Louisburg Herald
Friday, October 7, 1898
FATAL ACCIDENT
Last Monday while working in a well on the premises of John Forner in Somerset, three men, William Ballard, Bert Purvis and John Gatlin, lost their lives. The well was but 22 feet deep and Mr. Forner decided to dig it deeper. Mr. Ballard, son-in-law of Mr. Forner, was visiting his father-in-law and requested Mr. Forner to let him assist Gatlin in the work. They fired a blast about 11 o'clock Monday forenoon and within a very short time after the blast was fired Ballard started toward the well saying he was going down to see what the shot had done. His wife was present and requested him to wait until more of the smoke was out of the well, but Ballard remarked, "There is no danger, wife.", and went down. After he was down but a short time Bert Purvis went to the top of the well and called to Ballard, asking him how everything was, and, upon receiving no reply, started down in the well.
The supposition is that Ballard was still on his feet in a dazed condition, and that Purvis was overcome with gas and smoke before reaching the bottom, and fell a short distance and that Ballard afterward fell across him, as Purvis was underneath him when found.
John Gatlin then became uneasy owing to the silence which prevailed and called them, receiving no reply he immediately went down, with the same results as the other two had met.
In answer to the heartrending screams uttered by Mrs. Ballard, several men were soon at the scene and preparations were hastily made for their immediate removal. Robert Capper volunteered to enter the well and a rope was placed around his body, and he with a rope to rescue the ill fated men was let down.
He placed a rope around Gatlin's body but before fastening the rope securely, was also overcome with gas, and immediately brought to the surface. Dr. King was then on the scene and with hard work Capper was finally restored to consciousness.
In the meantime the work of rescue was continued faithfully and hastily. William Gillenwater, a boy of 18, volunteered to try to rescue them. He was let down in the same manner as Capper. The boy succeeded in placing a rope around each, and they were pulled to the top. Purvis was dead when found. Ballard died about an hour later and Gatlin died Tuesday about noon.
Bert Purvis was a son of Mrs. Harriette Purvis and John Gatlin a son of George Gatlin, both residents of Louisburg. Purvis and Gatlin were both unmarried. Ballard leaves a wife, formerly Nora Forner of Somerset. The funeral services of Bert Purvis were held in the M.E. Church, Louisburg, Tuesday, conducted by Rev. W.T. White, and interment in Louisburg cemetery. Ballard and Gatlin were buried at Somerset.
Mr. Forner is grief stricken that his son-in-law met with death working for him while he and wife were visiting Mrs. Ballard's parents, but Ballard's services were volunteered by himself and Mr. Forner cannot possibly have any blame attached to him. The corner came out Tuesday but as the cause of death was so plain, and there could possibly be no blame attached to anyone, there was no need of an inquest.
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Note: Somerset Cemetery is very small and no marker could be found for Mr. Ballard.
Friday, October 7, 1898
FATAL ACCIDENT
Last Monday while working in a well on the premises of John Forner in Somerset, three men, William Ballard, Bert Purvis and John Gatlin, lost their lives. The well was but 22 feet deep and Mr. Forner decided to dig it deeper. Mr. Ballard, son-in-law of Mr. Forner, was visiting his father-in-law and requested Mr. Forner to let him assist Gatlin in the work. They fired a blast about 11 o'clock Monday forenoon and within a very short time after the blast was fired Ballard started toward the well saying he was going down to see what the shot had done. His wife was present and requested him to wait until more of the smoke was out of the well, but Ballard remarked, "There is no danger, wife.", and went down. After he was down but a short time Bert Purvis went to the top of the well and called to Ballard, asking him how everything was, and, upon receiving no reply, started down in the well.
The supposition is that Ballard was still on his feet in a dazed condition, and that Purvis was overcome with gas and smoke before reaching the bottom, and fell a short distance and that Ballard afterward fell across him, as Purvis was underneath him when found.
John Gatlin then became uneasy owing to the silence which prevailed and called them, receiving no reply he immediately went down, with the same results as the other two had met.
In answer to the heartrending screams uttered by Mrs. Ballard, several men were soon at the scene and preparations were hastily made for their immediate removal. Robert Capper volunteered to enter the well and a rope was placed around his body, and he with a rope to rescue the ill fated men was let down.
He placed a rope around Gatlin's body but before fastening the rope securely, was also overcome with gas, and immediately brought to the surface. Dr. King was then on the scene and with hard work Capper was finally restored to consciousness.
In the meantime the work of rescue was continued faithfully and hastily. William Gillenwater, a boy of 18, volunteered to try to rescue them. He was let down in the same manner as Capper. The boy succeeded in placing a rope around each, and they were pulled to the top. Purvis was dead when found. Ballard died about an hour later and Gatlin died Tuesday about noon.
Bert Purvis was a son of Mrs. Harriette Purvis and John Gatlin a son of George Gatlin, both residents of Louisburg. Purvis and Gatlin were both unmarried. Ballard leaves a wife, formerly Nora Forner of Somerset. The funeral services of Bert Purvis were held in the M.E. Church, Louisburg, Tuesday, conducted by Rev. W.T. White, and interment in Louisburg cemetery. Ballard and Gatlin were buried at Somerset.
Mr. Forner is grief stricken that his son-in-law met with death working for him while he and wife were visiting Mrs. Ballard's parents, but Ballard's services were volunteered by himself and Mr. Forner cannot possibly have any blame attached to him. The corner came out Tuesday but as the cause of death was so plain, and there could possibly be no blame attached to anyone, there was no need of an inquest.
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Note: Somerset Cemetery is very small and no marker could be found for Mr. Ballard.
Louisburg Herald
Friday, October 7, 1898
FATAL ACCIDENT
Last Monday while working in a well on the premises of John Forner in Somerset, three men, William Ballard, Bert Purvis and John Gatlin, lost their lives. The well was but 22 feet deep and Mr. Forner decided to dig it deeper. Mr. Ballard, son-in-law of Mr. Forner, was visiting his father-in-law and requested Mr. Forner to let him assist Gatlin in the work. They fired a blast about 11 o'clock Monday forenoon and within a very short time after the blast was fired Ballard started toward the well saying he was going down to see what the shot had done. His wife was present and requested him to wait until more of the smoke was out of the well, but Ballard remarked, "There is no danger, wife.", and went down. After he was down but a short time Bert Purvis went to the top of the well and called to Ballard, asking him how everything was, and, upon receiving no reply, started down in the well.
The supposition is that Ballard was still on his feet in a dazed condition, and that Purvis was overcome with gas and smoke before reaching the bottom, and fell a short distance and that Ballard afterward fell across him, as Purvis was underneath him when found.
John Gatlin then became uneasy owing to the silence which prevailed and called them, receiving no reply he immediately went down, with the same results as the other two had met.
In answer to the heartrending screams uttered by Mrs. Ballard, several men were soon at the scene and preparations were hastily made for their immediate removal. Robert Capper volunteered to enter the well and a rope was placed around his body, and he with a rope to rescue the ill fated men was let down.
He placed a rope around Gatlin's body but before fastening the rope securely, was also overcome with gas, and immediately brought to the surface. Dr. King was then on the scene and with hard work Capper was finally restored to consciousness.
In the meantime the work of rescue was continued faithfully and hastily. William Gillenwater, a boy of 18, volunteered to try to rescue them. He was let down in the same manner as Capper. The boy succeeded in placing a rope around each, and they were pulled to the top. Purvis was dead when found. Ballard died about an hour later and Gatlin died Tuesday about noon.
Bert Purvis was a son of Mrs. Harriette Purvis and John Gatlin a son of George Gatlin, both residents of Louisburg. Purvis and Gatlin were both unmarried. Ballard leaves a wife, formerly Nora Forner of Somerset. The funeral services of Bert Purvis were held in the M.E. Church, Louisburg, Tuesday, conducted by Rev. W.T. White, and interment in Louisburg cemetery. Ballard and Gatlin were buried at Somerset.
Mr. Forner is grief stricken that his son-in-law met with death working for him while he and wife were visiting Mrs. Ballard's parents, but Ballard's services were volunteered by himself and Mr. Forner cannot possibly have any blame attached to him. The corner came out Tuesday but as the cause of death was so plain, and there could possibly be no blame attached to anyone, there was no need of an inquest.
----------------------------------------------------------
Note: Somerset Cemetery is very small and no marker could be found for Mr. Ballard.
Friday, October 7, 1898
FATAL ACCIDENT
Last Monday while working in a well on the premises of John Forner in Somerset, three men, William Ballard, Bert Purvis and John Gatlin, lost their lives. The well was but 22 feet deep and Mr. Forner decided to dig it deeper. Mr. Ballard, son-in-law of Mr. Forner, was visiting his father-in-law and requested Mr. Forner to let him assist Gatlin in the work. They fired a blast about 11 o'clock Monday forenoon and within a very short time after the blast was fired Ballard started toward the well saying he was going down to see what the shot had done. His wife was present and requested him to wait until more of the smoke was out of the well, but Ballard remarked, "There is no danger, wife.", and went down. After he was down but a short time Bert Purvis went to the top of the well and called to Ballard, asking him how everything was, and, upon receiving no reply, started down in the well.
The supposition is that Ballard was still on his feet in a dazed condition, and that Purvis was overcome with gas and smoke before reaching the bottom, and fell a short distance and that Ballard afterward fell across him, as Purvis was underneath him when found.
John Gatlin then became uneasy owing to the silence which prevailed and called them, receiving no reply he immediately went down, with the same results as the other two had met.
In answer to the heartrending screams uttered by Mrs. Ballard, several men were soon at the scene and preparations were hastily made for their immediate removal. Robert Capper volunteered to enter the well and a rope was placed around his body, and he with a rope to rescue the ill fated men was let down.
He placed a rope around Gatlin's body but before fastening the rope securely, was also overcome with gas, and immediately brought to the surface. Dr. King was then on the scene and with hard work Capper was finally restored to consciousness.
In the meantime the work of rescue was continued faithfully and hastily. William Gillenwater, a boy of 18, volunteered to try to rescue them. He was let down in the same manner as Capper. The boy succeeded in placing a rope around each, and they were pulled to the top. Purvis was dead when found. Ballard died about an hour later and Gatlin died Tuesday about noon.
Bert Purvis was a son of Mrs. Harriette Purvis and John Gatlin a son of George Gatlin, both residents of Louisburg. Purvis and Gatlin were both unmarried. Ballard leaves a wife, formerly Nora Forner of Somerset. The funeral services of Bert Purvis were held in the M.E. Church, Louisburg, Tuesday, conducted by Rev. W.T. White, and interment in Louisburg cemetery. Ballard and Gatlin were buried at Somerset.
Mr. Forner is grief stricken that his son-in-law met with death working for him while he and wife were visiting Mrs. Ballard's parents, but Ballard's services were volunteered by himself and Mr. Forner cannot possibly have any blame attached to him. The corner came out Tuesday but as the cause of death was so plain, and there could possibly be no blame attached to anyone, there was no need of an inquest.
----------------------------------------------------------
Note: Somerset Cemetery is very small and no marker could be found for Mr. Ballard.
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