A Miraculous Escape at the Old Town Mill

Mr. Roberts, a laborer at the Tacoma mill at Old Town, suffered a terrible accident yesterday. While working near a belt that runs from the mill to the feeder, he had the strap thrown off, stopped the machinery, and went down to the floor to make the necessary repairs, first cautioning the men not to start until he said so. The break detained him, perhaps longer than was expected, or at least beyond the memory of those concerned, and suddenly, at someone's order, the shaft began to turn. As it started, it caught the clothing of the man, and crashed it utterly, while it hurled him toward the wall. He yelled to the men to stop but he was not heeded and in a twinkling his body was thrown upon the floor of the mill, forced through an opening but eight inches wide. He was picked up insensible, bruised and bleeding but, strange to say, so far from being killed, his broken ankle was his most serious injury. He had thrown his arms straight above his head and passed through the little aperture with only a few slight cuts and bruises. He was removed to the Fannie Paddock Memorial Hospital and his wounds dressed. Dr. Beardsley declares the escape from death most remarkable; had he been three pounds heavier he would have been crushed.