Evening star., 1901-11-04
COLORED LABORER'S DEATH
FATALLY INJURED BY FALLING
THROUGH AN ASH CHUTE.
Was Assisting in Clearing the Hopper
of Its Contents and Lost
Footing.

coIored laborer known as "Billy"
Williams. who lived at No. 2414 Virginia
avenue southwest, received fatal injuries
this morning by falling through the ash
chute of the United States Electric Light
ing plant at 14th street and Ohio avenue.
The accident occurred shortly before s
o'clock. Williams was taken at once to
the Emergency Hospital, but lived only a
few minutes. The body is now at the
morgue.
Before the office force of the company
had reached the building and before the
fog had lifted from the streets line of
teamsters had formed along the curb of
18th street outside the electric lighting
building The men were standing in a
group waiting for the shop force to open
the dump and load the carts. The fore
man appeared after little and ordered
one of the carts to pass under the mouth
of the chute, saying If the key was lifted
hard enough and shaken the ashes would
come through all right. Thereupon man
said to have been Frank Crane took his
cart to the platform and began rc work
with the key The ashes were warm and
wet and clogged the mouth Of the chute.
There was great deal of rough humor
indulged in meanwhile regarding the col
ored mans muscle. when suddenly the trap
opened and the ashes began to pour INTO
the cart. Crane stepped little to one SIDE.
the corners of the cart box, when black
figure shot over the near wheel and landed
on the heap of ashes. A yefl went up from
the crowd of frightened team sters and the
men ran through the alley to 14th street
as though they had seen ghost.
Quickly Rescued.
The driver of the cart had enough pres
ence of mind to close the chute. Then call
ing for help as he worked. he lifted the
I,,l In hes
from the mans face. "Heyv' ne called to
the other teamsters. dis yere amt no
ha'nt. It's Billy Williams
Someone belonging to the inside force had
heard of the occurrence by this time and
had telephoned the Emergency Hospital.
The ambulance came before the group of
drivers knew exactly what had happened.
Williams. unconscious. but breathing irreg-
uiarly. was raised from the ground and
driven rapidly the two or three blocks to
the hospital. In spite of all the efforts of
the surgeons he died within very short
time. There are no burns on the body. the
bruises noticeable are very slight, and the
hospital authorities are at loss to know
what caused the mans death.
Lost His Foothold.
The chute through which Williams fell is
the outlet of large hopper-about twenty
feet long, twelve feet wide and fifteen feet
Deep 1t is supposed Williams slipped
through trap door near the top of this
hopper to run poker down the chute and
clear away the Choke and that he was
standing in the ashes at the bottom of the
hopper, when his foothold gave way and
he was carried through with the rush of
the ashes The tube from the hopper to the
alley is not more than two feet wide and
thirty inches deep. and it is fully twenty
feet long. Williams made no outcry When
the surgeons of the Emergency took him
III charge his mouth was choked with
ashes. but his nose was clear and he breath
ed without much difficulty. The likelihood
is however, that he was unconscious from
the time the ashes enveloped him.
Williams was about twenty-five years old
and reliable and careful workman. He
came to Washington several years ago
from Ook Park Madison county, Va,
where his mother, Mrs. Sallie Banks, now
lives.
Caused by Accident.
Coroner hewitt viewed the body and gave
certificate of accidental death His
mother, who lives in Madison county. Va,
has been notified of the young mans death.