Angus Leitch

1856 - 1901  (~ 45 years)

• Name	Angus Leitch  [1]
  Birth	Feb 1856	Dunwich, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Death	17 May 1901	Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan   [2]
  Notes	Cass City Enterprise Vol. XX, No. 41 May 30, 1901 EXPLOSION Boiler Bursts-Angus Leitch Killed-Four Others Injured The Cass City Brick and Tile Company's Yards the Scene of the Sad Disaster At a few minutes past seven o'clock on Monday morning, the boiler exploded at the yards of the Cass City Brick and Tile Company, a little over a mile south of town, causing the death of Angus Leitch, who was acting as engineer at the time, and injuring four others. The report of the explosion was heard fully five miles away, and the concussion caused the windows to rattle in the houses about town. It was but a few minutes before a large number of men were on the spot and it was found that Angus Leitch was killed outright, while Perry Withey, Geo. Warner, Jas. Comstock and Hiram Baxter had received slight injuries and other employees had had very narrow escapes. The Cass City Brick and Tile Company was organized a little over two years ago and have done a thriving business. The boiler was purchased from a gentleman in Novesta, who was using it in a saw-mill and the company had to wait for him to saw out of his yard before it could be delivered. It was carefully inspected and re fitted where necessary and considered to be in good condition. During the former season Ed. Brotherton had charge of it, but owing to his connection with the Cass City Foundry and Machine Company, and being engaged this year as a manager, it was necessary to get someone else. Leitch was employed, but Mr. Brotherton started the machinery at the commencement of the season's run, testing the boiler with 110 pounds pressure, and instructing Leitch that sixty pounds was sufficient to do the work required. Mr. Leitch had had several years' experience about engines before coming from Ontario here and was considered thoroughly competent. No watchman has been employed by the company and we learn that the boys or young men have visited the place on Sundays and tampered with the gauges and stopcocks, and on Monday morning the steam throttle was found open. The fire was started and the steam gauge indicated forty pounds pressure. The engine was started at a slow speed, but steam began to blow off. It is stated that Leitch realized that something was wrong and appears to think it was about the safety valve, while in all probability it was the steam gauge, as there must have been more pressure than indicated, possibly as high as two hundred pounds. The opinions of engineers are different as to the probable cause of the explosion. Some claim that the water must have been low enough to allow the accumulation of gas in the upper part of the boiler, in order to get the force to throw the parts as far as it did, while others claim that a greater force would be obtained with a full boiler. It seems that the inspector would not work properly with less than sixty pounds of steam and some think that while the engineer was waiting for the gauge to indicate the amount, the water ran low causing the explosion. It is possible that the gauge had been tampered with on Sunday and not been noticed by the engineer. When the explosion took place, Leitch was standing between the boiler and engine, and it is not known positively whether parts of the boiler struck him or the force through him against a post near by. The injuries received were all about the face and head, rendering him unconscious instantly and causing his death a few moments later. Perry Withey was scalded slightly about the face and received a scalp wound but was able to resume work shortly after. Warner, Comstock and Baxter received slight bruises about the arms, shoulders and back?George Meiser had just picked up his wheel-barrow to start away from the engine when the accident occurred and the barrow was taken from him and smashed into kindling, while he escaped unhurt. Claude Bentley had just driven into the clay pit and does not know whether he jumped from the cart or was thrown from it but he was not hurt. The dome of the boiler was carried probably forty feet or more in height and fell about thirty rods away to the westward, while the head of the boiler was carried more than half as far? Angus Leitch, the deceased, was forty-two years of age, and came here from near Dutton, Ont., some twelve years previously. He purchased and operated a farm in Novesta towship, which he still owned, but a few years ago he leased his farm and moved to the M. Sheridan farm, just west of town, now owned by C.H. Topping. Upon the farm being sold to Mr. Topping, Mr. Leitch moved to town, occupying the residence at the corner of Leach and Sanilac Street, owned by M. Sheridan. He leaves a wife and three children to mourn his sudden departure. The funeral services were held in the Presbyterian Church, on Wednesday afternoon, conducted by the pastor, Rev. A. Torbet. The father, three brothers and three sisters of the deceased, and the mother and two brothers of Mrs. Leitch, came from the vicinity of Dutton and Rodney, Ont., to attend the funeral. Mrs. John Campbell, of this place, is also a sister of the deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Dan Gillies, of Port Huron, and Mr. and Mrs. Archie Gilles, of Millington, were among other relatives present. Deceased was a member of Elkland Arbor, A.O.O.G., and about sixty members of that order attended the funeral. The remains were laid to rest in the Elkland cemetery. The entire community is stirred with sympathy for the bereaved. (Transcribed by Melinda McLemore Strong, April 2010) The May 31, 1901 issue of the Cass City Chronicle had a follow article on the incident. It also listed his father as Archibald Leitch, brothers as Alexander, Duncan and Archibald, sisters as Mrs. Angus McArthur, Mrs. James Welsh, and Mrs. Alonzo Wisner. (Research): Census Listings: 1900 Census Michigan, Tuscola County, Elkland Twp Enumerated 19 and 20 June 1900 SD 8 ED 110 Sheet 9B 188-189 Leatch, Angus Hd W M Feb 1856 44 M13 Canada Eng Canada Eng Canada Eng 1889 11 Al Farm Labor Leatch, Jane A Wf W F Marc 1864 36 M 13 4/3 Canada Eng Scottana Scottana 1889 11 Leatch, Mary Jane Dtr W F Apr 1889 11 Mich Canada Canada At School Leatch, Grace A Dtr W F July 1896 3 S Michigan Canada Canada
  Person ID	I3549	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	17 Aug 2014

  
  

  Family	Jane McVannell,   b. 14 Mar 1864, Dutton, Ontario, Canada d. 20 Sep 1947, Pontiac, Oakland County, Michigan (Age 83 years)
  Marriage	12 May 1887	Dunwich, Ontario, Canada   [1, 3, 4]
  Children	1. Mary Jane Leitch,   b. 9 Apr 1889, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan d. 26 May 1965, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan (Age 76 years)   2. Margaret "Maggie Bell" Leitch,   b. 4 Nov 1890   d. Aug 1976, East China, Saint Clair County, Michigan (Age 85 years)   3. Grace A. Leitch,   b. Jul 1896, Michigan d. Yes, date unknown   4. Archibald John Leitch,   b. 26 Apr 1898, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan d. 15 Sep 1899, Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan (Age 1 year)
  Family ID	F2073	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	22 Apr 2010

  
  

• Event Map		Death - 17 May 1901 - Cass City, Tuscola County, Michigan  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Sources

  [S384] 1900 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004, (Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls. This database is an index to individuals enumerated in the 1900 United States Federal Census, the Twelfth Census of the United States. Census takers recorded many details including each person's name, address, relationship to the head of household, color or race, sex, month and year of birth, age at last birthday, marital status, number of years married, the total number of children born of the mother, the number of those children living, birthplace, birthplace of father and mother, if the individual was foreign born, the year of immigration and the number of years in the United States, the citizenship status of foreign-born individuals over age twenty-one, occupation, and more. Additionally, the names of those listed on the population schedule are linked to actual images of the 1900 Federal Census.), Michigan, Tuscola County, Elkland Twp Enumerated 19 and 20 June 1900 SD 8 ED 110 Sheet 9B 188-189 (Reliability: 3). [S653] Cass City Chronicle, P.O. Box 115, Cass City, Michigan 48726, Published continously since 1899, archived from 1899 through 2005 at http://newspapers.rawson.lib.mi.us/chronicle/, Cass City Enterprise Vol. XX, No. 41 May 30, 1901 (Reliability: 3). [S722] Elkland (Twp, Tuscola Co, MI) Cemetery Records ; http://elkland.rawson.lib.mi.us/. [S653] Cass City Chronicle, P.O. Box 115, Cass City, Michigan 48726, Published continously since 1899, archived from 1899 through 2005 at http://newspapers.rawson.lib.mi.us/chronicle/, Cass City Chronicle, 5-31-1901, Page 8 (Reliability: 3).