Charles E. Weaver attempted to save Hezekiah Perry from burning, Johnson City, Tennessee, April 6, 1917. Perry, 33, laborer, was engaged in tearing down the brick lining of a blast furnace. A section of the lining under him fell, and he dropped 42 feet into the furnace upon hot bricks. A part of the lining left standing at the top was pulled eight inches out of line, but it did not fall. A long rope was lowered into the furnace from the top, and Weaver, 39, blast furnace foreman, with his hands descended it to Perry. The fire had been drawn from the furnace but four days, and the heat was intense. Weaver put one arm under one of Perry’s arms, wrapped his legs around Perry’s waist, locked his feet, grasped the rope with both hands, and was drawn to the top. Perry had been in the furnace about 6.5 minutes and Weaver about a minute and a half. Perry’s skull was fractured, and he received third-degree burns on his head. He died of his injuries. Weaver’s face was scorched, and his back was injured, but he recovered in 10 days. 17934-1435
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