New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-08
SULPHUR GAS KILLS z;
ASPHYX|ATES 4 MEN
Five Workmen in General Chem
iCa| Company's Plant Risk
Almost Sure Death.
SURVIVORS LIE UNCONSCIOUS
Ambulance Surgeon and Driver
Made III by Fumes from the
Clothing of Victim in
Laurel Hill.

With the knowledge that they were
facing almost sure death and were TAX
ing their lives in their hands. five work
men in the big plant OF the General
Chemical Company. at Laurel Hill. Long
Island, rushed to the aid of Joseph
Geyer. one of the humbest laborers I'm
the factory. who had been overcome by
fumes I'm one OF the big tanks. Fred
Slain. forty-two years old, OF No. IJs
Metropolitan avenue. Brooklyn, one of
the old. experienced hands in the factory
and the leader OF the rescuing party.
lost his life. while four others in the
party were rendered unconscious and
were taken To st. Johns Hospital, Long
Island city.
These men were John Green. twenty
eight years old. OF No. j6 Sd street,
Brooklyn: Joseph Delesky. twenty seven
years old. 81 No. 142 Clinton avenue,
Maspeth: Theodore Poluski, fifty years
old Of No. 525A Humboldt street,
Brooklyn. and Henry Barton. forty-tw'
years NiN, VI .No. i-'f "''"'
Brooklyn.
Delesky and Polusk came around after
, several hours work, but Green and Bar
ton. the men who went into the tank,
had not recovered consciousness up to
late hour.
DR.. William MacTiernan. ambulance
surgeon of St Johns Hospital also came
near losing his life in his efforts to re
suscitate the victims of the sulphur gas.
When the victims from the factory were
being attended I'm one of the lower wards
he fell unconscious and had To he hur-
ried into An adjoining ward and resusci-
tated. When brother surgeons on the
hospital staff began working over him
they found that il was necessary To ad-
minister oxygen Immediately to save MS
life. After working over him several
hours il was asserted last night at the
hospital that he was out of danger.
At the factory the raw materials are
reduced 10y different processes into form
for commercial consumption. The appa-
ratus used i'm the reduction includes
series Of big tanks made of wood. from
ten 10 fifteen feet I'm height and from
twelve to twenty feet in circumference.
II is necessary to remove the residue
from the bottom OF these tanks fire.
ouentlv. This job is considered one of
the most perilous in the factory from
tho possibility Of some Of the poisonous
gases or liquids being left behind. tn"
air throughout the factory IS a all times
filed with noxous odors Every man is
warned 10y the management 10 take no
chances.
Gcvor. on starting tO work after noon
yesterday, set about to clean out one OF
the tanks in which sulphur had been re-
duced He used ladder to go down into
tho tank. and was i'm his bare feet. He
began stirring in the silt AT the bottom.
when suddenly he was heard 10 give
cry.
Helm" shouted Slain. who was near
Lv and the other. workmen. understand
ing the situation. came running with a
rome This was To be lowered to Geycr.
but one look into the tank showed him
unconscious at the bottom. Slain
clambered down the ladder FOR the pur-
pose of fastening the rope about Geyer's
body. The men at the top saw him fall
unconscious just as he had fastened the
ropc about Geycr. It was possible, how
ever. to draw Gcyer's body up with the
rope.
Green and Barton, two of the other
uorlsmen. hurried 10 the ladder at the
lido of the tank and Went down into il tu
briug mn the body of Slain. They SUE
,ooded in getting II up. but as thoy
reached the small platform at the side of
the top of the tank they both fell un-
conscious. Delseky and polusH were
aIsn unconscious when other workmcn
came.
The six unconscious men were carried
int.. tho omen air and an ambulance was
aucd Crom st Johns Hospital Dr
ta,nos Lawrence and Or. MacTiernan
/ ',,r, i'm the ambulance. br. NacTiernan
/ ,,o,,c his attention to Geyer and slain
srhc odor of the gas from their clothing
.s almost overpov vering but for fully
] u,,.cu minutes Dr. MacTiernan worked
n,.or them. assisted by the ambulance
driver Gallagher. II was then seen that
| co,er and Slain We're beyond recovery.
and ,heir bodies were ordered removed to
,hc Uunter's Point Iolico station.