Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-30
ELEVATOR FELL.
Dropped Fully As Feet With
Load Of % People.
Everyone Injured--Two Will DE-
Cause Was a Broken Shaft.
Heinz's Plant at Allegheny the Scene
Conflicting Stories.

Pittsburg, Pa, June 29.-The break
ing of a shaft on the first floor of the
H. ]. Heinz Cos. plant in Allegheny,
today, released the ropes supporting a
large freight elevator on which 90 per-
sons were crowded. The cage fell from
the fifth floor into the cellar a distance
of 45 feet and every one on the elevator
was injured. 1t is thought that at least
two will die.
The list of injured:
John Churney, Allegheny, both legs
broken, will likely die.
Mrs. Edw. Holman, Mt. Hope, N. j.,
injury to spine, will probably die.
Joseph Weber, Allegheny both legs
broken, serious.
o. P. Thompson, Allegheny, leg
crushed.
Mrs. C. r. Summons, East End, Pitts
burg, spine injured.
Imogene Redman, Paris, KY, ankle
sprained and spine injured.
Andrew Bolak, Allegheny, ankle
sprained.
II. a. Morrison, Hazelwood, COM
pound fracture right leg.
Mrs. A. Lotha, Allegheny, conclusion
VIM. Koncana, Cleveland, O., ankle
sprained and spine injured.
c. Howak, Cleveland, ankle sprained
and injury to spine.
Mrs. A. Vodraska, Allegheny, cut by
flying glass.
Charles S. Purney, Cleveland, body
badly bruised.
John Kotaybar, Cleveland, conclusion
Of spine.
Mrs. George Sherlock, Hazlewood,
compound farcture left leg.
Mike Demiko, Cleveland, leg
sprained.
John Zabriskie, Cleveland, ankle
sprained.
Mrs. VIM. Mitchell, Hardwood, leg
fractured in two places.
Mrs. Victor Bailey, Hazelwood, leg
fractured. n *'sss's
John Brotsky, Pittsburg. ankles
sprained. taken home.
Mrs. Minnie Sprig, Glen Shaw, ankle
sprained.
Mrs. r. w. Thornton. Hardwood,
compound fracture of the leg.
When the accident occurred the ele-
vator was evidently overcrowded. Ac-7
cording to what was told, this evening,
by DIR. J. S. Philips, physician at the
plant, the antics of two men on the ele-
vator who were intoxicated caused the
disaster. DR.. Phillips says that two
men crowded on the car after being
told by the operator to stay off. Once
on, they commenced jumping with the
result that the shaft snapped and left
the elevator without control.
;Y,cr 70 @1n ctn fol nv I'm
Koncano, q dry goods merchant of
Cleveland, tonight, at the hospital,
there was no disorder in the crowd.
Il thought there were too many on
the car" he said. when I saw how
crowded we We're and as soon as the
car left the fifth floor I am certain
everyone realized that something had
| happened to the machinery and that
| the elevator was slipping on"
| All but two of the injured were visi-
| tors to the Heinz plant Weber and
Thompson are employees of the COM
Ipany. An examination of the shaft
and machinery showed that there in
jured narrowly escaped instant death,
az the 750-pound weight at the side of
the shaft shot to the roof of the build
ing, ripped through the timbers at the
top and fell half it's length through the
ceiling over the sixth floor. Had the
timbers been little less stout the huge
weight would have fallen nearly go feet
upon the mass of injured people hud-
died in a heap on the floor of the de-
molished elevator.
In a statement given out by the Of
flcials of the plant. it was stated that
the elevator was thoroughly overhauled
and Il new drum placed in position
about two years ago and had always
been inspected daily by the men in
charge of the machinery. The break
occurred in a place impossible to he
detected by the inspector, as it was in
side the large drum.