Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-08-30

TWO MEN INSTANTLY KILLED at The CHAP
LINE HILL TUNNEL.
They Strike an Electric Light Wire-A Tragic
Scene on the Shelf Of the Tunnsl-Another
Case Of Shock at Martins Perry.

Last night about seven o'clock the news
spread rapidly over the city that two men
had been killed at the south heading Of the
Chapline hill tunnel, on Twenty-eighth
street. and investigation by REGISTER
reporter proved the report all too true In
the weird and sombre interior Of the hole
lay two hfeless victims of the deadly cleo
trio fluid. The tragic affair created great
confusion among the people in the immedi-
ate neighborhood Of the tunnel, and the said
news quickly spread over the entire city.
The accident occurred about o'clock
last evening, and just at the time when the
day and night forces were changing In
the extreme end OF the tunnel. which is
now in some 400 feet AT that end, is what is
called a shelf. Ii is formed by digging be
yond the hole already completed, or in other
words digging ahead exclusively at the
top of the tunnel, leaving a sort Of bed or
rock floor. which extends half way up the
tunnel. 1t is small enclosure, and the
men working in this shelf have little mar
Gin between their heads and the ceiling.
RunningO out from this shelf is short plank
10 = stage, where the rocks are dumped
down into vehicles Leading up TO the
stage from the bottom OF the hole proper
IS perpendicular ladder, by
which the men ascend and get 10 the
shelf AT the time the day and night forces
were changed Yesterday, two of the en-
ployes who work at night, q colored man
and an Austrian, walked up this ladder
across the wooden plank, and were Just pro
cCeding TO step upon the shelf when then
colored man. who was in front, made mis-
step and slipped. To save himself from
falling he grabbed one of the electric light
wires which run close 10 the ceiling over
head With the other hand he caught hold
of the Austrian. and the latter 10 escape
being struck by his fellow emplOye, fell
back somewhat In SO doing his head came
in contact with a coil Of wire
near the ceiling. With the negro 5
head still on the wire this completed
the circuit. and quicker than flash, the
deadly electric current swept through
their bodies and they dropped dead instant
ly. The hfeess bodies fell on the bottom
OF the shelf, the PROSTATE form of the
Austrian full on top of the negro Accom-
panying the accident was a sizzing.sOund
as of burning flesh, and an investigation
revealed the fact that the electric fluid, in
its dire work. had badly burned the flesh
on the neck Of one victim and
the left hand of the other At the time
the accident occurred the current had just
been turned on at the switchboard
bv the electrician, and the men UNI
dOubtedly cot the full force of the current
Such was the volume of the fluid that
death must have been instaneous. The
presence of the coil of wire on the ceiling is
explained from the fact that the electric
lights are extended to the extreme end of
the hole, and the coil was there for the
convenience Of extensions as the hole pro-
crossed.
In coming In contact with the wires the
men must have struck fatal bare places
somewhere on the line or coil. The wires,
while originally insulated, have probably
suffered more on less damage from being
dragged about the rough stone interior,
ana the outer coating. has doubtless in
some places been worn of. But whether
the wires were worn of or not, the fact re-
mains that the danger was there, and
In view of the fact that the men have
barely room 10 stand up straight on these
shelves the utmost care should be observed
i'm fixing the safety of the electric con-
trivanceS.
Others of the night force who were
proceeding TO the shelf soon after discovered
the bodies still smoking from the effect OF
the charge, and in moment more a general
alarm was given throughout the tunnel,
which news reached long ways outside
the hole In five minutes after the acct
dent there was a large crowd OF people
gathered on the scene. So strange seemed
the circumstances of the tragic affair 10 the
casual observer, that many who gathered
around, looked upon it as visitation from
some mysterious, unknown force. DIR. G.
NJ. Frissell was Immediately notified, but
long before the arrival of the doctor, life
I'm the bodies of both men had long since
been extinct A police patrol wagon was
sent 10 the tunnel, and the two bodies were
taken 70 an un1ertakers establishment,
where coroner's inquest viii probably
be held. While there would seem To be
little doubt rs 10 the cause OF death, the
formal inquiries into the circumstances
surrounding the affair may reveal such 4
conditiOnOf the wires at the time OF the ac-
cident as will prove an interesting lesson
by which to profit hereafter.
The name Of the negro was James Solo
man and his age was 20 years. The Aus
TRANS name was one OF those unprOnounc-
able words that could not be learned, and
IL is doubtful if his name is known even
about the bosses. He was numbered
among the employees as 49,, and he was %
years of age The Austrian has brother
living in one of the frame houses near the
mouth Of the tunnel.