The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-06-10

Alexander Stevenson, night inspector
for the Utah Light & Power company,
was elecuocuted at 1926 last night
while adjusting the carbons on an arc
light midway between Main and State
streets on Third South. Death was in
Simultaneous. the unfortunate man
making. one outcry and falling lifeless
into a sitting posture on the wires.
Stevenson probably never knew what
struck him, and no one else can tell
exactly how the accident occurred, but
all the evidence tends to show that he
himself was responsible. He was driv-
ing west on Third South in a cart with
Dan Mcbride, also an employee of the
company, when they noticed thac tloe
light had failed AS was his duty,
Stevenson went up the pole to fix it,
but before handling the lamp he neg
leCted to shut off the current, the
switch with which each light is pro-
vided being found open by Mcbride
short while after the accident.
1t is reasonably certain that the dead
man took hold of both the carbon and
the side of the lamp, completing The
circuit.
There were several people in the Vi
entity who saw a flash of light as the
$500 volts carried by the are circuit
passed through StevensOn's body
They also heard him shout, but none
of these were watching him before this.
hence there is no one who can give
any detailed description OF the occur
renee.
Dunlapp's Perilous Act.
As soon as it was seen that the man
was unconscious, W. NJ. Dunlapp, a
former employee of the company, who
happened to be passing, scaled the pole
and held the dead man in his arms
while Mcbride rushed to telephone
and had the power on that line smut
off, and sent Tor the ambulance ana
hook and ladder truck, the idea being
TO lower the body by means OF lad
der
Electrician. Vail of the fire depart
Inent and Mcbride went I'D the pole,
ana, Joining Dunlapp the three II
them lowered Stevenson with a rope
He was taken TO Druehl & Franken.
drug store and Dr.. -Hensel summoned
but after working over him for some
time the physician pronounced lie eN-
tinct. 1t is doubtful he said, that the
man could have lived with such burns
as he received, leaving the shock out
OF the question.
The remains were taken to Evans
undertaking establishment, and an eX-
animation of Stevenson's body made.
Was Frightfully Burned.
The right side of the neck, extending
from the chin downward almost to the
right nipple was so badly charred as
to throw off a siCkening od0T and all
but the little finger of the right hand
was burned away. The left hand was
not so badly burned.
It would appear that when shocked,
Stevenson fell forward onto the light,
the globe being smashed. his neck COM
ing in contact with the current. He
probably laid there with his right hand
holding onto the rod, and when the
four fingers were iucineTated, he fell
back onto the wires. Authorities say
that flesh can be cooked under Such CIR
cumstances in a very few moments.
The fact that the left hand is scOrched
only, is accounted for by the suppose
ton that Stevenson let go with that
hand. being unable to release them
both.
Dan Mcbride, VINO saw more of the
accident than anyone gives the follow
ing account of it:
stevenson and myself had been out
east on Third South to fix light and
were on the way back to the office
when we came To this light. He said
he would go up and adjust the $Nrbons
while / stayed in the cart. l watched
him go up the pole, but was looking in
an opposite direction after he reached
the top.
Heard Him Scream.
He was there only few seconds, it
seemed. when / saw a flame about four
feet long shoot out and heard him
scream. Then the glass fell down on
the ground with a crash. / could hard
Iy see him for a moment the light
having blinded me, but when l did see
him he was kind of sitting on the wires
with his head dropped forward, and his
arms doubled UP.
Then Dunlapp went up the pole
while I jumped out Of the cart and
made for the telephone. When L went
up. the first thing l did was to see now
the switch was on top of the light. /
found il open. Poor Alex had forgot
ten to shut off the power. I guess, and
as soon as he touched the lamp with
both hands, he got il.
The part played by Dunlapp was one
of nerve He was driving along the
street with his wife when he saw the
fash. Being an old hand at the bust
ness. he took in the situation at
glance and spTang out of the buggy
with the intention of going up the pole.
In spite of his Wife's entreaties, he
climbed up. and he did all he could
holding the dead man until aid arrived
Manager r. 5. Campbell Of the power