Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-02-23
BURIED UNDER WALL
AT VASELINE WORKS
Thomas Powers
Dies Later In City
Hospital.
ONE is BURNED

One man was fatally injured and
another slightly at the plant of the
Chesebrough Manufacturing Com
pany, when seventy-foot brick wall
on the north end of the boiler house
collapsed shortly before O'Clock
Monday afternoon. Thomas Powers.
OF 344 kirkland Place, sustained in
Juries that resulted in his death at
the hospital about three hours after
the accident, and John Lasko. of 334
watson avenue, had his left foot bad
iy burned by load of hot ashes that
were dumped accidentally when the
collapse came. John Coter, the third
man in the building at the time, es-
capped injury. -~a7s
The accident was caused by the
pressure of coal against the wall of
the boiler house. The weight
against the damaged wall was excess
sive, was the statement of Superiu-
tendent Edward Il. Gridiey this
morning. He expressed his regret
that such fatality had occurred and
at the same time said he felt gratified
that few accidents occur at the
works.
Had No Warming.
Thomas Powers, the dead man.
and John Coter were firemen In the
boiler room, and John Lasko was a
coal passer. They were all at work
In the boiler house Monday after
noon as usual. Lasko was carting
hot ashes in wheelbarrow and the
others were attending to their Gus
tomary duties. At 3:45 o'clock
there came crash. The north wall
OF the building cayed In, burying
Powers in the debris. John Lasko,
who was wheeling load OF hot ashes
at the time, in his eagerness to es-
cape, upset the barrow and the not
contents poured over his feet. Coter
escaped injury. Other workmen
were quickly on the scene to aid the
injured men. After some difficulty.
Powers was extricated. His injuries
at the time could not be ascertained.
DR.. j. G. Wilson and DR.. ]. L. Lund
were summoned and the injured men
were attended to. Powers was sent
to the city hospital and Lasko was
taken to his home.
Died In Hospital.
Powers died about I o'clock Nom
day night in the hospital. death ~.
sulting from ipterHai iHsdfies. sds-
| tanned under the heavy pressure OF
the fallen mass of brick. mortar and
coal. He never lost Consciousness
from the time of the accident until
death ended his suffering. At the
Chesebrough plant Immediately after
the accident, Father Corr, Of St.
Mary's r. c. church, administered
| the last rites TO the dying man.
Father Massey was also present
Powers was attended by Drs. Wilson
and Lund. DIR. Wilson attended to
Lasko.
The wall that fell is the one north
of the boiler house. situated about
the middle of the plant, Just north of
the railroad. The boiler house is
125 by seventy feet in size and but a
single story high. The walls are Of
brick, twelve inches in thickness.
Coal used for the boilers that had
been piled against the north wall
caused 1t to give away unexpectedly,
| thus causing the fatality The boil
ers and steam lines were note dam
aged.
Gloom Over Plant.
The accident cast gloom over the
entire plant. The employees became
downcast by its occurrence and Su-
perintendent Gridley particularly felt
the result of Its occurrence.
Powers is survived by a wife and
three children. He moved here from
Brooklyn about six years ago. He
had been in the employ Of the con-
cern for the past eight years. having
worked two years for 1t in Brooklyn.
He was considered a good workman.
always faithful to his employers and
well liked among fellow-employes.
Arrangements for his funeral are
now under way.