The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-09-28
A TERRIBLE
 EXPERIENCE
IorIElnall

am a boiler maker by trade, and, as the especial work I have usually been engaged in Is repairing. most of my time when at work has been spent Inside the Iron cylinder. People brought Into frequent contact with any partic- ular danger soon become careless in providing against lt The danger In being Inside a boiler or boiler casing Is that some one will fire up" without giving you a chance to get out But It always seemed to me that the constant noise attendant upon boiler repairing would keep the outside world advised Df the repairer's presence within. And to lt would 1T the noise were kept up.
 One morning was called upon to TO- pair the boilers of a large Iron steamer. She was to go on her regular trip the next day, and it was essential that the fob should be finished In time. Unfortu- nately had just had such another Job and had been at work without any sleep for twenty-four hours. went into the steamers boilers at 8 o'clock in the morning. and at midnight. when all on board except the watchman were asleep, was still at work. l had very nearly finished when was 80 tired that had to rest before putting in the last rlvets and sat down for the pur- pose.
 That was the last had of conscious ness tln l heard a sharp clang. Great heavensi had gone to sleep! It was morning. a fire had been built, and the noise l had heard was the furnace door being shut after the lighting of the fire.
 l didn't need time to become thor oughly awake. The instinct of self preservation was quite enough Co ac- eomplish that. Seizing a hammer, l struck Justify on the Iron casing. The fireman would doubtless have heard me had be not gone out of the boiler room as soon as he had lighted the fire. How could he have been so careless as not to assure himself that the re- pairing had ended and the repairer gone? Doubtless he had come on duty in the morning and. finding everything quiet, supposed the boiler ready for use. At any rate. no one heard me, for there was no one near enough to hear.
 Soon began to feel warmth in the Iron. 1 must either be roasted or scald- ed. Which would 1t bel The dreadful alternative flashed through my mind. then gave place to the formation of some plan by which I might escape. Had been in full possession Of my faculties might have conjured up a dozen plans, but was so terror strick- en could not think. My brain was paralyzed
 Hark! What is that roaring? The newly kindled Are.
 Rushing madly from one point to an- other of my small prison, felt eagerly for some weak spot knowing that there was no weak spot, for had re- paired every one. Then l again rained blows on the iron, though I was aware that 1t was all bricked up, and even if the engineer or fireman had come in 1t was not probable be would hear me. Then I sat down and raved. knew not whether I wns the more terrified at the roaring of the fire or the hisSing of the steam, which was beginning to spit at me through certain vents like SO many angry serpents.
 Hotter grew the Iron. more venom ous the jets of steam. was no Ion ger able Co press my hand against tho former and knew that if l came i'm contact with the latter l would be scalded. Fortunately had heavy soles on my boots, and these enabled me still to stand on the hot metal.
 IL is said that drowning people pass their whole lives in review. Why this does not pertain to people dying other deaths I do not know. It certainly pertained to me. It seemed as fl my childhood and my youth were illumi- mated as by Q flash of lightning. And yet the most vivid as well as the most melancholy picture was my wife and children receiving the announcement of my death. This brought a new rav- ing. shouted. pounded the hot Iron with my fst. which was bllstered by the touch: rushed frantlcally about the narrow inclosure, indeed was rapidly becoming insane. Perhaps it was the realization that was losing my reason which caused me to make m efort to keep it
 What Is lt that keeps ideas out of our heads till lt IS well nigh too late Co take advantage of them. then suddenly thrusts them upon us Co intensity our despair? All of a sudden l remem- bered the few riyets that remained for me to put in. Selzing a sledge, l rushed to the place where these rivets were missing and began to rain blows upon the place to make a break. Had l time l might succeed. but the place was filling with steam. and I must soon perish from scaldlng. Giving a few last blows, I renounced all hope, expecting momentarily to fall against the hot iron. when heard the rasplng sound of a latch lifted, door opened, and saw the excited facc of the engi- neer at the opening. I made one dash for the aperture. fell through 1t and fainted on the bricks before the fur mace.