Omaha daily bee., 1888-03-18
A Narrow Escape.

San francisco Call: Three men car
ried the stiff form of Robert w. du Rose
a light trimmer for the California elc
trio light company into the receiving
hospital the other day.
"He must be dead" was the involnn-
tary ejaculation of one of them as they
laid the form upon the operating table.
And it did seem as if such was the case
to those who were present. Du Roses
face was ashen in hue, and his body and
limbs were as stiff as if they were Of
iron. A touch betrayed that the skin
was as cold as ice. When the eyelids
were raised by Steward Koosher moth
ing but the whites of the eyes could be
seen. No trace of pulse beat could be
felt at the wrist.
''He was fixing one of the electric
lamps at Washington-street, wharf, and
got a shock of electricity" explained
one OF the men who had carried Du
Rose in, hurriedly.
Steward Koosher lost not a second.
He quickly opened the young mans
shirt front, and then, grasping his
arms, worked them vigorously like
pump-hunules. He pressed them,
upon the breast of the unconscious man
and raised them over his head. For a
moment or so no visible sign of life was
apparent, but shortly tremor was seen
to go through the frame as the quick
ness of the motion was increased. Soon
faint gasp came from between the
clenched teeth, and it was evident that
had not entirely gone. Steward
Koosher persisted in his treatment, and
other signs of life were visible.
DR.. Buckley then arrived, and the
young man was removed to a cot in the
hospital.
Under treatment he was soon able to
open his eyes, but there was a lack
lustre stare in them. His body twitched
nervously from The effects of the cleo
tricity with which it was charged.
'Dr. Buckley, however, pronounced
his chance of recovery as good.
From those persons who took Du Rose
to the hospisal, the facts of the accident
were CLEANED.
Du Rose was going his rounds placing
carbons in electric-light globes. 1.-THE
entrance to Washington street wharf u
globe hangs from the she'd. Du Rose
stretched up and caught it with his
pinchers to pull it down within reach.
AS his pinchers closed down upon it the
current, which he did not know was on,
passed into him. 1t was so powerful that
he could not let go the pinchers, but
sank down, dragging the lamp and wire.
Several bystanders rushed to him, and
he was considered dead. He was placed
in wagon and driven at once to the
hospital. Had it not been for the prompt
action of Steward Koosher, DuRose would
undoubtedly have died.
He is q MAJ ried man, and lives with
his wife and child on Mission street, near
Fifth. The manager of the electric light
company visited the hospital. He stated
| that it was not usual thing to have the
| electric current on at that hour of the
day. Du Roses clothes were wet, as
| were also his feet, and as he stood upon
| a water-soaked wharf, he was all the
| more susceptible to the shock.
''The accident" said an official of the
California Electric Light company to a
| Call reporter last night, admits of a
| very simple explanation. Our system
| consists of two sets of wires, one of which
we opdrate during the day and the
| other at night. From the first is de-
rived the power for the running of ma
| chinery. elevators, ETC., in various parts
| of the city, while the second set is used
almost entirely for lighting purposes,
supplying the current for the street
| lamps, etc. The engines are kept in
motion all the time, but the current is
| entirely cut off from the night wires
during the day time. This is the period
| WHICH, bliC lamps uIO IcpuliSh
and renewed, and the company en-
| ployes number of linemen for the pur-
| pose.
''Du Rose is an experienced electric
| ian, and has been in the employ of the
company six years. In handling the
lamp to-day he proceeded in the usual
manner, acting, of course, on the sup
| position that the current was cut off,
| Unfortunately one of the day wires got
crossed with night wire at the corner
of Post and Kearny streets, and the cur
rent of electricity was transferred to
it, thus completing a circuit, in which a
lamp at the Washington street wharf
| was included.
| The morning was very wet, and the
| ground where Du Rose stood was conse-
| quently damp. No sooner had his
| pincers touched the lamp than the Cir
| cult was established and the full force OF
the current passed through his frame
throwing him TO the ground. Its effect
is similar to that observed in galyaniC
battery when the current becomes pow
erful. 1t is almost impossible TO re-
move the hands from the contact. The
| pincePs' had to be torn from Du' Roses
fingers TO break the circuit. Had the
| Crnnt4nA - haA IA.