Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1915-02-03
CLOSE TO AWFUL END
ACCOUNTING DEATHvERY NEAR TO
THIS MAN.
On Bale Of Silk in Vat Of seaIdIn0
Water the sufferlnes Of a Life
II time Were Compressed Into
+ 8oa,.,.y, Few Minutes.

A man who is now at the head OF
one Of the largest establishments for
dyeing silks in this country tells q
story Of strange and thrilling adven-
ture that he passed through when
he was still only the superintendent
Of the boiling ROOM" ~ =
silk; he says, in telling the story;
"has been the means Of my living,
and once it saved my life. Have you
ever been in a room where they boil
the raw silk? It's a hot, steaming
place; with great bubbling watts that
are sunk to level with the floor.
The raw silk, II bales, all fluffy and
sticky, comes in on rolling trucks and
/: is dumped into the watts. The mass
has to be stirred about a good deal
before 1t goes under. ~
Just before the noon hour one day
q truck came in with two bales on 1t.
-" - Dump it into number six vat I
told the men. I'll stir it If you fel-
lows want to 60 to dinner
/ 4, when they had gone began to
look round for the stirring fork.
couldn't find it anywhere. 'Confound
Bill!"' said I to myself. He loses ev-
erything.' -
II had hardly got the words out of
my mouth when my foot went OF the
edge of the vat. l felt myself falling
and was seized with the full con-
sviction of death. - q ~
- had time to think over just how
terribly hot the boiling water would
feel and to wonder how much OF me
would be left when the men came
back from dinner. Then felt myself
land fiat on my back on the mass of
floating silk. ,.+-
''rtE"To this day I can see the very
look Of the old smoky roof as I lay
on the island Of silk with the boiling
water on all sides. It was horribly
hot there; the perspiration started out
all over me, and I felt that ! must
move. 'T3' r.
First, however. shouted as loudly
as could. When no one answered I
cautiously tried to turn on my side.
The bale Of fiber began slowly to roll
over. Nearly paralyzed with terror,
I threw out. one arm. It was just
enough change In balance; I felt the
rolling motion stop. Then 1 knew it
wouldn't do to move. lay on my
back, poised on the middle Of the bale,
and walled for. help. After a minute
or two I began to realize that the silk
was slowly sinking into the vat. +.
"'You could hardly notice the motion.
At first could look out Of the corner
Of my eye and see the edge of vat num-
Der eight. A little later, when looked
again, it was out of my line OF vision.
I couldn't move without having the
Z bale roll over, and If I remained still
would go down inch by inch into the
scalding water below. e.. &
SS a II can remember that I became q
little historical. It's funny, what
tricks the mind plays. -. y
This is dyeing with a vengeance
L said aloud, and even laughed as I
said it. - %''Zzt! ~ T."
ut was growing hotter. Steam had
begun to percolate through the silk.
and was wet through with the sitting
clouds that rose from the surface Of
the water had no idea Of time. BY
and by, however, some one answered
my shouts. The door opened and two
men came rushing across the room.
Y 'zs"''Get a pole!' shouted one.
= ( Il knew that would be fatal; the
slightest push and would roll over L.:
to the steaming stew, \
:" Boys cried I, don't touch me or,
1t will be all over! One Of you turn
OF the feed pipe. Let the other man.
go down the ladder. The pipe that
empties this vat Is on the left. Turn
It on full: Do it quick! r,'1 or Ssa ,,s
I3could hear the chug! chug! Of the
steam being cut on from the vat; a
moment later I could see the wet rim
that broadened round the edges. and I
knew the water was falling. It took
half an hour to empty pumber six For
q while the two men ran round like
excited June bugs. Then they got a
rope and sat on the edge of the vat
watching me with great staring eyes.
NJ ;::'As, the water ran out, the silk sank
now. on one side. now on the other.
Once 1t started to roll. Both the men
,grunted and sat up very straight. Sud
denly one OF them cried out: itg
)