A
TERRIBLE DEATH
A
MAN COOKED ALIVE AT THE
SPRING
GROVE PAPER MILLS.
The
Giving Away of a Defective Valve
Caused
William Stough, an Employee at the Mills, to Lose His Life. He
Was Terribly scalded by Hot Water Into
Which He was Compelled to Jump - Died After Suffering
Twelve
Hours
William Stough, a laborer, employed at the Spring
Grove paper mills, died at his home, in Jackson
township, yesterday morning from the effects of a terrible scalding
sustained while engaged in cleaning a large boiler at the mills on
Thurs- day afternoon about 4 o'clock.
There are two large boilers in use and they receive their supply of
water from a large tank in which the water is kept at a boiling point.
Two pumps are used to force the water into the
boilers, each pump being so arranged that in case one becomes out of
repair the other can be used upon either boiler. The pump used to
feed the boiler in which Stough was scalded was at the time being used
to feed the other boiler, the other pump being out of repair. A
defective valve giving way caused the scalding water to rush in upon the
unfortunate man and he was nearly cooked alive before he could escape.
He screamed at the top of his voice, but the noise
of the hissing steam drowned his cries for help. The boiler was an
upright one and Stough was standing in the upper portion. The only way
to escape to the outside was by jumping down into the scalding water.
The boiler was already half full. The opening which Stough was compelled
to crawl through was only large enough to allow a man to get through.
Stough dove down into the water, opened a valve and let the water out.
He was half dead and unable to bear up any longer and he fell down in a
semiconscious condition. In this position he was found by some fellow
workman, who removed him from the boiler. He was found
to be frightfully scalded and his flesh in some
places was merely hanging to the bones.
He was removed to the home of Mrs. Hale, in Spring
Grove, and Dr. Hoke was summoned. The doctor did all in his power
to relieve the man's sufferings, but he was beyond
relief, and after suffering excruciating pain for over twelve hours, he
died, about 4:30 o'clock yesterday morning. His entire lower limbs and
abdomen were terribly cooked and scalded and the rest of his body was
badly scalded.
Mr. Stough was 40 years of age and
leaves
a wife and three children.