The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-07-26

Community
SHOCKED BY
DEPLORABLE
ACCIDENT:
Otto Sturn1 Loses
Life In Tragic
Manner

mF- fs- olLO oLNFlll, Pelefll- manager
of the Grant Coal Company Mt Round
Bottom. WIS the victim OF most de.
plorable accident on Saturday evening
while ut his work. which cost him his
| life.
The Grant Coal Company is an indie
pendent concern with offices In this
city and mines at Round Bottom, on
the Piltsburs division. Huge buckets.
operated by engines near the tipple.
are used 10 convey the coal across tho
Monogahla river. Shortly before five
O'clock on Saturday evening the mn.
chinery carrying the bucket got slight
ly out OF order and Mr.. Stur1n volUni
teered to so out on the cable and re.
pair the damage. He was strongly nd.
yise1 by the engineer and foreman not
to attempt this. but being possessed
of n courageous spirit. he did not take
their advice. but started On his peril
oils journey.
Two cables lead across the stream
from the tipplc to the mouth of the
mine on the opposite bank of tle river.
The upper and larger cable wns
grnsneIl by Mr.. Sturm while. he walked
the lower cable. A safety rope was
attached to his body. but was not Mt
~ thG Natb'S. nitSf c"''aS
short distance, those who were
wntching noticed TINT Mr. Sturm lid
not appear stenly. and the lower cable
was vibrating under his weight. When
about one hundred feet from the tiprle
ne stopped and removed n glove. A
little later he was seen to grasp the
upper cable with both hands, after
which he remained steady for The
space of minute. In second from
this time he was heard 10 call twice
for help and then released his hold CT
the cable and seemed to spring from
the lower cable The distance from
the cable to the ground Is one hundred
and thirty-seven feet The Ilnfortlin-
ate man lit OH his feet and then fell
over on his back. When the men
reached him he was heard TO Eroan
twice and was dead. His spine was
broken by the fall and he was nt!er-
wise bruised and mangled. The COM
panions of the unfortunate man rar-
ricd the body to the tinple nnl 1t was
brought to this city on trnin No. that
evening iinl taken to the Musgravp
n,orgue. where 1t wns perplred for in.
terment and was later removed to hiE
home on Sixth street.
The death OF Mr.. Sturm has brought
untold sorrow to large number OF
friends and relatives. He was one or
the most trusted employees OF tho
Grant Coal Company. In whose service
he met his death. and his ,le1th Is
deeply teplorcl by the mine officials.
During his early residence here he
held q position with the Fairrinnt and
clarl;sburg Traction Company and lat.
rr was employed by the Metropo!itan
Life insurance Company. He has hc;d
The ppsitinn of general manager oil the
Grant Con1 Company for over n year.
The deceased was an upright ana
honorable man. He was prominent
member of the First Baptist Church
I'm this city. In his home ne was
kind and levoted'husband and tatncr'
and untold sorrow prevails In tno
home today over, his llntimely de"n'
un Ia survived by his wife and one son
and bv his mother and one DrotAsr.
Roscoe Sturm. Mrs. Sturm was nc
fore her marriage Miss Tetrick.
laughter OF Mr.. Barney Tetr1ch' Oh
Worthingtnn. 80,
This is the first accident OF any con-
senucucc TO occur ut this mine. lheF"
hut few men employed here ana tue
loss of til superintendent Is Hihcerel!
mournd by his fellow worEers. Mhat
seems the most unfortunate part OF
Tho whole AFFAIR is the fact that me
life OF Mr.. Sturm was sacrihcen iol
81 trivial a matter. MS the damnge 10
tho cable could have been rIctiilel
easily without cnlangerins the llfc oil
w funeral services were held today ut
ono o'clock from the First ihpl'st
Church. OF which the deceased was u
member. The services. when "ehN
nv w +. Eddy and We're largely NJ
tended by surrolwng friends and rei4'
lives of the deceased. The floral nher-
inrs we're numerous and beautiful. AZ
tnr the service Mt the church the re-
mains were cnnvcyd to Entrnrise on
tho two O'Clock car and were laid To
rest In the Odd Fellows cemetery nt
that place. a number ni lriehus nc
a., .,artnIue FnInrnrlSE,