George A. Clark, 52, well-digger, died saving John H. Bryant, 60, well-digger, from suffocation, Patrick Springs, Virginia, September 21, 1948. Bryant was overcome by carbon monoxide in a well 67 feet deep. At the direction of Clark, who had advised Bryant not to enter the well, an electric fan on an extension line was lowered to within five feet of the bottom. With a dampened handkerchief tied over his nose and mouth, Clark carrying a short rope took hold of a windlass-rope, stood in a loop of the rope, and was lowered to the bottom. Two minutes later Clark, not visible to men at the windlass, called that Bryant should be drawn up. Bryant was removed from the well on the windlass-rope with which he had been tied. The rope was again lowered, and Clark was told to take hold, but he was not heard from thereafter. Three hours later, after the well had been carefully aired, a man protected by a gas-mask was lowered with the windlass-rope securely tied to him. He tied Clark with another rope; and the man and then Clark were drawn to the top. Clark was dead. Bryant was seriously disabled by the gas.
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