George Baugher Killed - 1903

BAUGHER, ROWE

Posted By: Volunteer - Rich Lowe
Date: 10/15/2006 at 16:10:06

GEORGE BAUGHER KILLED.

GAS EXPLOSION.

George Baugher has had charge of the acetylene gas plant which lights the Stockport opera house. This gas is made by the action of water on calcium carbide and is explosive when confined. Some of the pipes were frozen in the recent cold and George was trying to thaw them Sunday afternoon. In the evening Mr. Baugher and George Rowe were in the opera house investigation the light plant. The tank, dome, etc., are located in a (sm)all room at the end of the stage. Mr. Baugher took a lighted lamp into this room and while bending over the dome which holds the gas there was an explosion, the dome being driven squarely against Mr. Baugher’s head and chest with terrible force. His lower jaw was broken, his neck dislocated, his chest crushed, and his face mashed so that it could not have been recognize. Mr. Rowe was standing just outside the door of the small [clipping does not continue – see other similar articles in this collection on this web site]

[handwritten at top of article is Dec 20 = 03]

Source: Entler Scrapbooks, Vol. 3, Iowa Historical Library, Iowa City, IA.