The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-24

The death OF james S. McGinn is on Sat
urday night from an electric shock, recciv-
cd by contact with wire which had fallen
to the ground, has stirred the community
profoundly. The severcst criticisms were
INDUCED in, and an almost unanimous
sentiment prevailed that radical measures
should De adopted ooking toward absolute
protection from this source OF danger for
all time TO come. Frightiul as the cxpe-
rience OF poor McGinnis has been, there II
absolutely no assurance that It may not he
repeated today, or tomorrow, and probably
with tcniOld its previous fatality u Is "a
matter OF surprise and iclicitatlon that the
loos of life Saturday night was not greater,
az nj lcast twenty people or moro
were stricken TO the earth by electric
shocks cmanating from crossed wires. Mr..
William Ryan, who keeps boarding
house corner OF Poplar and Front streets,
and two or three boarders stumbled and
fell over the same wire that killed McGin-
mis-, and reports are coming in hourly of
other parties who were iellcd 10 the earth
by similar shocks. There seems 10 have
been loosonoss Of management generally
on the part Of all corporations who string
wires over the city, entirely incommensu-
rate with tho great privileges they enjoy.
The encouragement is disposed to bring
TO punishment whoever the responsible
party may be, but punishment will not
bring McGinnis back 90 life or prevent
similar tragedies in the future What is
wanted is system Of wire suspension
which will make such n sacrifice OF life
impossible in the future.
The Encouragement Yesterday an
nounccd that he would order tho arrest OF
the following named parties in order ~
establish which Of them h responsible for
the awful death OF MctiinniE George
Booker AMI Tom Moul,on, employees Of
the telephone company, Leland Hume,
manager Ut tho same company, and ;. X
Montgomery, manager ol tho compress
company.
In the meantime the Taxing District
government will doubtless take measures
TO see that the lives Of the people are pro-
tectcd from death by electric wires.
Tho compress company owns and oper-
atcs a private limo connecting all OF It's
presses, The line begins NJ Press No. 2,
on Adams street, where the battery Is
located, and passes through the shed on
the opposite side Of the street a. Washing
ton street, down Washington 10 Yates
avenue, thence to Poplar, up Poplar to
front. and thence 20 the Navy yarl press
Here the line comes back through Front
10 Jefferson, down Jefferson to Second and
up Second to the company's office in tho
Cotton cNchsnp, building Passing out of
the Office IL takes the same course through
Second to jefferson, thence 10 Front,
where the wires meet and form what tx
called a loop. Leaving here It proceeds
south ON Front a. the congresses IN South
Memphis Passing through them, 10 takes
the same route back 10 the Adams street |
press, the original starting point. thus /
forming circuit which Is necessary to 4
produce u current.
Last Friday uilrnuon this w.rc was cut
nj the intersection oi Center alley aud Pop
lar street. by the telephone company II |
" said, a. II interrupted some work it was
engaged Ia, thus disConnccting half of the
circuit, aud causing the current 10 pass |
Through the other hall with rcdouhlcd
tnrro sApusA - -..-A--- q vr''s''-N..a tar In
stance II either end Ut the wire were To
cross IN electric light wire and then come
In contact with the earth, ~ anything mot
u Is termed q ground, ur, Ia other words.
q circuit
AANAH WV NlA' hNNiNN N"AtNINNNH III llIf
carly part Of the afternoon the compress
wiru which had been cut IN Poplar street.
was blown across an electric light vim in
front Of Mnlatcsla a Pages, ON Jefferson !
street nj the corner ui Center alley When
the current Of clrctuciiy passed hcclcctric
light wire II came iu contact with the icle-
graph wire, causing the insulaicr on the
INIT named vito tn burn oil and the cur
rent ui electricity Ia pass through the trlc.
graph wire. When McGnniH stepped on
tho wire hv sank Il into the earth. AMI Ibis
shoes being damp NJ the timc, ho furnished
a circuit ia himself. thus causing the eur.
rent 20 pass through his body, killing him
instantly. As q muttrrUf cpurr, when be-
fell the electric fluid continued IN through
his body To the earth, and when be- Nas
touched by others the shock Wis almost ~
sovcru n II Ia contact With the wire.