Frank S. Kramer (1881-1915)

KRAMER, MATHISON

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 10/17/2015 at 14:15:27

From Nevada Representative December 24, 1915

KILLED IN OIL TANK
Frank Kramer a Victim at Iowa Falls.

Frank Kramer, a son-in-law of Councilman John Mathison of this city, was overcome by gas and killed Monday afternoon in an empty oil tank at Iowa Falls into which he had gone in a desperate but vain attempt to rescue a fellow workman. The story as related by the Iowa Falls Sentinel is given below; but aside from the details there given it appear that Kramer had been around gas works so long and his withstood wo much gas that he thought he could stand what was manifestly killing the man already in the tank. So he called to a third man to bring a rope, which he did not wait to have it attached to himself before he entered the tank but which it was evidently his idea to use in hoisting up the other man. So he jumped in, and when the other man arrived with the rope he was already overcome in the bottom of the tank with the first man. He gave his life bravely, if vainly. We do not understand that Kramer ever had his permanent residence in Nevada; but he came here ten years ago the past season as foreman of a gang that was putting in the gas plant and mains in this city. He was here in this employment through the season and here met Millie Mathison, whom he afterward married and who is now left as his widow. Nevada, however, remains in a sense her home, if it was not his, and accordingly she procured a lot in the Nevada cemetery, and the burial was here on Wednesday forenoon. He was very highly regarded by those who knew him here; while at Iowa Falls, where he had lived for a number of years and was generally known, it is evident that he was held in still higher esteem. He was a capable and worthy man, whose heroic death is very mush regretted. The Iowa Falls Sentinel says of the accident:

"A terrible tragedy occurred here yesterday afternoon about four o'clock that cost the lives of two of our young men. The two men had been employed by the Iowa Gas company in east Iowa Falls. Lorenzo G. White had entered a large empty crude oil tank in effort to repair a leaky valve when he was overcome with gas. Frank Kramer was on the outside of tank. When he realized Mr. White's condition he at once descended into the tank in an effort to rescue him and met the same fate.

"Efforts to rescue the men thru the manhole in tank were unsuccessful owing to the presence of gas at bottom of tank about ten feet in diameter, so the big tank was over turned and the men rescued. The bodies were recovered about five o'clock but as the men had been in the tank then over an hour, resuscitation was impossible. After Kramer had entered the tank he called for help in a heroic effort to save his companion and inhaled gas the quickly smothered him and he lost consciousness before help could reach him. Both bodies were taken to undertaking parlors where they were prepared for burial.

"L. G. White was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan White of this city. He was a practical gas maker and came here from South Dakota last August and since that time had been employed by the Iowa Gas company. He was about thirty-eight years old and leaves a wife and six children, two girls and four boys, ranging in age from eighteen months to nineteen years. He was a fine man and splendid workman and held in high esteem by all who knew him.

"Frank Kramer had been identified with he gas factory in this city since its organization here nearly twelve years ago. He had worked in various capacities about the plant and the past year held the position as manager. He was faithful and conscientious workman and always persistent in his efforts to give the company his efforts to give the company the bet service possible. About six years ago he was married to a young lady at Nevada, who with two little boys, one four years, and the other two months, survive. He was about thirty-five years old and well known all over the city."