17 Aug 1920: Oscar Webber, of 364 North 11th Street, on Monday afternoon, was killed outright, Daniel Gerlach, of Campbelltown, is at the hospital, suffering from many bruises, after escaping death by the narrowest margin possible, and four other men came near having their lives snuffed out in the most horrible manner, as a result of a slide of sand in the old ravine, north of Maple Street, where the Bethlehem Steel Company is filling in sand from the concentrator plant near West Lebanon. The ravine extends from the Lebanon Brewing Company property, on North Seventh Street, to Eleventh and Maple Streets, and through the ravine flow the head waters of the Brandy wine creek. The Bethlehem Steel Company acquired the land some years ago, and the sand from the concentrator plant have been dumped into the place for many months. It is rapidly filling up. Before the filling process was attempted a concrete conduit was laid in the ravine to take away the water. Lately a section of this conduit broke at a point near the western terminus at Eleventh and Maple Streets. The break was covered with ten 'feet of the sand which had packed almost as hard as virgin soil, as a big cavity was made some weeks ago. The broken parts of the conduit, probably fifteen feet in length had been removed, and preparations were in progress to make a new section of the big concrete drain when the accident happened on Monday afternoon about 3 o'clock. As the sand was taken out of the hole with a steam lift, it was dumped on the side and had reached a height of fully twenty feet. Oscar Webber, Daniel Gerlach and William Donmoyer, of No. 12 Maple Street, were at work on the north side of the big cavity, and Edward Emerich, of Chapel Avenue, William Yingst, of Eighth and Hill Streets and Richard Gates, a son of Dr and Mrs. Alfred Gates, of Chestnut Street were at work on the south side, with a frame shute for concrete between them. Above ground, Philip Honafius was in charge of the bucket used to bring the material to the surface, while William Fields operated the engine and crane. Harry Reidel was the foreman in charge of the work. The work had been in progress for weeks, so there was no thought of danger, until of a sudden the sand piled high above began to move, and probably a hundred tons of it moved downward toward the men in the pit. The stuff had apparently become watery during the heavy showers of the past week and lost the consistency which heretofore held it in place. Shouts of warning rang out on every side, but it was too late for the men immediately under the bank to easily escape. Webber tried to make a leap, but stumbled over the trough and before he could regain his balance was covered with sand, at the east opening of the conduit. Donmoyer, who was in the middle, was also buried, but was nearer the water, and managed to crawl under the frame chute, as the onrushing water made the sand soft enough to get away. Gerlach was at the west opening of the conduit, and he was also caught by the onrush of water and sand, and was washed into the conduit. That end of the opening also soon filled with sand. The three others o the other side of the chute, were partly covered with sand, but were at the far side of the slope made by the fall and they climbed out as best they could, and escaped with bruises. The greatest of excitement prevailed at once, and frantic efforts were made to get to the entombed men. Foreman Reidel, although the heaviest man in the party, volunteered to be dropped with a rope into a big manhole which is located about twenty five feet west of the opening and he was let down by his comrades. At the risk of his own life, he crawled into the conduit and made his way forward through the water and mire until he reached his fellow worker. Meanwhile others started to shovel away the sand at the end. Reidel pulled the buried man out of the sand just about the time the others cleared the opening, and it was just in time, for Gerlach was well nigh suffocated. Water was dashed into his face, and the smothering sand was washed from his mouth and nostrils just as he seemed to be breathing his last. As fresh air reached his lungs he gasped, opened his eyes, and then lapsed into a comatose state. He was rushed to the Good Samaritan hospital, where it was stated today, he Is recovering nicely. His injuries, aside of the shock to his nervous system, are confined to bodily bruises sustained when the heavy sand crushed him against the concrete conduit. Meanwhile others dug manfully at the sand bank at the other opening, to release Webber. There were tons of the sand on that side however, and It was fully twenty minutes before they could reach him, and in that time the man's life had been smothered. He was found in a kneeling position against the north wall of the conduit, with his head against the structure. It is thought likely by some that the terrific weight of the sand crushed out his life at the first onrush. Efforts were made, however, to resuscitate him, but without avail, and there was no evidence of a pulse when he was found. Webber, who was 39 years of age, made his home with his parents, Jonathan and Diana Webber, at 364 North Eleventh Street. He leaves a wife, a brother, William, of this city; two sisters, Mrs. John Callahan and Mrs. Bessie Schott, both at home. He was identified with the membership of the Memorial United Brethren Church, and was also a member of the Good Will fire company. [Lebanon Daily News]