Omaha daily bee., 1916-08-16
TWO MEN DROWNED
IN SEWER OUTLET
Employees of Carter Lake Club
Lose Their Lives Near River
Monday.
ILL LUCK IN ONE FAMILY

Two employees of the Carter Lake
club were drowned Monday in the
sewer pumping station. One was
Frank Nusco and the other was the
gate keeper, E. P. Griggs.
These two men were sent Monday
morning to open up the sewer which
runs from the Carter Lake club to
the Missouri river. When they did
not return their friends and the di-
rectors of the club became apprehen-
sive and search was instituted with
the result that their clothes were
found yesterday morning on the edge
OF the sewer pit, in East Omaha.
Concrete Tower.
The circumstances of the drowning
were most revolving and horrible.
The pumping house is a square con-
crete tower standing just north of
the' railroad right-of-way in East
Omaha. The lower part is collect
ing and settling tank for the sewage
which is then lifted about fifteen feet
and allowed to run through pipe to
the Missouri river. Above the tank
is pump room with an electric dyna-
mo, mounted on a platform. A trap
door leads down to the tank below.
1t is supposed that the men found
it necessary to go down into the tank
to make some repairs and they
changed from their street clothes to
old overalls, leaving their better
clothes outside. 1t is supposed that
while working in the tank they were
overcome, falling in and drowning.
No search was made until they had
been in the tank for more than twelve
hours, and when Jack Murray, Six
teenth and Corby streets, who went
out with Fred Flodman, superinten-
dent of dock and boats at the Carter
Lake club, went down into the tank
he was nearly overcome by the fumes
and had to stop work.
Officers Go Into Water.
Murray and Officers Joe Baughman
and Charles Plotts stripped off and
went down into the foul water reek-
ing with poisonous sewer gas to hunt
for the bodies with graphing hooks.
The body of Nusco was recovered
by Murray, while Baughman and
Plots were away and when they re-
turned with the oxygen helmet and
could endure the fumes for more than
a moment at a time the body of
Grigg was brought up.
The pump house is in peculiarly
inaccessible location, entirely sur
rounded with the stagnant waters of
the marsh at the lower end of Car
ter lake and can be reached only by
way of the railroad embankment.
When the bodies were recovered it
was necessary to bring them in on a
railroad handcar for a distance of
half a mile before they could be
transferred to an automobile ambu-
lance and taken to the coroner's NOR
que. ..,
Series of Misfortunes.
Much misfortune has befallen the
Griggs family in the last few weeks.
The Griggs came here from Nash
vile, Tenn, several months ago. Dur
ing the summer Mr.. Griggs had been
gatekeeper at the Carter Lake club,
and his wife, secretary.
While standing in front of the club
grounds entrance three weeks ago a
laundry wagon struck her. She was
thrown against the running board of
an automobile an suffered a COM
pound fracture of the leg, her condi-
ton being serious. The shock result
ing from her husbands tragic death
served to add to the seriousness OF
her condition.
About a week ago Mr.. Griggs re-
ceived word from Nashville that one
of his sisters was seriously injured
in an accident.
A sad feature of the case was that
Mr.. Griggs was expecting visit from
his mother in the near future. A spe-
cial delivery letter was received a
couple of days ago telling of the in
tended visit. Later another letter came
saying that the trip had been post
poned for the time being.
Frank Nusco, or Frank Mas, as
the police reported his name, worked
for the Rod and Gun club and lived
at 2624 North Sixteenth street. He
was rs years old.