The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-19
FIhEFROM HIS EYES.
An Electricians Experience With q
Wire Charged With $3.50 Volts.
From the San Francisco Examiner.

a
Wire Charged With $3.50 Volts.
From the San Francisco Examiner.
Gus Erickson, a Swedish electrician OF
the Electric Improvement Company. had
wonderful experience yesterday with an
electric wire, which ell but cost him MS
life. 1t was one of the most remarkable
experiences ever heard of, and breaks the
record, so far as the ability to receive an
electric current is concerned. He sustained
a shock of 3,450 volts for twenty-five
seconds. and was entirely rigid and speecn-
less for nine minutes.
During the experience, the bystandsrs
say. fire rolled from both his eyes ana
mouth and played about bis face ne was
burned on the nose and cheeks and when
the grounded wire was grasped py MS
hands it burned to the bone.
IL was an experience unparalleled, and
will 90 down to the annals OF electricity as
nothing short of marvellous. bus sensation
and the extraordinary rigidlty OF his body
adds to the strange experience, but OF this,
as the plaYwriters say, more anon.
At about 10 O'CLOCK yesterday a telephone
massage was received at the Electrical I'm
provemsnt Company's office from Newman
& Levinson's store, saying something was
the matter with the wires there, and asking
that some one be sent there to remedy the
4 defects.
4 HYDE Bonn, the superintendent, at once
disnatched Gus Erickson and Robert Car
penter, two Of the most trusted employees,
q 10 see what the matter was. When they
arrived there they were told that in the
rear of the store, above where a small
army Of cash girls were at wo. x az the
trolleys, blue fire was escaping from one of
the many wires -s.t
It seems that the particular wire at fault
ran through bit of moulding, and it was
at the lowest part that the peculiar blue
n xF1;ht alSv hAd foot
ladder, and out OF the mass Of wires began
to bring about order.
They applied ther pincers, Strengthened
the wires and managed in the ways best
"a known to electricians to regulate the diff
Guilty. Then they stepped down and were
about to take their departure.
Gazing upward, however, they detected a
small wash bowl near the locality of the
difficulty, and they saw that water had in
some mysterious way caused the ground
a log" Of the wire, as it is called by the cleo
vi trtciens.
Il think 1 will go up and see," said Err
rckson THE Superintendent will want to
know the reason of this"
He speedily climbed TO the top Of the
g ladder again, and with his bands grasped a
wire. And this is what those who saw it
say happened: ..a
Instantly his feet were drawn away from
the ladder, and while his arms were almost
in the air. His torn was rigid, his eyes
bulged out, and streams of fire rolled from
his eyes, nose and mouth.
" eird lights played about his face The
principal color WAS blue, but whitish,
golden, and pale yellow also played about
him. He was suspended in the air at an
angle in this curiously rigid way. The cur
rent had SO terrible grip on him that he
could not let go. The wire was trail
looking thing. 1t did not look bigger than
# couple of knitting needles.
What snail we dos" cried dozen voices.
The girls at the troIleys shrieked and wruug
their hands while the lightnings played.
M Carpenter spraug up the ladder like
streak. He grasped Erickson aud tugged
aud pulled at the line. The eyes of the un
fortunate man rolled fearfully. He could
not get him down. He seemed destined to
die IN the air, II, indeed, he was not dead
already. .....-.....
Something desperate had to be done. Car
penter was equal to it. He had hit on a
heroic plan. Il might cause death or seri-
Gus injury to him, too, but he would try it.
Leaping from the top of high ladder be
graspe1 Erickson with both hands about
n the waist. his weight adding suddenly to
n that OF Errickson and breaking the deadly
A hold of the awfnl current. Down they came
all in a heap on the floor at the bottom, with
terrible crash.
Errickson's head struck on a box and re-
ceived deep and bloody CASH He did not
know it, however. His body was rigid, as
ln death. Everybody thought him dead.
However, they at once sent for DR.. Bowie
The superintendent had meantime arrived.
Nine minutes the man lay there, appar-
Gently not breathing or showing the least
8gns OF life. Then it began TO be noticed
hat there were faint Indications of life yet
8emeining. Pretty soon he Strengthened a
#lttle and sat I'D.
Where am and what have l been do
lng (" he said. Then he looked at the wires.
all came over him.
The first sensation after grasped the
Mwire, he said, when his mind became clear,
was one Of excessive lightness. My head
eemed air. also saw peculiar varicol-
red light. 1t was round and about me
avery where and seemed to come out of nae.
Ny throat was parched. had great long
Xhg' such longing as never had before,
or water. | was on fire within. Then l
fnow nothing else.
In few moments more he got up. Moth
81 @ahH at all was the matter with him except
~ mere he was cut on the side Of the head by
tne box and where his hands were burned
~ the wire. He felt bruised by the fall,
fnt he was strong and could move about.
careful examination was made of the
Ire. 1t was found that $50 volts had
aSsed through him. Only 1000, it has re-
nuy been supposed, would kill man. 1t
as also found that the strength of the cur
MI was no less thon clio amperes, the
pit OF measurement by the electricians.
Of twenty-five seconds he had endured all
Erickson had been out in the fog and
ist OF the morning, and his clothes we're
kmp.
DE is exceedingly thankful that his life is
afed, be is now taking things quietly at
home, Sl45@ Ritch street.
Oarpenter's conduct is considered very
ho M ha fOr
Tie step ladder, graspsd Erickson and
oAen the grip on the wire, Erickson must
ne Spinner Of To-dey.--Old Mr.. Fogy-
you young women are not what you