The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-30
Accident Caused by the Collapse of
Structure Holding Up Four
Large Tanks.
EYES BURNED BY LIME WATER
T~O OF THE TANKS FILLED WITH 4
STRONG SOLUTION.
He Arm Broken and shoulder Dis
Iocated-EmpIoyed at County
Power House.

Frank Lancaster. twenty-four years of
az. living at 2232 Dewey avenue. and
employed at the county power house as
electrician. was possibly fatally injured
yesterday morning by the breaking of the
suaport of four large tanks In the event
OF slis recovery it is thought by Drs. oliver
ans Morrison. who attended him.. that he
wiz be totally blind.
Jshe tanks which fell were upon a steel
to<er fOrty-six feet high. Two of the
tasks were each Of the capacity of 5000
gallons. There were two smaller tanks,
one used as a stirring tank and the other
fillei with sand as a filter. The tanks
WEE part OF "A system for the cleaning
OF sthe boilers i'm the power house. One
OF she large tanks was filled with water.
inta which a large quantity of lime had
been Stacked.
The system was being built for the county
By -.the Joseph McWilliams Company. of
Louis ville. Ky. This company had sub
bet. the work for the tower, which was
ns~le of steel angle bars, to the Wefugo
Manufacturing Company, of Cincinnati.
ThS contract price was 81. 93S. The job had
JUS been completed. and was put TO test
Saturday for the first time before being ac-
certed by the county. Yesterday morning
another test was TO be made. and Lam
caster went TO the top of the tower to
make some adjustment OF a motor. He was
standing at work between the two large
tarks and beside the motor when the
weSs ut OF the tanks, filled with water and
saEe. caused the supports to break. There
was a terrific crash. which was heard for
several squares.
lancaster fell with the wreck. He was
caisSht between the large tanks containing
the lime water solution and one of the
smaller tanks and pinned among the wreck
age II was with difficulty ne was taken
out. and the feat was not accomplished
unEl most of the $500 gallons Of lime water
which was in one OF the tanks had poured
over him. He was taken al once 10 st.
Nipcents Hospital. where ii was found that
hts.arm had been broken, his shoulder dis
locsted and his eyes burned by the strong
lime water. 1t was also thought he had
suffered severe internal injuries. Last night
he had improved but little. and it was
feaeed his injuries might prove fatal before
morning.
NJ one offered a plausible excuse for the
collapse OF the structure. A number OF men
whS had been engaged in the construction
viewed the wreck, but would not talk. The
enormous weight OF one of the tanks which
fell against the side of the power building
shifted the wall about six inches on it's
foundation. The miraculous escape of Ian
caster was the talk among all who viewed
the wreck during the day. The structure
Is IN a heap between the power house and a
building fronting on Maryland street. and
TO one looking upon Il IL seems impossible
thai a man could fall with the tanks from
the Top and come out alive. The only ex-
plaaatlon offered for Lancaster's escape is
that he was near the top and was i'm some
manner protected by one of the smaller
tanks which did not break.