William S. Patterson, 31, crane operator, saved Lynn Davis, 19, machinist’s helper, from suffocation, Salem, Ohio, February 1, 1913. Davis, carrying a gallon of gasoline, entered a steel storage tank through a small manhole in the top of it to clean it. The tank was seven feet, eight inches high and 35 inches in diameter. It was warm inside. Davis’s brother, who was helping him, withdrew the ladder and went to a distant room. Five minutes later the brother returned and saw Davis unconscious on the bottom. Patterson, one of the workmen who responded to the brother’s calls for help, entered the tank and raised Davis to the manhole, but the men on the tank were unable to pull him through. Although he was getting sick from the fumes, Patterson lowered Davis and raised him again, thrusting his hands through the manhole, and Davis was then drawn out by the men. Failing in his efforts to climb out of the tank, Patterson climbed up and managed to put his hands through the manhole, and the men pulled him from the tank. He had been in the tank three minutes and was considerably affected but not overcome. Davis was revived in a few minutes. 10225-1166
10225 – 1166
10225-1166