The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-10-12
AN ELECTRIC GRIDIRON.
A LINRMAN MEETS A HORRIBLE
DEATH IN THE AIR.

First Killed by Current of Electricity
and the Corpse Horribly Burned by
the Net Work of Wires on Which 1t
Fell = Crowds of Horror Stricken
People Look On from the Street.
NEW YORK, Oct. 11.-An electric line
man met horrible death at the corner Of
Center and Chambers streets, at / o'clock
this afternoon, from contact with an cleo
tric light wire He was employed by the
Western Union Telegraph Company, and
presented a terrible sight as he died on the
net of wires IN mid air, while the deadly
Huid actually made his body sizzle and
blood pour out to the sidewalk aud over
the clothes Of the Mortified spectators. The
accident, occurring in the middle Of the daY
in one of the busiest parts Of the city, was
witnessed by large concourse Of people.
The mans body lay limp and motionless
over the mass of wires attached to the
cross-arms of the pole. Firemen brought
ont ladder, and went up with a pair of
shears TO cut the wires. The man was
dead.
HALF HIS FACE BURNED OFF.
Inffteen minutes the wire had burned off
half the mans face, which was turned
toward the sidewalk. The left arm was
also seen to be burning, and every few
seconds blue flames spurted out from vari-
Gus parts Of the body. Hundreds of people
stood shiverjng with horror as they looked
at the awful sight overhead. For a time
no one dared to go near. A lineman
was asked why he did not go up. He simply
said: "It's no use; he's dead. don't know
the electric wires. / can't help him. Twas
on the other pole, and don't know anything
about it." All this was said in catching,
halting voice, as of a man completely over
come by his comrades fate.
CUTTING THE WIRES.
At last long ladder was taken from an
engine house and elevated to the fatal net
work. The ladder remained there all of
fifteen minutes before man bold enough
to ascend it was found. When he appeared
his hands and arms were encased in long
rubber gloves. He carried an immense pair
Of shears. Slowly he aeceAde the ladder,
carefully he picked lhis way through
the wires, until he reached the fourth cross
piece. Then he drew his leg over the cross
piece, resting his left foot upon the cross
piece below. Carefully he raised his right
hand and shipped the wire near the dead
mans face. As the wire fell, the crowd
below scattered. In an inst ant sparks of
ire, followed 10y puffS of smoke, few from
the dead mans nose, and from his calcined
wrists. A second wire fell curling among
its fellows along Chambers street.
CURLED UP POLICEMAN.
The third wire was cut. The end few
from the nest to the northwest corner of
Chambers and Center streets, striking a
policeman upon the head and curling him
up with pain. A fourth wire fell to the
street. Then livid hand dropped, foot
resting upon another wire. Another snip,
and the elevated head fell limp aud lifeless,
exposing the ghastly features to those upon
the east side of Center street. Before
the cutting rope haj been passed over the
cross-piece and carefully knotted around
the dead mans body. A new wire inter-
vened. This was cut. In the meantime a
second volunteer, without rubber gloves,
had mounted to the cross-pieces and assisted
in lowering the body.
A HORRIBLE SIGHT.
The whole side of the mans face was
buried away, exposing his teeth. His wrist
was cut to the bone, and blood was dripping
from both the face and wrist. Coroner
Schultz took charge of the body. Deputy
Coroner Jenkins, who has witnesse some
horrifying sights during his official career,
said that this spectacle was the most
CHASTITY he had ever seen. He was
on the scene while the efforts
were being made to get the
body down, and afterward viewed the
body. The wire, he said, which cut through
The llneman's c1eek had evidently entered
at the mouth. 1t had burned clear into the
cheek bone A burn in the throat had sew
cred the wind pipe and many muscles and
VEINS, just below the Adams apple. If the
man had remained suspended in the air
much 10 ger the head would have been
completely severed from the body.
HOW 1T HAPPENED.
From the position in which l saw the
oooy supported in the network of wires,n
ne added. II can conceive just, how the ac-
cldent happened. The nan had evidently
just placed himself in a position to go to
work by swinging one leg over the cross
m peam running parallel with Chambers
street., where he met his death. He had
reached out and grasped the wire which
gave MIN the deadly shock. This was, as
l understand, a fire department tele-
graph wire, which was crossed by
an electric light wire at some dis
IAN LanC point. The shock may or may not have
5a 5dlied him instantly, but it certainly rem
feu 9feIeu MN unconscious, SO that his face fell
onward on the other wires" The MAYORS
private secretary, on learning the particu-
-alS oI The dreadful accident, sent state
a;e aueh1 Oh the facts to Mayor Grant, who was
St SicA at ms home. His honor replied in a
;;,oVe' ordering that all dangerous wires be
..ullediately taken down, and this order
S sent to the electrical expert of the
D0'iu OF electrical control TO execute.