The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1947-07-31
PAINTER HURT As
SCAFFOLD BREAKS;
ANOTHER ESCAPES
Frank Neuenschwander In
Hospital After 35-Foot
Plunge to Ground
Lima Painter Climbs Rope to
Safety on Roof at School
Building

One painter was plunged 35 feet
to the ground and another dangled
precariously in mid-air as he climb
ed a rope to the top Of the building
and safety when one end of the
scaffold on which they were working
suddenly gave way, while working
on an outside painting job on the
College avenue side of the high
school building Saturday morning at
9:30 O'Clock.
Frank Neuenschwander, 60, of
North Main street, is in the Bluffton
hospital with six fractured left ribs
and badly bruised left shoulder as
the result of his fall from near the
top of the gymnasium wing of the
building where he was preparing to
paint the trim at the top of the
window.
Working with him on the scaffold
was Charles Tritch, 81, of Lima,
veteran skyscraper painter, who
averted a similar plunge when he
seized a rope at his end of the
uptilted scaffold.
Hangs in Mid-Air
suspended in mid-air, Tritch
climbed hand over hand up the rope
distance of some four or five feet
to the top of the building where he
edged over the cornice to safety.
The two men were working on a
10-foot long box-type scaffold known
among the painting trade as a
stage, suspended by ropes and
puIleys so it could be Unanswered
up and down.
At the top of the building the
scaffold harness was anchored by
two planks projecting over the wall
with bags of sand on the. back end
of the planks to serve as a counter
weight for the scaffold.
SandDag NAYeS way
When one Of fhe sandbags gave
way, permitting me back end Of the
plank to fly up, it dropped one end
of the scaffold throwing Neuen,
schwander to the ground. The path
of his descent was marked by q
streak of white paint spilled from q
falling bucket and splashed on the
red brick wall of the building.
Neuenschwander was taken to the
hospital by the Stanley Basinger
ambulance. Basinger had just driven
into the garage at his funeral home
across the street from the scene OF
the mishap, when he heard calls for
an ambulance from spectators who
had gone to Neuenschwander' as
sistance.
Doctor Nearby
DR.. r. D. Rodabaugh, who also
has an office across the street
happened outside just as the mishar
occurred, and gave immediate treat.
ment to the victim. Hospital at,
taches reported his condition salts,
factory.
Remaining work on the higf
school painting contract will bt
supervised by Neuenschwander's son
Wayne Neuenschwander, Lima mar
in a plumbing partnership will
Edgar Frankhauser. He assists his
father as a side line.
Also working on the school con
tract job are Tritch, Walter Stannus
and three sons of Clarence Diller
Alfred, David and Mark.
| Application of the first coat o.
paint had practically been completed
on the high school contract when tht
accident occurred. Four of the large
windows on the College avenue sid,
Of the gymnasium remained to bt
painted, after which work on tn,
second coat would have been started
Neuenschwander, local paintinl
contractor, received contract thre,
weeks ago from the board of educa
ton for painting window frames
doors and other outside wood AMI
metal work on the high school build
ing.