Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-03-25
Horrible Death of a Petaluma
Capitalist.
He Died FORTY FEET IN The AIR
Touched a Live Wire From the
Top Of an Electric Pole.

The san francisco Examiner has
the following special from Peta'
luna, March 2l; William g.
Pierce, the proprietor aud man
ager of the Petaluma Electric Light
and Power company, proprietor and
president Of the Pierce Telephone. COM
psny, ex-presldent of the Dairymen's
Union of California aud one OF the
yealthiest and most prominent citizens
and land owners in Sonoma and Marin
counties, was instantly killed on Main
street at 6 O'Clock this evening before
hundreds of panic-stricken citizens,
and in the midst Of terrible wind and
rain storm. Although wealthy man,
Mr.. Pierce personally supervised his
business, and during the entire after
noon had been driving around with bis
assistant looking after the wires In the
city. at ten minutes before 6 be ar
rived at the last pole which was to be
inspectsd-a tall mast which stands In
the Plaza on Main street In front of the
Cosmopolitan hotel. His assistant,
Will Codding, climbed the pole and
had proceeded but a short distance
when he received slight shock from
guy wire, which showed that the pole
was charged with ground" owing
to the rain. He was frightened and at
once descended, and as Mr.. Pi rce'
who had remained in the buggy, told
Coddiug to hold the horse, saying Il at
he would 20 up.
mo" said Coddng, ".hece's a
ground and you'll get a -hock."
Pierce shook his head and started up
the pole. He reached the first cross
piece, forty feet above the ground, ana
sat on this, with one leg on each side
of the main pole, and then touched
several wires in rapid succession. AS
he touched the fatal wire flame shot
from his hand aud he fell back, bis
head and arms dangling from one side
Of the pole and his feet on the other.
|
men frantic with excitement, started
up the pole, but were prevailed upon to
descend. An attempt was made to
telephone.to the station tOshut off the
current, but the wires were down. A
hook and ladder truck was procured
from neighboring engine house, aud
after o hard task the body was lowered
to the ground by Louis Mego and
Charles Dillon, assisted by the fremen.
Mr.. Pierce had received a shock be.
tween 5000 and 1000 volts during the
time he was on the wire. He was car
rled into the Cosmopolitan hotel and
later removed to the family residence
on ID. street. His mother, to whom
the news mad been broken. was almost
frantic with grief
The deceased was a native OF Peta-
luna aud was 25 years OF age. He
WAS heavily Interested 10 a number OF
important business enterprises, aside
from the management of the large es
tate OF bis father, Abraham Pierce
"ho died about twenty years ago. lie
was the principal owner of the elee.
trio light system Of Petaluma, and wa
sole owner Of the Pierce Telephone sys
tenn, now In every successful operation
In Petaluma. He Was president Of the
dairymen's Union Of San Francisco
during the term preceding the present
one, sud Was actively Interested IN sew.
erAl other business enterprises. lie
was the owner OF the famous Pleroe
dairy ranch, the hnest ranch 10 the
state, aud with his stepmother's inter
sst, the estate is estimated @ be worth
= quarter Of a million.
MI Plene ls relative Of hn, Frank
Hughes of salem.