The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1915-04-17
1 CURIOUS ORDEAL
Plight Of a Man Who Almost Fen
Death Touch Hin.
IN A VAT OF BOILING WATER.


His Vivid Story n His Sensations ~
He Tumsisd Helpless IN HE Sack
On q Sale Of Raw elk In the essth-
iss Liquid end Ais Tardy Rescue.
A man who b now at the head Of one
Of the largest establishments for dye
Ing silks in this country tells story Of
q strange and thrilling adventure that
hc 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 1t saved my life. Have you ever
been In room where they boil the raw
Sikh It's hot, steaming place. with
crest bubbling watts that are sunk to a
level with the floor. The raw silk. In
bales. all nuffy and sticky. comes in on
rolling trucks and IL dumped into the
watts. The mass has to be stirred about
q good deal before It gets soaked
though and goes under.
"Just before the noon hour one day
q truck came in with two bales on It
dump them into No. 8 vat,' told
the men. 'l'll stir them II you fellows
want to 60 to dinner
when they had gone began to look
around for the stirring fork. couldn't
dnd It anywhere. 'Confound Bill! ]
said to myself. He loses everything
81 had hardly got the words out Of
my mouth when my foot went Oh the
edge Of tho vat. l felt myself falling.
and was seized with the full convic-
ton Of death.
II 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
dat on my back ON the mass Of floating
silk.
"T'o this day I can SEQ the very look
Of the old smoky roof ~ lay ON the
island Of silk with the boiling water on
all sides. It was horribly hot there.
The Precipitation started out all over
me. and felt that l must move.
"First. however. shouted a. loudly
a. could. When NO one answered
cautiously tried to turn on nv side.
The bale Of nber began slowly to roll
over. Nearly paraiyxed with terror.
threw out one arm. 1t was just enough
change In balance. felt the rolling
motion stop. Then I knew It wouldn't
do to move. lay on my back. poised
ON the middle Of the hale. and walled
for help. After a minute or two l be-
gan to realise that the silk was slowly
slnking into the vat.
.You could hardly notice tho motion.
Al ,rst could look ont OF the corner
Of my eye and see the edge Of vat No
g A little later. when / looked again,
IL was ont OF nv line OF vision. l
couldn't move without having the bale
roll over, and II / remained stu 1
would 10 down inch by inch into the
scalding water below.
II can remember that l became a
little bysterical. It's funny what tricks
the mind plays,
".This IN dyeipp with. a VENGEANCE
1 said aloud. and even laughed a. i
said 1t.
at was growing hotter. Steam had
besun to percolate through the silk.
and I waa wet through with the sti.
ding clouds TINT rose from the sur
face ~ the winter. had no ,iea Of
fine. Nv and BY. however. some one
.nswered INV .houts The door opened
and two men came running across the
rpom.
".f:et a no,er .houted one.
.J krev thst vonld n. fatal. the
.,,ohto.t nu.h and would roll over
..Boys.. cried /. don't touch me or
II will be all over, One Of you turn