The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1913-01-17
THREE men ASPHYXIATED With GAS
FROM EXHAUSTS OF GASOLINE
ENGINE. BARELY ESCAPE.
TWO UNCONSCIOUS BE-
FORE HELP ARRIVED
One Of Party Forces Door Open to Allow
Fresh Air to Get to Victims and in
50 Doing Save Their Lives.

During the coldest days OF last
week, three men who were sorting
potatoes in cellar at the farm of
l.. N. Meyer, at Sterling, were as
phyxiated with gas from the exhaust
of gasoline engine, and narrowly
escaped death. Two became urcon-
scious and the third had only
enough strength to get the door
open and admit fresh air.
]. N. Meyer and wife, daughter
and son Harold were among The
first settlers on the Carey lands near
Sterling, and have combatted all the
difficulties of making a home and
subsisting on a piece of wild land
which when taken in its raw state
from the government as Senator
Borah says, was "a bet on
the part of Uncle Sam that the set
tier could not make a living on it.
In other words Uncle Sam bet 100
acres of arid land aginst Mr.. Noy-
er's money and labor, and Meyer
wins, for he is is succeeding as
farmer. He clears land and breaks
it by steam or gasoline power, and
during the cold weather he and two
others we're sorting potatoes in the
big potato cellar, using the gasoline
engine to operate the sorter. NO
provision was made to pipe the gas
out, and Monday it was so cold they
had to keep the cellar closed to keep
out frost. Soon after they began
work under these conditions. Mr..
Mover looked around and saw that
his two companions were lying pros
trate as if in death. He had no.
ticed the gas getting strong but had
not though of danger. He made his
way quickly to the big door and pull
ed it open, got some fresh air and
then dragged his companions, Harry
Massey and Albert Christensen out.
They gradually revived and have
fully recovered.
1t seems that asphyxistion came
on painlessly, and had Mr.. Meyer
not observed the condition of his
companions, he too, would probably
have fallen, and the engine would
have gone on supplying the fatal
fumes. Mrs. Meyer would have
come along later and found the life
less bodies.
Blackfoot people who lived here
in the summer of 1906 will recall
the asphyxiation of Fernand Le-
Floic and J. s. Neher in the mill on
the evening of July first, and the
close margains by which they lost
in the race with death.
They were fumigating the mill
a solution of bi-sulphide of carbon
spreading it upon the floors They
worked from the bottom floor up
ward, and expected to finish at the
top floor and pass quickly down and
= 90 out at the front door. 1t appears
that some of the solution splashed
in Neher's face and prostrated him
LeFlohic tried to carry him out and
reached the front door but was un-
able to get the key and use 1t
With Neher lying unconscious at his
feet, LeFlohic saw the light of day
turn black, and he too sank to the
floor. People coming and goins
knew nothing of it and Harry Kin
ney who came to get flour for be-
sAated order, found the door LOCKED
but could not get in. He remarked
that somebody was asleep in the mil
as he heard snoring, but Harr!
knew nothing of any fumigating ant
suspected nothing. The mems lif'
went out when help was all abou
them, and when discovered the.
we're cold in death.