Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-05-10
THE ROPE UNTIES
And Two Painters at WinsIow
Have a Terrible Fall.
Gus GotIander instantly Killed and
Samuel Reed Badly Injured.
Rope Holding Painters Stage at Hollngs.
worth Whitney's Unties.

Waterville, Me, May 9.-(SpeciaD.-
Gus Gotlauder. Swede. aged 50. was
instantly killed ana Samuel Reed. in
jured through the untying of a rope
supporting a ladder on which the men
were painting at the plant of the Hol-
lingsWorth & Whitney Co., in Winslow.
yesterday morning.
The two men We're at work on a
painters stage on the south side Of one
of the new buildings at the company's
plant, about 50 feet above the level of
the ground. The stage was supported
in the usual manner, that is by ropes
tied to hooks caught on the roof of the
building. The men We're at work paint
ing the wood work of the caves and
had nearly completed their work. Reed
was standing on the end Of the ladder
next to the river and Gotlander was
sitting down at the opposite end. when
the ropes at one end OF the ladder gave
way. The shouts Of the men when
they found that they were falling at
tracted a large crowd Of men to their
aid. the noise of the shouting being
heard even on this side Of the river.
Beneath the place where the men
We're working was the water confined
by the Golfer dam. The foundation
supporting that wall Of the building or
which the men were working was
few feet out from the line Of the wall.
Under the place where Reed was work
ing is Il steam pipe to take care of the
exhaust from the engine used in pump
ing the water from the Golfer dam.
When Reed fell he struck the steam
pipe 30 feet below and broke tho bone
Of the left thigh in two places. His
shoulder was also badly bruised and he
received other injuries which were of
a minor nature.
As Gotlandcr fell he struck on the
granite ledge beneath a point Of the
stone entering his head at the left tenn
pie. Besides that injury, which re-
suited in his death. one of his arms
was broken and he received other in
jurics.
Both men rolled from the ledge on
which they struck to the water beneath
from which they We're rescued.
As il was seen Reed was alive he was
taken from the water at once and
drawn to the shore. Gotlander was
dead even before he struck the water
Those present state that without
question it was the steam pipe which
saved Reed from being killed, even
though his leg was broken by it.
Reed was sent to his home on Oak
land street and Drs. a. L. and NJ. ".
BesSey called who attended to his in
iuries. Gotlander's remains We're taken
to a place of safety and Coroner Smell
called. who deemed an inquest unnac-
essary. The body was then taken
away and prepared for burial.
There was the usual talk that the
accident was caused through the
breaking Of a rotten rope The work
men who were near by state that The
rope was nearly if not quite new and
had been in use but little while.
Although the cause Of the accident is
unknown, Reed being unable at this
time to state the cause, it is thought it
was due to the knot becoming united
from the hook at the roof. The acct
dent was the first fatality to an en-
ployee Of the HollingsWorth & Whit
ney co.
Gotlander had been in the employ Of
the company for about seven years.
He was one of the Company's most
trusted men and was generally liked
by his fellow workmen. He was a
member of a local lodge Of the y. O.
VI w. A wife ana two children survive
him. His home was on Prospect street
Mr. Reed was taken To the Maine
General hospital this afternoon. tie
was accompanied by Or. A. f. Bessey,
the attending physician.