Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-02
PAIL SAVED HIS LIFE
Remarkable Escape of Man
Buried in Coal.
PRISONER FOR HALF HOUR
Water Bucket Over His Head Prevents
Suffocation.
RESCUED WITH DIFFICULTY
Brooklyn Dealer Violates His Own
Rule and Enters Fuel Bin, and is
Quickly Engulfed.
EscUED WITH DIFFICULTY


half hour under 200 tons of pea COAL Will
liam Nungasser a wealthy coal dealer of
Brooklyn, owes his rescue and life to a
galvanized iron pail and the heroic work
Of his chief engineer, Archibald MacAIister
NunSasser will be discharged from the
Seney Hospital today little the worse for
his adventure.
The Nungasser coal yards are on the
banks of the Gowanus canal, near Sd street
The proprietor is wealthy man about fifty
years old, and lives with his family at SS
Joralemon street. He was told yesterday
that the coal in one of the large pockets
refused to move through the chute which
empties it into wagons. ~Nungasser climbed
to the top of the large structure which con-
tains the pockets and proceeded to the
immense bin which had become consested.
Now, there is-a strict rule in the yards
that the employees must not step upon any
of the pockets, because of the danger Of
being engulfed by the coal, which is as
treacherous as quicksand. Therefore
Nungasser violated his own rule when. he
walked on the pocket, full to the brim with
200 tons of fine pea COAL He had a shovel
and he started to pick at the coal in an
attempt to relieve the congestion. Chief
Engineer Archibald MacAllister, the only
other person in the-building, shouted a
warning to him.
CauRuC IN the vOfLeX.
That's dangerous" said he. cover twelve
tons of coal have been taken out, and
there's liable to be a big hole at the bot
TOM"
ooh, I'm not afraid" replied Nungasser
''The coal is frozen, and I need some hot
water Get me pailful."
MacAllister ran for the water. When he
handed the pail to the owner the latter
u
was an ominous shifting of the mass. Be
fore he could save himself by catching hold
Of the side Nungasser was twirled around
like a top in the vortex of coal
"Save men he shouted ~-MacAIfister.
But the engineer was powerless to aid.
In the twinklng of an eye the terrible sue
ton drew Nungasser down into the Stygian
hole. AS he disappeared he gripped tightly
the empty water pail, which was destined
to save his life. In a providential manner
1t became damned over his head, thus
Keeping him from being crushed and supply
ing him with some air, which prevented
quick suffocation.
MacAllister had seen other men buried
under coal and never a one could he re-
member who had come out alive. He knew
there was one chance for Nungasser-the
possibility that he could be got out through
the chute before life was extinct The en-
gineer half Sid, half jumped down the fifty
aid and soon had a half dozen men around
him.
The coal was slowly flowing from the
chute, but MacAllister saw that it was not
coming fast enough.
We've got to chop hole in the build
ing" he shouted to the men.
Cut Into the Building.
A pick was the. only implement at hand.
but MacAllister seized it and commenced
with desperate energy to tear his way into
the pocket Charles Preiser and Tony
Flichnoma rendered valuable aid Tn ff-
teen minutes the men had made an opening
into the side of the building large enough
to admit an average-siZed man. Then the
coal began to come out in larger quantities.
In five minutes more they could reach in
and touch the body of Nungasser. The lat
ter is a large man, weighing $50 pounds.
and it was impossible to get him through
the opening. However, the rescuers could
hear means, and with this assurance that
their employer was alive they redoubled
their efforts.
MacAllister led the men into the build
ing, had a rope passed around his body
and was lowered into the pocket. He car
ried plank with him. By this time enough
coal had passed out so that the engineer
could reach the buried mans arm. Then
there came another shift of the coal and
MacAllister was himself buried to his neck,
but through it all he retained his grip upon
Nungasser. The coal gradually poured out
of the chute and opening until the men
above were able to haul both men out of
the pit.
put me back into the hole!' he cried as
he was carried into the open, stil with a
tenacious hold upon the water pail that
had kept him alive