New Ulm review., 1914-11-04
Caye-In Results
Fatally To One
SEWER ON SOUTH FIRST COSTS
LIFE OF FRIEDRICH
PRA1L.
FELLOW WORKER ESCAPES FROM
PIT AFTER THREE HOURS
PRISONER.

One dead and one considerably bruised
is the toll exacted by cave-in which
occurred Tuesday forenoon about ten
o'clock at the sewer which is being dug
on 1st South Street between Minnesota
and German. The dead man is Fred
Prahl whose home is on North Broad
way and the man who so miraculously
escaped with his life is Magnus Rud OF
St. Peter. The cave-in came without a
warning.
Just before the accident happened one
of the workmen suggested that it might
be a good idea to put in few more
braces to prevent caving, but another
thought it was not necessary. He had
hardly stated his views when the ground
cayed and he and the other man were
buried under an avalanche of dirt and
sand. The New Ulm man was COM
pletely covered up and Rud was lucky
enough to have his head left uncovered
by the sand.
- The cave-in occurred about Is to 80
feet from Minnesota street on lst south.
At this point the trench was fully Is
feet deep and there was platform about
4 to 5 feet from the bottom of the pit
on which the gravel was first thrown and
from there thrown to the surface of the
ground. Ole Overn, a son OF Lars
Overn, the contractor, was in charge of
the work and about 8 men were on the
lob Mho as soon as the cave-in occurred,
rushed to the assistance of their fellow
worknen. The main cave-in came from
&, the south side and the planks we're
j crowded over so that they almost
touched the planks on the north side.
The news of the accident spread like
wild fire. and in a short time hundreds
of people rushed to the scene. AS is
usual in cases of unexpected accidents,
there was more or less confusion at the
start. There were willing hands galore
and people who had perhaps not handled
shovel for years worked away like
beavers
fallen in on the unfortunate men. About
J. half dozen of the county candidates
y forgot all about the election and sweated
4 like Trojans in the work of the rescue.
In their desire to see and help, if possible
the people crowded too close and were
actually in the way of those who were
doing the work.
The cave-in extended for IL or Is
feet and this portion of the street was
roped off to keep the curious away from
the trench, but this did not prove effect
i've and later on the whole street was
ropad off and even then some crowded
into the working area and had to be
ordered out.
An hour after the accident, the loose
dirt had been sufficiently removed to
make it possible for one of the doctors
who was present to make an examination
of Prahl and he pronounced the man
dead. Shortly after that and while the
free the body, second cave-in occurred
and he was once more completely buried.
eSIt was not until 2:40 P. M. that his
body was finally recovered.
The sympathy Of the onlookers went
out to the widow of the dead man, who
stood by weeping and watching intently
the work of the rescuers. Not word
did she know of the terrible accident that
lof nd cbo
to bring his dinner shortly before the
noon hour.
While one crew was working inces-
sanity to remove the new dirt that had
fallen upon Prahl, another was working as
I, indefatigably to rescue the other man.
New plamks were driven into the earth
to prevent further cave-in and the dirt
was slowly removed until he was finally
extricated and strong arms carried him
out of the trench to an automobile and
he was quickly taken out to the hospital.
Tt was found that no bones were broken
and that he was only bruised and stiff.
It was nearly 2 o'clock when he was res
cued. three and a half hours after the
accident happened.
Gu. Erie lerich Otto Prahl was born in
Wissek, Posen, Oct. 6, 1868 and was
Z consequently only 81 years old when he
was SO suddenly removed from his field
Of activity. April 10, 1892 he was mar
ried in the home Of his nativity to Angus
ia Meyer who survives him. They came.
to America in 1893 and directly to New
Ulm and have made their home here