The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-10-07
THE CURRENT KILLS.
Two Horses Burned BY I Fallen
Trolley Wire.
BROKEN ~ 4 FAILING ROOF.
= uan Whe II Issehsd ~ the Wire
Falls se.sslsss-wind anA xlse-
triefsy as work.

team u horses attached 70 IN express
wagon belonging to Ralph Johnston.
stabie owner, ran on . 1--we electric wire
on Front street yesterday afternoon. and
the poor beasts we're literally roasted 10
DEATH Al 8 o'clock the heavy southwest
wind winch had been blowing all day,
iOosened about thirty feet of the roof Of .
porch from the third story OF the rear end
OF the Pease block on the corner OF Front
and Lenora streets. The roof WAS torn CD
in two sections, and carried completely
over tee block to the opposite side OF the
street, and fell on the many small tele-
phone wires. A few Of the upper wires
were broken, but the majority resisted the
force Of tine blow. The detached root
bounded mp again, and in coming down
fell across the main trolley wire OF the
electric car line. which Was heavily
charged The wire was broken and came
70 the ground with the portion OF the roof.
The breaking of the wire together With
the tearing of Of the roof drove the people
OF the locality to grow wild with excite
ment The electric cars we're stopped, and
horse and buggy belonging TO d. ".
Cross 4 Company, the undertakers, stand
ing in the street as the time Of the occur
renee, narrowly escaped being struck by
the roof. The rig was then driven rapidly
out Of danger. The motormen and con-
ductors of the cars which had now come
mp, and the people who stood about ex-
pecting more of the roof 70 come over NJ
any time. warned teams and pedestrians
away.
Ealph johnson. driving his express
wagon down Front street 10 the Bellevue
haeA al ~1~ - h.
wire" Looking across the street he saw .
wire hanging loose. and not noticing the
broken trolley wire turned directly on II
despite the shouts Of the car mea.
Both animals were ine-iook ing bays, and
as soon Is one of them stepped on the wire
he went down as if shot, struggled to get
up again. but could not The wire had
gotten on the inner side OF his left hind leg
and was burning there. The other horse
kicked and plunged but received . shock
that sent him on top of his mate. The
wire held him In its fatal meshes and he
had not the strength TO get up. The wire
was wrapped around the two animals. and
wherever it touched the skin is burned and
the roasting flesh sent out sickening odor
and thick smoke.
Johnston jum ped from his wagon, got
one OF the horses by the head. unhitched
the traces and handled them freely, bat he
could do no good During the occurrence
he said he did not receive any shock at all.
One over-zeaIous man ran and made grab
at the wire. BAT he dropped it very quickly
and accepted the advice OF the excited by
ISLANDERS TO .'ges out of the way"
a moment after the animals stepped on
the wire, Mr.. Brown, who IS with Cross &
Co.. tried to telephone toahe power-house
10 shut Oh the current but the instrument
w0uldn't work. Some one else went to
another telephone, but at least I've min
utes had elapsed and, when the current
was finally shut off, the unfortunate ami
mails were lying with rolling tongues and
quivering bodies, nearly If not quite dead.
Johnston lives and keeps small stable
at 2. 2l1 Second street. He valued his team
at $500. Carpenters were ssnt TO work Oh
the Pease building. and theTemains Of the
dangerous shed roof was torn away 70
guard against another suchshor rihie occur
renee.
A. P. Turner, who was driving buck
board along Front street by Pike, also suf-
fered. Without . moments warning the
Ioosened trolley wire descended on his
head. The shock hurled him bodily out of
the rig. completely stunning him for the
time being, and he knew no more until he
found himself sitting in dazed condition
on the sidewalk. Il appears that on the
fall OF the cable the horset started, over
turning the vehicle and throwing out tine
then already insensible driver. Mr.. Tur-
ner, although severely bruised, was not
seriously hurt.