli-
van had asked repeatedly to be taken
| home.
| Meanwhile the safety valve was in
spected by Blackham and others. They
! found the ball removed from the lever
and resting on a beam. The ball could
not have fallen. 1t must have been
detached by hand. 1t was customary
to push the ball toward tie valve q
notch at time until the pressure was
at 80 pounds or less. Then it could be
removed. On this night the pressure
was at 50 pounds and sullivan had evil
| IDENTIFY removed the ball at once instead
of allowing the steam to escape gradu-
ally. The rush of steam enveloped ana
| scalded him.
| Patrick Sullivan, a brother. and TIM
othy Sullivan, a cousin of the deceased,
testified to taking him home afoot. 1t
was cold in the shanty or office where
he had been kept waiting for a physi-
clan and they preferred to risk the
open air and the walk rather than the
delay of waiting in the cold shanty
for a conveyance or doctor. Sulli-
van had been kept there nearly three
quarters of an hour.
Attorney Harris tried to bring out
evidence to show that the safety valve
fue should have led through the roof
and into the open air instead of open
| ing direct into the confined space OF
! the loft. The witnesses who were
questioned on this point said the open
air flues were preferable but the sys-
| tenn generally employed was the same
as the one which scalded Sullivan.