The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1901-03-15
Death of Thomas Muncaster.

/ Thomas Muncaster, young mar
we'll known in this county, and wht
with his parents formerly lived on Z
ranch near Pickering Passage, ant
later here in Shelton, was accidentally
killed in an elevator shaft at the Vnl
can Iron works, Seattle, Thursday
afternoon of last week. The Post
Intelligencer of Friday gives the fol
flowing particulars of the sad affair:
Thomas Muncaster, an apprentice
in the Vulcan Iron Works, was killed
yesterday afternoon as the result of an
unfortunate accident in the company's
building on the tide flats in the south
ern part of the city. He was caught
between the bottom of freight ele-
vator and the ceiling of the first story
of the building and crushed in terri
BILE manner, death resulting almost
instantaneously.
The only witness to the fatal acct
dent was Edward Messenger, another
apprentice, who endeavored to stop
the elevator, and shouted a warning to
Muncaster. The latter failed, however
to heed the warning in time.
A broad driveway runs through the
building. At the east side of this pas
sageway the elevator is situated.
About three feet below the ceiling
there is gallery used for storing sup
plies, to which winding staircase
leads from the ground floor. The two
young men assembled to the gallery
about 8 o'clock and had brought the
elevator up to about foot above the
level. The elevator worked by hy-
draulic power, and is operated by a
valve rope which can be grasped from
either the inside of the shaft or from
any floor.
The apprentices were loading several
boxes of iron bolts on to the elevator.
Muncaster had just placed one box in
side and was half within, half without
the cage. He was standing in a
crouching position. The elevator
suddenly commenced to move slowly
upward, and Messenger leaned out
from the gallery to catch the operating
rope, For some reason the apparatus
would not work, and the cage continued
on it's way.
Messenger called out to Muncaster to
withdraw his body from the elevator,
aud the latter turned toward his friend
with a smile, probably thinking that
there was no danger. In turning, he
brought his head directly between the
edge of the elevator floor and the cell
lug. He was almost instantly killed.
Deputy Coroner Ostrom, in the alb
sence of Coroner Hoye, was summoned
and made an examination of the scene
of the accident The elevator was
found to be in first-class condition and
easily operated from the INSIDE orr
from the ground foor, but it was
ascertained that it was difficult to stop
it from the gallery, Muncaster's body
was removed to Butterworth's morgue
1t has not been decided yet whether or
not an inquest will be held.
Thomas Muncaster was but 10 years
Old and had been a resident of this
city TOR the past two years. He had
been IN the employ of the Vulcan Iron
Works for the. past five months and
was considered steady boy. His par
ents and several brothers and sisters
live in Seattle, having come here about
three months ago.
The father is mechanic in the EN-
plooy Of the Moran Bros. Company,
and lives at 1907 Grant street:
Young Muncaster was member of
the First M. E. Church and of the
Young Mems Christian Association,
How ARE EoUR NERVES. # you
are easily illustrated" can't sleep and
feel unrefreShed in the morning vour