Joseph David Gibson

From the Butler Eagle, Butler Pennsylvania, June 22, 1932:

WORKER FATALLY CRUSHED IN FALL OF BIN TIMBERS

    One man was killed, another critically injured and 12 narrowly escaped death or serious injury when sixty feet of large timbers which had been set for bins at the Brier Hill Coal company's siding on the East Butler road, suddenly let go about 1:45 o'clock yesterday afternoon.
    The dead:
    Joseph David Gibson, aged 53 of West Sunbury, foreman of construction. Fractured skull.
    The injured:
    Eugene L. Seaton, aged 30, of 217 Fourth Street, Butler, broken back, bruises and contusions. In the Butler County Memorial hospital, critically injured.     Gibson was picked up by fellow workmen and carried to the mine office where first aid methods were applied. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
    Coroner M.E. Headland, who investigated the accident, stated that Gibson died as the result of a fracture of the skull at the back of the brain.
    Seaton fell 35 feet to the ground and was pinned under the timbers. Physicians expressed the belief that he had not been struck by the timbers, as there were no marks that would indicate any heavy object had fallen upon him.
    According to A.M. Klink, superintendent of the mine, Gibson was struck by a brace fastened to one of the 35 foot 10 by 10 timbers as he was running away from the crumbling mass. Gibson's two sons, Merritt and Harry K. Gibson, were working with their father at the time and were witnesses to the accident.
    Gibson's body was taken by the Chambers ambulance to the Chambers Ambulance and Wrecking service building on Negley avenue where Coroner Headland swore in a jury and viewed the body. It was then removed to the Breaden Young Funeral home in West Sunbury and taken to the home in West Sunbury today.
    Coroner Headland indicated today that an inquest would be held.
Timbers Being Placed     The accident occurred as the men were placing the last timbers for the bins. Work had been progressing on the structure which was 65 feet long and approximately 40 feet high. All of the timbers but two had been put in place and only one of the entire group had not been guyed.
    Seaton was working on the top of the structure, directing the posts to their proper places. Gibson was directing the work of ten men who were holding guy wires and putting the timbers into place.
    The 40-foot timber was practically in place, needing but four or five feet of a lift before it would have been in position. The men were pulling when suddenly the timber was seen to sway.

    Seaton, realizing that something was about to happen made a dash for the more solidly braced timbers. The heavy timber crashed against the remainder of the structure and threw Seaton sprawling into the air 40 feet above the ground, crumbling the entire structure.
Gibson Rushes To Aid     Gibson, instinctively, rushed forward to aid Seaton. There was a heavy grinding and then a roar. The foreman started to run from the falling structure and was struck and hurled to the ground.
    Seaton fell about 25 feet from the structure and a timber fell on top of him, but it was the theory advanced that he was in such a position that the timbers did not strike him.
    Workmen hurried to the scene and lifted the men from the mass of scattered timbers and carried them into the mine office. Gibson never regained consciousness.
    Seaton was revived before the Chambers ambulance arrived.
    The framework for the bin was well braced with heavy bolts.
Timbers Are Splintered     As the structure fell the bolts were torn from the timbers and twisted. Heavy 10 by 10 timbers were splintered, as were the 6 by 12 and 3 by 12 timbers used in the construction work.
    Work was recently started on the mine after the fire which swept the tipple when it was struck by lightening on the night of June 2.
    Joseph David Gibson was born in North Washington November 15, 1878, the son of the late Eli and Emma Ekas Gibson.
    He was a carpenter by occupation and had resided in Butler county his entire life. He was well known in the Butler County district and was active in sports in the West Sunbury section.
Was War Veteran     Mr. Gibson was a Spanish-American War veteran. He served with Company N, Forty Second Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry during the war and saw service in Cuba.
    Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Della Book Gibson; four children, Harry K. of Butler, Mrs. Gertrude McClelland of New Castle, Lois and Merritt Gibson at home; and two brothers, George Gibson of North Washington and Plummer Gibson of Hilliards.
    He was a member of the Presbyterian church of West Sunbury, the New Castle F. and A. M. and the Spanish-American War Veterans.
    Funeral services will be held from the family home in West Sunbury at 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon with Rev. Thomas Lamont, pastor of the Presbyterian church of West Sunbury, officiating. Burial will be in the Presbyterian cemetery at West Sunbury.

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