George W. Luce, 24, electrician, helped to save David Crothers, 37, carpenter, and attempted to save M. Howard Lutz, 24, carpenter, from suffocation, Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, February 8, 1917. (See case of JOHN W. GRAHAM.) Two minutes after John was taken from the flue, Luce entered the flue with a rope tied to him, crawled to Crothers, dragged him four feet nearer the opening, and then left the flue, because the gas affected him. Wilbur E. Keefer then went to Crothers and brought him to the opening, and Crothers was lifted from the flue. Arthur J. Steffenberg then crawled 18 feet in the flue to find Lutz, who was overcome 43 feet from the opening. Steffenberg left the flue, because he was being overcome by gas. Luce then reentered to find Lutz and crawled a few feet farther than Steffenberg had gone, but the gas affected him, and he left the flue. Steffenberg then reentered, taking an air hose with him, but it was of doubtful aid. Steffenberg crawled about as far as Luce had, but he felt so much affected by the gas that he left the flue. An opening into the flue was made at the point where Crothers had been found. Luce, tied as before, carrying the air hose, and wearing a respirator, entered at the new opening and crawled 25 feet to Lutz. He made an unsuccessful attempt to raise Lutz over a board that was between them and then left the flue, feeling much affected by the gas. Steffenberg then entered at the new opening, crawled to Lutz, tried to move Lutz toward the opening, found he was too weak to move him, and left the flue. Keefer then entered at the new opening, crawled to Lutz, and dragged him to the opening, and Lutz was lifted from the flue. Luce was not injured. 18875-1418
18875 – 1418
18875-1418