Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-23
CONDEMNED BY ALL.
Another Coroner's Jury Declares
Against Overhead Wires.
VERDICT IN GEORGE WINN'S CASE.
Allegheny Told to Employ More Men in the
Fire Alarm Service.
DILLON GIVES EXPERT TESTIMONY

The city of Allegheny and the overhead
wire system were the subject of a terrible
roasting yesterday by the Coroner's Jury
in the inquest of George Winn, late Super.
intendent of the Allegheny Fire Alarm Tele-
graph, who was electrocuted last Friday.
The Coroner's jury first declared all over
head wires should be buried. 1t also reprI-
manded the city Of Allegheny for not having
more men to take care of the work lately
done by Mr.. Winn. 1t thought so miles of
fire wires were too much for one man to
keep in repair, and orders Councils to pro-
vide more assistants in this department
The testimony was opened by William
Winn, son OF the deceased. He stated
that his father was Superintendent of the fire
alarm system of Allegheny, and that the
witness assisted him in the work, although
not paid employe. The deceased was
paralyzed on the right side and did not
have the use of his right hand. The wit
ness last saw his father alive on Friday at
noon, when he stated that he was going to
the lower end of Allegheny to look for a
break on the line. The witness did not
know of his father having requested help on
the work.
DUTIES OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.
Robert Jones, Chief of the Allegheny
Fire Department stated that George W.
Winn, the deceased, was elected Superin-
teudent of the fire alarm by councils. His
duty was to take charge of all fire telegraph
lines and keep them in repair The ordi-
nance creating the Office contained section
placing the Superintendent under the con-
troll OF the Chief Engineer, and all supplies
for hls department could be obtained only
orGar hv hp
The telegraph lines on Friday last-were in
very bad order, and the witness told Mr..
WInn to get them fixed M in some kind of
shape. The pole Mr.. Winn was killed on
belonged to the Bell Telephone Company.
and the CITY Of Allegheny had the right of
way on the top cross beam. Mr.. Wlnn did
not ask the witness for any help, but Assist
ant Chief Clark told him before dinner that
Mr.. Winn wanted a horse and wagon, and
the witness instructed the Assistant Chief
10 go with Mr.. Vim wherever he wanted
him to 20.
Richard Clark. Assistant Chief of the
Fire Department, met Mr.. Winn at City
Hall, on Friday, and took him in a buck
wagon to the place where he was killed.
The witness talked with Mr.. Winn in the
morning and the deceased asked him for as
sistance. The witness then went to Chief
Jones and the latter ordered the witness to
RO NlIR MI. Nlnn.
INSTANTLY ELECTROCUTED
The pole .hey were working on was at the
corner OF Washington avenue and Manhat-
tan street. The deceased climbed the pole
and stepped on what looked to be an in
sulated wire. Mr.. Clark was standing on
the opposite side of the street and saw smoke
under Mr.. Winn's foot. The witness yelled
al the deceased, but he seemed to pay no at
in rNla dc oil 10 %la
gOund. The witness has since learned that
The wire was an induction lire. The witness
gave the deceased all the assistance he
could. In answer TO the Coroner the wit
ness stated that they often experience
trouble at fires from wires, and the men are
constantly in danger of their lives. There
are 80 miles Of fire alarm wire in Allegheny
and only one man TO take care OF it. The
witness did not consider one man enough to
care for the lines.
UNDERGROUND SYSTEM PRACTICABLE.
Harry Dillon, city electrician of the AL
leCheny police department, said that he
went up the pole five minutes after Mr..
Winn fell, and re eased the wire from the
pole. The telephone wires were heavily
charged with electricity. The witness
thought it practicable to place the wires
underground.
Drs. Nenn, kirkpatrick and Gulliford,
and Messrs. Noble Jones, James Brown and
Edward Lowry were called, but their testi-
lnony was 4 repetition of that of the former
witnesses.
The jury returned the following verdict:
George W. Vim. aged about 81 years came
to his death on Friday December 10 1890
about l:lO O'Clock. while in performance of MS
uuty as superintendent of the fire alarm tele-
graph system of Allegheny City, repairing a
wire on pole at the corner of Manhattan
street and Washington avenue, Sixth ward
Allegheny, by stepping on a cable or induction
wire, shocking hun, and he falling head first to
the ground. breaking his neck. From all the
evidence the jury find said death was acci-
dental. and recommends that all overhead
wires be placed underground; and we further
hnd that the ire alarm force of said CITY iuade-
Quate, and recommend that Councils of said
CITY take immediate steps to provide more men
10 perform said work
WE'LL be CAV and happy" for Saliva