The Oskaloosa herald., 1916-04-20
HAS FOOT BLOWN OFF.
James Chafey Loses Member When
Cylinder of Gas Explodes.

An unheard of accident, in this To-
lcality occurred about five o'clock Sun.
| day evening at the town of Fremont,
when a. cylinder of liquid caTbolic
acid gas let go or exploded as d
soda water fountain was being charg-
led. The force of the explosion was
terrific and in addition to the person
al injuries sustained the explosion did
considerable damage to the, property
where the accident occurred.
Ralph Myers, owner of the building,
taurant where the trouble happened.
loses his left foot which was practical
ly blown off by the force of the eX-
| plosion. - +
Haiph Myers, owner of the building
sustains severe injuries. One ankle
was broken, a compound fracture that
may render the man cripple:
ChafeX was engaged in charging a
soda wafer fountain for the restaur-
ant and Myers was standing near, as.
'-sisting or watching. Chafey had a new
pressure tank" of liquid gas and was
engaged in handling this when the
i steel cylinder exploded with the
force and the noise of a bursting shell.
The force of the explosion was so
~ CAV lhut NhclISg was uullIh oSdihoh
the ceiling of the room with consider
able force and the wonder is that he
was not killed outright Myers was
picked up from his feet and blown
through an open doorway across the
adjoining room and was almost un.
conscious when assistance was given.
The tank that exploded was the
service tank used on the fountain,
This was being charged from large
commercial drum" Cause of the ex-
plosion was in all probability, over
charging the small tank, as the work
was being done without the, use of
pressure guage. generally employed
in the Operation.g. yN} Ia ga .3t,. ]
The tank was blown to pieces, parts
of it going in all directions. -..g-,i
One piece went through the ceiling
OF the room in which the apparatus
was located and another went through
the floor. .@ .-~f
In addition TO the loss of his foot,
Mr.. Chafey sustained deep cut in the
hip, a jagged piece of the tank pene-
trating to the bone. Myers, in addition
to the crushed ankle has a lacerated
thigh '"
DR.. Sarbaugh of Oskaloosa was
summoned following the application
OF first all measures and he made
quick time to the scene of the acct
dent, via auto, lie found both men
painfully and severely injured In adj
dition to the hurts mentioned there
arc, innumerable bruises, abrasions
and scratches. From the evident force
OF theeeXplosiOn the men are fortunate
to Rave. escaped with their lives.
Cook Has Leg Broken. y. -
Harry Motto, engaged to cook for
TIE county road gang that is to OPP,
crate along the Des Moines river, be-
ginning near the B%leipuntaine Bridge,
ststs'ired a broken leg Saturday at:
terBoon Willie engaged I'm getting HIS
cook house" set THE house Is on
wheels for the convenience of trans
fCrring from place to place. Whom the
camp is made holes are eXCaYated
and the wheels dropped into them,
securing stability and desired eleva-
ton.
While sitting the house Saturday af
tcrnoOn, Motto was at the front direct
ing the operation The holes for the
wheels had been dug and when the
wagon was pushed forward only one
front wheel dropped to position. This
caused the tongue to suddenly wrench
to one side the full force striking Mot
to on the left leg, breaking the bones
square Off, DR.. MCLEAN was summon
ed, reduced the fractures and left the
man as comfortable as can be expect
ed but .aeanwhile a new cook for the
road gang was requisitionaE
Incidentally the road gang had d
bad day Saturday in establishing
their camp. The Cook house. is a
heavy TunnwyieldIy building and, hard to
handle. 1t was trtI8sed up and rugged
with chains to the best advantage but
at that was almost unmanageable on
a downhill stretch, on, one of the long
hills a chain broke and 1t was impos-
sible to hold the load. The boys whip'
led up the horses and by good fortune
brought the load to- the bottom of the
hill without mishap. -.
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