Wichita County, TX - Obituary - Tom L. Burgess ******************************************************************************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Dorman Holub Julie Coley [neatstuffgifts@aol.com> Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ******************************************************************************** Wichita Falls Records News Tuesday, November 2, 1920, page 4 OIL FIELD WORKER INJURED IN ACCIDENT DIES MONDAY EVENING Tom L. Burgess, the oil field worker who was seriously injured in a obiler explosion at Bridgetown last Sunday night , died a a local hospital Monday evening. He had sustained a fractured skull and severe internal injuries and no hope was held out for his recovery from the first. Burgess had been employed by the Scully Oil Company Sunday and had been at work but three hours when the accident occurred. Water in the boiler of a drilling rig which was at work on a lease north of Bridgetown had been allowed to become too low with the result that the boiler exploded, badly damaging the engine and other equipment. Burgess was standing near by at the time and was struck in the jaw by a heavy piece of pipe. Other bits of flying metal fractured his skull and the force of the explosion hurled him to the ground, causing the internal injuries. Little is known about the man as he only recently came to this section of the state. He is said to be survived by his wife and eight children, none of whom are over 12 years of age. The family has been living at Bridgetown but a short time. No funeral arrangements have been completed as yet and the body is being held at the Merkle and Lunn undertaking establishment pending instructions as to the disposition of the body. It is believed that a brother is living in eastern Texas and efforts are being made to get in touch with him but no accurate information is available as to his whereabouts. [death certificate shows he was buried in Dallas, Texas. It also shows that he was born 29 July 1875 in Georgia. His father was John L. Burgess]