The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1920-05-13
.CAVE-DN CRUSHES
MAN TO DEATH
Edwin Zimmers Dies Hor-
ribIe Death in Marion
Ave. Cave-in Today.
DIRECTS RESCUE WORK

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Slowly crushed to death while fellow
laborers worked frantically in vain to
liberate him for more than half hour
Edwin Zimmers, sewer contractor
and plumber of North Bronson street
died horrible death just after ten
i o'clock this morning when he was
caught beneath falling timbers and
seven feet of sand and gravel in 8
cave-in on Marion avenue, between
Pearl and Park streets. After more
than an hours work, rescuers reached
/ the body, but they were too late. DR.
A. L. Christoferson, who was at the
scene of the accident when the body
was recovered, examined the body and
\ declared that he had been dead for
nearly an hour. The remains were
taken to the Mischief morgue where
they were prepared for burial
Took the Dangerous Work.
The accident happened in the pit
where work was being completed on q
private sewer leading to the house at
233 Marian avenue Friday afternoon
Zimmers went into the pit, which was
more than seven feet deep, when sew
eral of his men showed little reticen-
cy in entering it because they declared
there was too much danger of cave
in. Zimmers worked there all yester-
day afternoon and this morning re-
| entered and had just started to work
when the slide of earth came. He was
caught in the pit where large rafter
of the protecting work fell across his
back and another struck him on the
head The sand and gravel covered
him up to the arm pits and weighing
on the rafters, which pinned him,
slowly crushed the life out of him.
Talks to Rescue Men.
Three men who were working on the
| job with zimmers hurried to his res
cue and dug frantically at the seven
feet of earth which had slipped into
the pit.
cat first we could hear him talk to
us" said Ray Cartwright, one Of the
first of the rescue men to reach the
scene. "He called to US for help and
we worked frantically to reach him in
time. For a half hour we could hear
him talk but he kept getting weaker
and weaker" The rescue men in
I creased by police who answered the
call and dozen men from the vicinity
worked as fast as possible but could
make little Roadway on the pile Of
earth which was slowly crushing the
life out of the contractor
"After we had worked a half hour
said Cartwright. "zimmers, now so
weak that we could barely hear him
called out to US: It's no use, boys, |
can't stand it any longer Goodbye
Then for few minutes we heard him
breathing and grooming Jut we reached
him too late"
May Had Back Broken.
When the body was finally unearthed
An hour later-it was found that a
rafter had pinned Zimmers beneath it
and that the weight of the earth on
this had gradually crushed him to
death. It is believed that his back
may have been broken by the force.
The position Of the BODY showed that
zimmers had nearly jumped to safety
when he had the first intimation of
the landslide. He had gone into the
pit to cement the last two pieces of
tile far in the pit but his body was
found near the entrance, showing that
he had almost reached safety when he
was caught beneath the seven feet Of
earth
Well Known Sewer Contractor.
The victim of the accident came to
Kenosha only few months ago and
opened a plumbing shop and sewer
contracting firm in the store room at
260 Bronson street. Until recently he
had lived at 979 First avenue, but re-
Gently he had sold his home there and
was now living at 356 Prairie avenue.
In the short time that he had been in
Kenosha he had made many friends
and his death will come as a personal
sorrow both to many business acquain-
tances and personal friends here. He
is survived by widow and three chill.
dren.
The remains will be taken to Mil
waukee this evening where the funeral
services will be held probably on
Tuesday of next week.
Second Fatal Cave-In.
The caye-in this morning is the sec
ond that has happened in that neigh
borhood in the past month. On April
10th, Gilbert Lawrence was buried
! alive in cave-in less than two blocks
north Of the scene of the accident this
morning.
Robert Lowe. one of the men who
was employed by Zimmerss on the work,
declared that every precaution had
been taken to box up the sand and
gravel but that the ground was SO
ltreacherous there that construction
work was very dangerous Lowe was
one of the men who worked frantically
to rescue Zimmers but was too late.