The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-02-03
AN ACCIDENT.
Awful Death of Anthony Peters
This Morning.
Caught in a Revolving Belt at the
Electric Light Plant and Fear
fully Mangled.

A frightful accident occurred In the
DYNAMO room of the electric light plant
at half past eight o'clock this morning
by which the dynamo tender, Anthony
Peters, met almost instant death. just
how the accident happened or what led
ND to it will never be known, as Peters
was alone in the room at the moment
There was a crash of machinery, the
other men shut down the engine aid
rushed in, and Peters was found
crushed and dying behind dynamo.
Peters had been in the employ OF the
Mankato Gas & Electric Light Co. Tor
about eighteen months, the first SIX
months in the boiler room and the last
year in the dynamo room. He went on
duty at midnight and worked unit |
noon. At 4:30 o'clock yesterday after
noon, the belt attached to the pulley OF
one of the dynamos was removed from
the pulley by means of three ropes,
with which it was tied in such manner
that it was pulled several inches from
the pulley. Chief Engineer Chas. Lentz
directed Peters to place the belt ON the
pulley at 10 o'clock this forenoon.
Peters was in the dynamo room alone
this morning, and was supposed
to be wiping the machinery,
He may have been wiping the
particular dynamo where the accident
occurred, but it is supposed
that he undertook to place the belt. 1t
was the orders of the chief engineer
and the custom to stop the machinery
until the belt was safely placed on. 1t
is believed that Peters undertook to
place the belt without stopping the
small engine which ran this part of the
plant The belt is heavy one, eleven
inches across, and the pully was huge
iron wheel, going nine hundred revolu-
tions minute
Suddenly crash was heard at the
further end of the dynamo room. Fear
ing that some accident had happened,
the engine was stopped, and Chief
Engineer Lentz, Engineer Geo. Schrei-
Der and Supt. R E. Brown rushed in
from the adjoining engine room. Max
ing their way around the machinery to
dynamo near one of the Front street
windows an awful sight met their
view. Peters was lying doubled up
within two or three feet of the dynamo,
gasping and bleeding from his mouth,
nose and eyes. His clothing was torn
and both shoes were torn off. The
right limb was broken near the ankle
and the bone projected. The belt was
off the machinery, broken, and blood
covered the floor. Mr.. Lentz picked up
the posUrate form and conveyed it to
the engine room.
Mr. Brown hastily telephoned for
physicians, and Drs. Warner and Hiel-
scher soon arrived, but could do moth
ing for the injured man, who died about
an hour after the accident without hav-
ing gained consciousness. 1t was found
that Peters face was badly bruised, a
number of bones broken. internal in
juries sustained, and the body covered
with bruises. Apparently, it had been
caught in the belt, revolved around the
pulley several times and then thrown
off when the belt broke. The limbs
must have struck several stationary
pieces of iron as the body revolved.
Mr.. Peters was % years of age last
October and came to Mankato seven
years ago from Germany with his par
ents and one brother, Joe Peters, who is
a fireman in the big mill and who was
one of the first on the scene after the
alarm had been given. A sister still
lives in Germany The father of the
deceased is Matt Peters, and the family
reside at No. 1916 North Fifth street.
in Dukes addition. The deceased was
a single man and belonged to the Dukes
addition hook and ladder company.
Coroner Kennedy was notified and
directed that the remains be turned
over to an undertaken, and they were
given in charge of John Klein & CO.
1t was decided to hold an inquest this
afternoon, and after the rema ms have
been viewed they will be taken to the
home of the parents of the deceased,
when arrangements for the funeral will
be made.
This is the first accident to any en-
ploy since the electric light was in
stalled In order that everything at
the scene of the accid mt might remain
the same as at the time of the occur
srence until it had been viewed by the
coroners jury, power was not turned on
until late this afternoon.
corOupr'S I1OupSf