Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-09-04
DEADLY GAS
Causes Death Of Father and
Two Sons at Enfield.
Boys Perish in Bottom Of WeI|---
Father Meets Same Fate.
Bodies Recovered by Neighbors Who Nearly
Perish All Had Families.

Enfield, Me-, Sept. 3.-The most pc
culiar fatality reported in Maine. this
year, occurred here, Saturday forenoon
when Albert T. Curtis, g.. his sons.
John L. Curtis and Herbert Curtis. 81
and p years old respectively. lost their
lives at the bottom of a well on the
farm of j. p. Tracy
This terrible accident followed closely
the destruction of the Tracy farm
buildings by fire at midnight. The
Tracy buildings We're located on the
road between Erfield and South Lin
| coin, and across the road from this
farm were the three Curtis farms. AL
bert I. Curtis lived on the central prop
erty and his sons on each side of him.
all three pieces of property Joining.
During the recent drouth. which has
caused considerable damage in this
section of Maine, the Curtises had been
getting water from the well on the
Tracy farm, which was between the
house and barn burned When the
Curtis boys went across the road this
morning to get water for their cattle
AAINy ipullti llit VIII tHbkEu Win ltlf
falling debris from the fire. SO that it
was Impossible to draw a pail of water.
John said he would 20 down and
clear the way for the bucket. He had
been in the Well but few minutes
when his brother asked him If he was
getting along all right and received no
answer. He made repeated calls. and.
getting no reply. he feared that his
brother had been drowned and called
for help.
general alarm was given, and the
people from all the farms nearby came
10 the rescue. They Immediately saw
that the Well was full Of gas caused BY
the fire and the man had suffucatcd.
Herbert Curtis. intent on saving his
brothers life and hcroically facing
death, ut once descended. lie never
came back alive. Almost Immediately
he succumbed to the influence of the
gas and fell into the water at the bot
tom.
The people about the Tracy place
We're by this time in almost panic Of
fear. Their cries drew the father Of
the three boys. Albert T. Curtis. and
their mother from their house across
the road.
The boys are down there" they told
the old man. ''and we can't get a sound
from them"
Somebody must go down" was the
next cry, and almost before it was ut
tercd the old father said. I'm go
In spite Of protests from the people
who had gathered ut the scene the old
man descended into the well and met
the same fate as his two boys. The
third death caused IA panic.
The people did not know what to do.
but they saw that an effort would have
to be made to save the three lives if
possible. Tracy himself was the first
man to volunteer. and they lowered
him down with 4 rope. At Il depth Of
II feet he shrieked 10 them that he
could stand il no longer and they pulled
him back. completely unconscious.
Mosscs Wilson was prompt to Volun
teer in Tracy's place and they lowered
him. He succeeded in getting a rope
around the body Of the elder Curtis. 81
that the people above could puil him
up, but when Wilson came MP he. too.
was almost unconscious.
Phillip l.. Bardeen offered himself
next and he succeeded in getting a rope
about the body of Herbert Curtis.
though nearly losing his own life in do
ing 50.
Gerry Towle followed ana brought up
the body Of John ]. Curtis The latter
corpse was about a foot under water.
but death came from suffocation.
No signs of life We're found in any Of
the bodies. Albert L. Curtis is survived
by wife and four children. John |.
Curtis the elder son. leaves a wife and
two children. and Herbert curtis leaves
a wife only.