The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-10-10
Free Press Map Of Blue Earth Co. Now on Sale

time of the accident, he had no doubts
of the ability of the wall to carry the
strain. Being asked for other causes
he said that the damp weather may
have softened the wall. He stated thai
the wall was built on the nth and
that the beam was laid four or five
days later. The offset in the fiue was
approved by him.
o. 0. Grue stated that he had help.
ed set the beam that it was set in the
usual way, and that he had never en-.
tertained doubt as to its safety. He
stated that the plate projected into the
fue slightly at one corner.
Mr.. Coy, mason, not engaged OF
the work, was asked as to his opinion
of the stability of the work, and said
that in his judgment the beam was
set too close to the Aue. and that the
wall at that point was not strong
enough to carry such strain as that
beam carried the weight of a large
part of the roof
George Vosbeck, who was at work
on the rafters at the time of the acct
dent, but who sustained slight in
juries, told how Peter Carlstrom, from
the floor. told the workmen that they
had better get away from under
there, If there was any other place
that they could work, ana ne had
hardly spoken before the roor came
down with a crash. carrying them all
to the floor below. Vosbeck was
partly covered by debris, but waited
until O'Connell was taken out before
he cried for help. After he got out
he endeavored to extricate Smith, but
was too weak. He stated that Gust
Nelson, the carpenter on the work,
did not known what to do with the
rafters around the chimney and didn' t
understand the "iog' in tie fue, but
that they didn't cut any holes in it.
A. g. Roemer testified that he was
at the building Immediately after the
accident and saw the men being taken
out.
II. A. Patterson, secretary of the
library board, was called he stated
that Jardine, Kent & Jardine of New
York were the architects, that their
original plans were cut down by the
board, consulting with j. B. Nielsen,
in order to come within the limit of
the funds at their disposal, and that
one of the changes made was the omis-
sion OF two large iron beams.
). B. Nielsen was recalled and told
of these notifications in the plans.
He said the original plans called for
more iron work all around than has
been put into the building, and that
the bids submitted on these specifica-
tions were about $40, 600 too high. He
stated that the two beams left out had
no bearing Oh the strength of the part
of the building under discussion.
The beams specified in the original
plans were to weigh eighty pounds to
the foot. and the one used weighed
but sixtyive.
Doctor Andrews testified that MIR.
O'Connell was partially conscious
when taken to the hospital. His left
ear and forehead and right cheek were
badly cut. He complained of severe
pairs in his back and right ankle. His
eyes, nose. mouth and ears. were filed
with sand and gravel. In spite of the
stimulants administered, he grew
gradually weaker and weaker and
his pulse and temperature increased.
He died little after midnight.
Monday morning DR.. Andrews and
DR.. Harrington made post norton
examination and discovered the rup-
ture of a blood vessel leading from the
heart into the left lang, which had
filled the left lung with clotted blood.
ALI the other abdominal organs and
the brain were uninjured. The hem
orrhage from the ruptured blood vessel
was the cause of his death. The rup-
ture was probably caused by the pres
sure of some very heavy body. No
ribs were broken, and the injury in
this way is very remarkable one.
Doctor Harrington followed. He
confirmed Doctor Andrews statements
regarding the post norton examina-
tion.
Peter Carlstrom was called. He was
in the accident of Saturday and
plainly showed the effects He was
cementing on the roof just before the
accident. He noticed a crack in the
cement that had been laid that after
noon. He ran down the ladder and
told the carpenters that they had bet
ter get out, but the beam and the
roof fell before they could answer.
Mr.. J. B. Nielsen then submitted the
plans. which were examined by the
jury.
No more witnesses were heard. The
following is the jury's verdict.
"rhat said William O'Connell met
his death fron injuries received by
falling material used in the construc-
ti0n of the roof on the library build
ing. We find the cause of the falling
roof due to the placing of the chimney
fue too near she steel beam which
gave away"