The San Francisco call., 1897-09-28
he CLOSED
THE CIRCUIT
Wireman Louis Kruger
Meets a Sudden
Death.
It's Nothing; I'm All Right
Now He Said, and Fell
to the Floor.
He Was Repairing a Switch Board
for the Western Light and
Power Company.

Louis Kruger wIreman in the EN- ploy
ofthe Edi,on Light and Power COMPANY,
was killed yesterday afternoon at 3:3j
O'Clock by coming in contact with a
live" wire. He received the full force of
2300 volts from an alternating system.
The accident happened in the Western
Light and Power Com pany's power house,
which is located in the basement OF the
General Keyes building at 109 O'Farrell
street For several days past repairs have
been going on in ~the power-house, and
Kruger, with w. G. Clark and r. Dun
can, was employed doing the necessary
work. The engines in The house were
not running, so that the lines on the
switch board we're dead" Tners were
two live" wires from the Edison L ght
Company's power-house which me IN
on the switch board TO supply livlt on
The circuit controlled by the Western
Light Company wires should the latter ;
wires or machinery get out of order. 1t
was the current from these "llYe'' wires
that killed Kruger.
The swil ch board is in the west end OF
the Tower-house. Itis about six feet high
and eight feet long and stands about three
ieet from the wall, leaving d narrow pas
sage way behind il. The front side of the
board contains the switches, volt meters,
etc, and the back part Of it is perfect
network of wires, which come from tie
dynamos and distribute the electric cur
rents throughout the CITY. A narrow
platform, which rests upon iusulators as
a protection to the men who have to make
repairs to the wires. occupies this passage
II was in this passaCeway behind the
switchboar that the unfortunate wire
man met his death. The old switches had
been taken out ana had been replaced bv
new ones and Kruger was connecting the
wires to the new switches when he re-
ceived the 2300 volts which killed MIN.
The first lnt!mation that anything was
wrong came when W. G. Clark, who was
working in another part OF the house,
heard Kruger cry out IN pain. Running
10 the switchboard Clark observed Kruger
standing behind it with his back against
the wall. To his anxious inquiry as to
what was the matter the unfortunate man
replied: Its nothing; I'm all right
now" He had no sooner uttered the
words than he fell down in the passage
way.
His companions carried him out and
laid him on the floor, and while awaiting
the coming of physician who had been
sent for they endeavored TO bring him
back TO life by means of artificial respira-
ton. DR.. Deane arrived in short time,
but his efforts were unavailing. for at 5: 10
o CLOCK Kruger DreatheQ his last, The
body was soon afterward taken to the
Morgue.
W. G. Clark, one of the employees who
was i'll the place at the time states that
the wires at which Louis Kruger was
working shovel plainly how the unfortu-
nate wireman met his death One of the
live" wires had been connected to the
switch, and Kruger must have had the
other wire In his right hand ready TO
make the connection when his left hand
accidentally hit the other live wire, thus
completing the circuit and sending the
current through his b1dy. The skin on
the back OF the left hand of the deceased
was peeled off, showing where it was
burned by contact with the wire.
1t seems almost i'm possible for q man to
work among such a mass OF wires as the re
Is OH the back of the switch board without
running an imminent risk of being killed
The only protection winch there seems
TO be for the repairers Of the wires is ir
wearing rubber gloves, but these, the line
men say. are cum bersome, AMI are dis
carded, especially when small lines are tc
be repaired, as they are in the way. The
! deceased did not have any gloves on
/ the time OF the acciuent.
Kruger has been in the employ of thi
! Edison Light and Power Company 10
hve years. He was known as wireman
/ his duties being to wire houses for incan
descen. lights. He was native of thu
! State, was 81 years old and unmarried.