Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-06-04
FAIRFIELD HORROR.
Two Men E|ectrocuted by an
Electric Light Wire.
Eden Foss and Beve|y Horsman, Dead;
William O'Brien Injured.
How Wire Was So Heavily Charged a GTea'
Mystery.


caused the death of two men and the
almost fatal injury of Il third in the
mill of the Somerset Il Kennebcc CO.. a
few minutes before 6 O'clock, Saturday
night. The dead are Eden Foss, night
foreman in the mill. aged about - and
married, and Bcvcly Horsman of about
the same age and unmarried, whose
home is in New Brunswick The in
jurcd man is William O'Bricn, unmar-
ricd.
The accident happened just rs the
night crew was going on to work ana
the day crew leaving. The whistle had
not been blown but the men Of the two
crews We're changing places as is usu-
ally done, just a few minutes before
the whistle 1t occurred in the di-
SeStcr room on the first floor Of the
mill on the south side. There were no
eye witnesses and O'Brien, the injured
man. up To sunday afternoon. had not
been able to give connected account
Of just what happened
From what the injured man has been
able To say, ANA he is the only one in
the mill who knows, be had commenced
the nights work. abutt 10 minutes Of
6. He was second hand in the dgoster
room ana it was Il part of his duties
to look the apparatus over before com
mencinG work He says that he re
members doing this. He began his ex-
animation of what is known in the mill
as pit No. l. In order To do this it was
necessary for him to use an electric
light to look into the door of the pit.
The light has long wires attached so
that it can be carried to various parts
of the apparatus for the purpose of cX-
aminationS. 1t mas been used in this
way since the mill was lighted ny cleo
tricity ana there had never been any
trouble with il. D'Rrien took the light
in his hand as usual to peer into the
small door If the lit to determine the
condition Of the stock and To attend to
his other duties. He remembers OF
feeling a severe shock at that instant
but the remainder is all a blank ana
thus far he has been unable "a tell any
thing further His condition WAS hope
full. Sunday, but is serious ana the at
tending physicians have given orders
| that he shall not be questioned in re-
gard to the accident. Both VI his
hands are very badly burned, his
thumbs being the worst. 1t is feared
that he may lose one hand although
this can not b. determined as yet.
What happened after O'BIien became
unconscious can only be conjectured.
There are countless stories in circula-
tiun and scores of theories advanced.
The place where the accident occurred
is in sight of the door most commonly
used by the men when entering the mill
to go to their various Positions. The
mill is built in the form of a right
angle. a long wooden building running
north and south parallel with the Ken
ncbec river and a smaller building Of
brick running east and west and at
right angles with the wooden building
The wooden building is occupied 10y the
wet machines" So called, in which the
pulp is rolled into sheets. weighed.
tied. etc. The brick building is uccu-
pied by the digesters. evapOratorS,
boilers. etc The door mentioned is in
the corner If the angie made 10y the
wooden ana brick buildings on the
south side. AS one enters it 4 narrow
passage way on the left Leads to the
| 'llA''7t'lS II - Why q INV l''t ii'll'
the outside door to the pits which can
be seen from the outside door. In front
Of the pits. which are square boX-like
affairs Of iron with small doors in the
front. is platform about 12Xl2 feet.
raised about a foot from the floor of
the mill The platform occupies only
a small space and is bounded on the
left. facing the pits, by the outside wall
of the mill and on the right by a col
lection of steam pipes and other appar-
.atus with a narrow passageWay leading
to another part of the mill.
O'Brien. according to the statements
which he has made, was at work on
this small iron platform with Il water
hose in one hand and the electric light
wires, to which was attached the light.
in the other. 1t was his duty to wash
the pits with the hose through the
small doors. anr he carried the light 50
that by thrusting it through the doors
of the pits he could see the inside.
While thus engaged he could he seen
by anyone entering the outside door or
could be heard if he made any outcry.
1t is supposed that while thus engaged
he received the shock from the wires
which ne heIu IN ms ndnu ana tnat
Foss ana Horsman entering the mill at
that instant together or within a short
distance Of each other. had their at
tention attracted to O'Brien's condition
and went to his aid. There could be no
better conductor Of electricity than the
wet iron platform and the hose. The
LIQUOR used in the digestnrs is also said
by electricians to be an excellent con
ductor Everything in the vicinity was
wet iron or steel. 1t is reasonable to
suppose that the platform was charg-
ed. Foss and Horsman. evidently
thinking only of O'Briens danger,
rushed to his assistance, jumping upon
the platform. The hands of the for
mer were horribly burned. but the
only mark on the latter was a burn on
his forehead 1t is thought that in at
tempting to release their companion
,hev came in contact with the wire
the one through the hands and the
other the forehead. and received shocks
that caused instant death. 1t has not
Continued on page %