The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1899-04-18
Overcome by Gas.


dard, Mrs. J.. r. Howell, Mrs. Thorpe
Mrs. S. A. Atkinson and Miss Fort.
Overcome by Gas.
A sad accident occurred on Friday morn
ing by which one man lost his life anc
another had a severe struggle for his
Adam Musick and Albert Sever were EN-
ployees Of the New Jersey Gas Improve
ment Company, which has, for a Ions
time, been operating the works of the
Mount Holly Gas Company. Sever was &
helper and Musick was a practical gas
maker. He took great interest in his EN-
ployment and when not busy at the works
aided in improvements called for in diff.
ferent parts of the town. Fol- some time
there has been complaint about the supply
of gas in the upper part of Main street
and Musick thought a change in the main
would settle the difficulty. On Friday he
and Sever went to the corner of Main and
Broad streets to change the pipe there.
A trench was dug and the men were
ready to make the change. A little boy
named Williams was the only person in
the neighborhood at the time and he no
ticed something wrong. Sterling Nell
vain was passing and the boy called to
him that the men in the trench could no
get out. In response to Mr.. McIlvain's
calls for help, James Graham, who was
working on a roof near by, rushed to the
trench.
The two men were lying in it apparent
ly lfeless. Graham jumped into the
trench and lifted Sever out, and then
helped to get Musick up. Sever was still
breathing, but the life had gone from the
other man. Physicians were sent for and
DIR. Parsons was the first to arrive, Drs.
Melcher and Darlington arriving soon
after. All efforts to resuscitate Musick
were unavailing, so the doctors paid at
tention to Sever, and after a long time he
was able to be removed to his home.
Coroner Grobler was notified and ar
in the evening. He learned the
facts as above related. G. Foster Cox,
manager of the gas works, stated that
the men went out to the work and
he was in the office awaiting a tele-
phone message to have the gas turned off
the works. His surprise and shock
may be imagined when the telephone
carried the sad message of death. Mr..
Cox went to the scene and found the re
port was too true. He was deeply affect
and was broken down with grief.
There is little doubt that the unfortu-
nate man did not use proper precautions
doing the work which resulted so fatal
ly. The pipe he was working was a two
inch main. 1t was to have been cut in
two and a new piece inserted. j.. Sexton
Folwell, b~ookkeeper for the gas company,
had been to the trench more than once
watching the work. AS the men reached
point where it was necessary to cut
pipe, Mr.. Folwell pointed out the dan
ger likely to ensue if the gas was not shut
of at the works. Musick turned the eau
ton aside with a laugh, saying he had
lone lots of jobs just like this and had
never had an accident yet. Mr.. Folwell
that there might be a time when
it would be done once too often. Musick
he had no fear, and said if he were
left alone he would guarantee he would
get along all right, so Mr.. Folwell left
him.
The trench in which the men were
working was about eight feet long and
three feet wide. The pipe which was to
be cut was two inches in diameter. 1t
was full of gas and when cut there was a
pressure from each end. Musick was do
ing the cutting, consequently his face was
close to the escaping gas. He was sub
ject to heart trouble and had a spell in the
morning before going to work. 1t is pos
sible this may have had some effect, but
the strength of the gas was sufficient to
overcome him. When at work in a trench
he always wore a sponge over his mouth
and nose, but in this case it was of no use.
After hearing all the facts Coroner
Grobler decided that an inquest was un-
necessary, as death was certainly acci
dental. The body vas placed in charge
of Undertaken Earnest, and on Sunday it
was taken to Sunbury, Pa, for interment.
The unfortunate man was somewhat
overcome by gas early last week while
making repairs at a residence on Brainard
street. He then told a friend that he was
becoming more susceptible to the deadly
fumes every day.
The deceased was SO years of age. He
came here in January from Sunbury,
where he had been employed for a long
time in the manufacture of gas. He took
great interest in the work here and was
willing to do anything in connection with
the plant. He was a married man will
four children.
Deceased carried an insurance Of 1890
in the Prudential Company, upon which
premium is also payable.