Bio: Clements, Charley (1892)
Contact:  Janet Schwarze
Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: CLEMENTS, GARDINER, GRAHAM, FREEMAN

----Sources: Colby Phonograph 19 May 1892

Charley Clements had about as narrow an escape from death, Friday, as a person would care to have if he wanted to live. In attempting to throw on the elevator belt, at the Graham Mill, his jacket was in some way caught by the main shaft and in a very few seconds Charley was going over the shaft. He had presence of mind enough to protect his head but his feet got an awful pounding. In less time than it has taken to write this, his clothing was torn from his body and wrapped around the shaft in strings. When his clothing gave away he fell from the shaft into a heap of sawdust. About this time Herb Gardiner appeared on the scene, stopped the engine and went to Charley's relief, as did also the other employees of the mill. Of course it was supposed that he was all torn to pieces and the remains were picked up, carefully, by his fellow workman, placed in a blanket and conveyed to the Commercial House. Dr. Freeman examined him and, strange as it may seem, not a bone was broken and there was no serious injury, though the left foot was pounded up terribly. The doctor dressed the wounded foot and on Sunday, Charley, with the aid of crutches, got downstairs, and has been around ever since. It was the most fortunate accident in which a man ever got wound around a main shaft. The shaft was making 154 revolutions per minute.