Erich (Aleck) LARSON PETERSON

1845 - 1900  (55 years)

• Name	Erich (Aleck) LARSON PETERSON
  Birth	1845	Sweden
  Gender	Male
  Occupation	Day Laborer
  Death	2 Oct 1900	Little Falls, Morrison County, Minnesota
  Burial	4 Oct 1900	Oakland Cemetery, Little Falls, Morrison County, Minnesota
  Notes	Lived next door to the Alfred Andersons in the 1895 state census. According to the 1900 census, came to this country in 1881. Died in a machine accident: pulled into a machine. (Story below.) Title: The Little Falls Herald Author: Little Falls Publication: Newspaper, Friday Oct 5, 1900 Page: Front Page Text: FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT Night Man at the Electric Station Dead Alex Peterson, for some years employed at the electric and water station, died at the hospital Tuesday noon, lingering twelve hours after being the victim of a terrible accident. Peterson had been for the past month night man at the station. About midnight Officer Morrison and Wm. Stevens, driver of the Buckman bus, were at the depot and heard cries over at the light station. They drove over there and entering saw a shocking sight. Peterson was standing dear [near] the window with his left arm gone, the upper bone protruding, and blood and pieces of flesh scattered over the room. As soon as touched he collapsed. Medical assistance was got and the unfortunate man taken to the hospital. His left forearm was torn off, his head badly cut and bruised, and there were internal injuries also. The left arm was amputated at the soouider [shoulder], but the shock and loss of blood were so great that he could not recover. He was unconscious about all the time. There is no way of telling how the accident happened, and several theories have been advanced. One is that while standing near the pulley side of the big 1200 light machine, his left arm was caught under the belt, and he was immediately whirled around with terrible force. The pulley revolves 28 times a second. A jacket of iron which covers it had a strip broken off all around it. The heavy belt was broken, the shaft of the armature sprung, the wheels on the end of the shaft broken and pieces scattered around, doing a good deal of damage. To get his arm under the belt Peterson would have had to stoop, and some think he was feeling of the pulley, as machinists often do, to see whether it was hot. The remarkable thing is that Peterson, who was 65 years old, should have strength and presence of mind enough left after such an accident, to press the button summoning Superintendent Baker and to go over and turn on the other light machine, and to cry out loud enough to be heard at the depot, several blocks away. There was a trail of blood around the room where the man walked. Peterson leaves a wife and six children. He was a brother-in-law of Mr. Anderson, killed at the brickyard crossing last winter. The two married sisters and lived near each other, in Pike Creek. the funeral was held from the Methodist church yesterday afternoon, Rev. A. H. Carman conducting in the absence of the pastor, Rev. J. T. B. Smith. Title: Morrison County Democrat Author: Little Falls Publication: Newspaper, Thursday 4 Oct 1900 Page: Front Page Text: A SHOCKING ACCIDENT Alex Peterson, Night Man at the Electric Station, Dangerously Injured. From the Daily Transcript: One of the worst accidents which has occurred in any of the various plants or mills of the city for the past several years happened at the station of the Electric & Water company on the West side Monday night. Alex Petterson, the man who has charge of the plant at night, was the victim. A representative of the Transcript visited the station early Monday morning and found the second story of the plant in great disorder. The floor and switch board were literally covered with blood. Pieces of the floor were torn up and several machines on the switch board damaged by flying pieces of broken iron. As near as could be learned the accident happened in the following manner: Peterson had just been down statirs and filled the numerous oil cups. Coming up from the first floor it was customary for him to view the switch board, which he evidently did last night judging from the appearance of the blood on the floor. As he was standing on the pulley side of the big 1200 incadescent lighter his left arm was evidently caught between the pulley and the heavy belt as he turned around. As this wheel makes about 30 revolutions a second the force with which he was thrown to the floor can only be guessed at. By the catching of his arm he was t[h]rown so that his left leg was also caught and twisted. The left forearm was completely twisted off. The left leg was horribly cut and the foot so badly smashed that the broken bones protruded through the flesh. His head was also badly cut and bruised. After the accident Petterson had the presence of mind to turn on the other incandescent dynamo and also to turn on the switch which called up Superintendent Baker. He then managed to crawl to one of the windows of the station facing the wagon bridge, where he commenced calling. As the accident happened about midnight several people were at the depot. Night Officer Morrison and the Buckman busman, Wm. Stevens, heard the man's cries and thinking something was wrong hastily drove back to the electric plant. Here the horrible sight met their eyes. Petterson, so weak from the loss of blood, was simply hanging on the window sill. Officer Morrison laid him on the floor and Stevens telephoned for medical assistance, which soon arrived. His wounds were temporarily dressed and the unfortunate man lowered to the ground where he was conveyed to the hospital. Here the physicians labored over him until the middle of the forenoon. It was necessary to amputate the left arm just below the shoulder. His left leg, foot and head were dressed in the best possible manner. Owing to his extreme age, 65 years, and the loss of so much blood, the attending doctors have no hope of his recovery. Mr. Peterson is a married man residing well out on the road to the brickyards. He is supporting a wife and six children. Mr. Peterson was an experienced man, having been in the employment of the company for the past three years. Only the last month has he been at the station nights. Relative to the damage at the station it will figure up into the dollars. The wheel on the end of the dynamo shaft was broken into several pieces. It was these pieces which tore holes in the instruments on the switch board. The axle of the armature is sprung so that the armature will not revolve. Mr. Baker put a force of men at work early Tuesday morning to repair the damage at the plant. It will be necessary to use lighter machines until the damage to the big dynamo can be repaired, which may take several days. Such an accident which is no way the fault of the company, is to be seriously regretted. It is an extremely sad blow to Mr. Petterson's family. Later- Mr. Petterson died a few minutes past 10 o'clock Tuesday. Everything possible was done to save his life but the loss of blood was so great that he was unable to pull through. His remains were taken to Simonet's undertaking rooms where they were prepared for burial. Funeral services will be held today at the Methodist church, conducted by Rev. A. H. Carman, in the absence of Rev. Smith.
  Person ID	I7743	Don Carlson's Tree
  Last Modified	3 Jun 2010

  
  

  Father	Lars PETERSON,   b. Sweden d. Unknown
  Family ID	F5890	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Maria Sophia (Sophie) LIND,   b. 26 Apr 1848, Hägghult, Hova, Skaraborgs län, Sweden
  Marriage	Abt 1880	Stockholm, Sweden
  Children	1. Olga PETERSON,   b. Jul 1885, New York d. 18 May 1947, Morrison County, Minnesota (Age 61 years)   2. Hugo Alex PETERSON,   b. Jul 1887, New York d. 27 Sep 1938, Bemidji, Beltrami County, Minnesota (Age 51 years)   3. Maria Eugenia Hulda Serafia PETERSON,   b. 14 Nov 1894, Minnesota d. Sep 1982, Arizona (Age 87 years)
  Family ID	F5880	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	3 Sep 2005