WILHELM JOHANN GROTH
From the Files of the Pilot - Twenty-Five Years Ago - 1893
Death in a Well
Wm. Groth and Herman Welk, the former a resident of Manitowoc Rapids and the latter of Newton, lost their lives yesterday afternoon while digging a well on the farm of the first named. Welk follows the business of well drilling and is 28 years of age, unmarried, but engaged. Groth is a married man and is 32 years of age.
The well had been dug in depth of 37 feet. Yesterday morning, Welk complained that he was unable to work below for lack of air. A bluish, sticky, damp clay had been reached and he was boring through this with a post auger at the time.
In the afternoon he was let down again, but the two above, Groth and Jo Koelzer not hearing anything from him looked down the well and saw him lying prostrate at the bottom. Groth immediately prepared to descend, but fearing gas, told Koelzer to be ready to draw him up when he requested. He had preceded but a little ways when he shouted to pull him out, but quickly lost his hold and went to the bottom. His body was drawn out by means of a hook but it was impossible to secure Welk's body in this way. Apparatus was brought from the city and at 11 o'clock last night, Welk's body was brought to the surface. The faces of both were blue and congested.
Dr. Luhmann went out and tested the well by means of a candle. The candle went out when eleven feet from the surface just as if immersed in water. There are marshes in the neighborhood of the well but the gas seems to come from the sticky clay before mentioned as nothing seemed to emanate from the bed of gravel through which the well was dug.
Manitowoc Pilot, Thursday, June 20, 1918
WILHELM JOHANN GROTH
From the Files of the Pilot - Twenty-Five Years Ago - 1893
Death in a Well
Wm. Groth and Herman Welk, the former a resident of Manitowoc Rapids and the latter of Newton, lost their lives yesterday afternoon while digging a well on the farm of the first named. Welk follows the business of well drilling and is 28 years of age, unmarried, but engaged. Groth is a married man and is 32 years of age.
The well had been dug in depth of 37 feet. Yesterday morning, Welk complained that he was unable to work below for lack of air. A bluish, sticky, damp clay had been reached and he was boring through this with a post auger at the time.
In the afternoon he was let down again, but the two above, Groth and Jo Koelzer not hearing anything from him looked down the well and saw him lying prostrate at the bottom. Groth immediately prepared to descend, but fearing gas, told Koelzer to be ready to draw him up when he requested. He had preceded but a little ways when he shouted to pull him out, but quickly lost his hold and went to the bottom. His body was drawn out by means of a hook but it was impossible to secure Welk's body in this way. Apparatus was brought from the city and at 11 o'clock last night, Welk's body was brought to the surface. The faces of both were blue and congested.
Dr. Luhmann went out and tested the well by means of a candle. The candle went out when eleven feet from the surface just as if immersed in water. There are marshes in the neighborhood of the well but the gas seems to come from the sticky clay before mentioned as nothing seemed to emanate from the bed of gravel through which the well was dug.
Manitowoc Pilot, Thursday, June 20, 1918
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