Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 255, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 October 1920 — DEATH IN THE SILO [ARTICLE]

DEATH IN THE SILO

Word now comes of a sad accident in Maryland which Should be a warning to all our readers. In Harford County, Maryland, Mr. Samuel Poplin had two large stone and concrete silos on has farm. They were built together, with division walls between, each about 10x15 feet and 30 feet high. Only one silo was to be filled this year, and this was partly filled up. The lower entrance ihto the silo No. 2 was closed, and this cut off the bottom circulation of air. Mr. Poplin’s two boys, 10 and 15 years old, were playing about the stto, and dropped one of their shoes down into it. This silo had been filled the day before up above the lower entrance. The boy begged his father for permission to go down into the silo and get the * shoe. After some hesitation Mr. Poplin put a rope down into the silo and promised to hold it while the boy went down after the shoe. A short distance, down the rope the boy suddenly shouted that he was blinded. Mr. Poplin thought that the youth had been confused in the dariftlees but he told him to come back at once. The child was apparently unconscious by tins time, for his father catted him repeatedly, but received no answer. The other boy, The father hesitated, but thought .that the first boy had bumped his head on the sides of the ado and was dazed at the bottom, so he let the other boy go down in search. > The second boy disappeared in the darkness of the silo, and silence fell upon them. The father leaned over the top and called repeatedly to his boy® but received no answer. Thoroughly alarmed he ran to a neighboring farm and obtained help from his neighbor. This man remembered about the dangerous with • rope under his arms and was lowered into the silo. A little more than half way down he began to feel the effects of the gas, and creeping about he found the bodies of the two boys. One of than was still breathing, but the man fell unconscious before he could mw dojt vUbf mi* ryyiii* y* B ing two doctors rushed to toe fawn anyone to live in the silo. The neighbor in the meantime wm revived. They finally thought of toe corn blower which had teen usedm blowing the silage into toe pit This was started down into the silo and after half an hour’s use, several men went down through the lower door. The two lifeless bodies cr the little boys were found on tod silage, and the doctors said they had been dead for more than two BOUTS.