Connecticut western news. [volume] (Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Conn.) 1871-1970, 1901-03-07
OVERCOME BY COAL GAS.

Mrs Susan M Stevens. aged 80. and
her daughter Miss Sarah, aged go. who
occupy the rooms over w. Ii. Emmons'
store in the Clemsns building on Main
street in this village. were overcome by
coal gas last Friday night but fortunate
ly their condition was discovered in
time to save their lives.
The circumstances are as follows;
Late on Friday afternoon the ladies
purchased load Of coal of John n.
Van Deusen, to be delivered Saturday
morning. About 10 o'clock Saturday
morning Theodore T. Adam. son.in law
of Mr. Van Deusen, delivered the coal.
He left the wagon loaded with coal
standing near the building, filed u
bushel basket with coal and carried it
up the outside stairs aud across the We
rands to the front door. Then he rap
ped on the door, but no one responded.
After repeated raps and waitings he left
the basket of coal standing near the
door, came down stairs and went into
Mr. Emmons' store and enquired il Mrs
Stevens and her daughter were away
from home. Mr. Emmons replied that
the ladies were at home the previous
night, as he had heard them walking
around the rooms. An investigation
Of the premises revealed the fact that
the curtains had not been raised that
morning, and knowing that Mrs Stew
ems had not been able to come down
the stairs in number of weeks Messrs
Adam and Emmons became alarmed.
They feared something had happened
to the Stevens family. Mr. Emmons'
wife went up the outside stairs and rap
ped on the door but no one answered
her. Then Mr. Emmons procured @
bunch OF keys and attempted to unlock
the door, but he discovered key had
been left in the lock on the inside oil
the door. He managed to work the
key out of the lock but none of bis keys
would unlock the door. He heard 9
dog bark feebly inside the room and
near the door. Mr. Emmons also de,
tected the rank odor OF coal gas coming
through the keyhole from inside the
room. He came down the outside stairs
and accompanied by Mrs Emmons and
John Webster, the South6eld stage
driver, entered the store and assembled
the inside stairs leading to the StevenI
apartment. They found that the dool
near the head of the stairs and opening
into store room was fastened on the
inside, but Mr. Webster vigorously kick
ed the door and the bolt gave way, the
door few open and the coal gas rushed
out. Soon as the room could be enter
tered Mr. Emmons passed through il
into the room used 10 the winter fol-
the three fold purpose of kitchen, din
ing room and sitting room. The ga,
was almost suffocating but he managed
to open the outside door and let il
fresh air. No one was In that room, bu
doors were open into two bedrooms
one at the north end OF the room and
one at the west side of the room. Mis-,
Stevens lay unconscious in the bed il
the west room. Mrs Stevens was I'M
conscious in the north room, lyine
partly on the floor and partly in bed.
Mr. Emmons ran to the upper verands
and gave the alarm, and soon q dozer
or more persons responded to the cal
and opened every window and door in
the house. DIR Camp was summoned
and arrived promptly. He administer
ed powerful restoratives. Several ladie,
also worked faithfully for an hour Of
more in bringing Mrs Stevens and hsl
daughter TO consciousness. During hi
many years of practice DIR Camp has at
tended q number of similar cases, bu
none so serious rs these. Mrs Steven
and daughter could not have lived an
other half hour in that gas.
The gas came from the cook stove o
range in the room which is used as
kitchen, dining and sitting room. Boil
lids over the fire box were partly re
moved, the check draft also was opel
and the damper was shut entirely in th
stove pipe The coal had scarcely KEEP
burning in the stove. 1t is said tina
the stove has been left in that condition
every night all winter, but the atmot
phere last Friday night was very heavy
oonseq Iently the draft was not as stron
as usual. The dog in the house wa
found to be almost suffocated, but re
covered quickly after being carried GU
doors.
| Mrs Stevens and daughter are reco,
ering faster than was expected. MI
Stevens was able to walk around til
rooms on Monday, but Miss Steven
had not sat mp at that time. Her roor
and bed was nearer the stove and probs
bly, she inhaled more Of the gas Bot
retired about 8 O'Clock Friday evenin
consequently they must have inhale
the gas during thirteen hours.
KENT.
J. F. Gibbs has had a serious attac
of grip.