Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-06-04
FAIRFIELD HORROR.
Continued from page -

/ been satisfactorily explained. however.
! how it happened that O'Brien. the first
| to receive the shock. should have eS-
| capped while the other two were killed.
| He has been able to state that he was
alone when Ne grasped the wire. but
ne doss not remember of the other two
men coming to his assistance.
The first man to discover the acct
dent was Joseph Novel;. who was
aroused by the smell of burning flesh.
When he went in he found the three
men lying on the platform one was
living directly in front of the pits. the
second with his head towards the wall
Of the mill and the third with his head
pointing toward the inside of the mill
and under Il large steam pipe. The
current was turned off as quickly as
possible and the men removed. Some
of those who were present at the time
say that life was not wholly extinct in
Foss When rescued. but the doctors say
that death must have been instanta-
ncnus.
The men We're then removed to the
Wetting machine room and all the doe
tDTS WHO tOulu Dt IouIlu Were sum
m0ned. Doctors Weber, Rand ana
Ames were the first to arrive. They
used every means in their power II
discover some indication of life in Foss
and Horsman, but We're unsuccessful.
O'Erien was unconscious and in a
critical condition. AS soon as possible
he was removed to the home of his
brother in-law. James Ryan, with
whom he boarded. He regained partial
consciousness, about midnight. andI was
apparently out of danger. Sunday. His
head was still in confused condition,
however. and what little he was able
to state in regard to the accident was
obtained at intervals.
Just how the light Wire happened to
be so heavily charged is almost as
much of mystery as the manner in
which Foss and Horsman met their
death. In the angle made by the two
buildings there is pole from which
several wires enter the mill in different
directions. They cross the mill yard
in various directions. several pairs
coming from the pole at the end Of
the bridge Il short distance from the
front of the brick building. The trolley
wire Of the Benton & Fairfield Flee
trio Road extension Whc is used eX-
clusively for freight passes under the
light wires. There was q thunder
shower in progress at the time of the
accident ana either on account of that
or some other reason which has not
vet been explained one Of the wires
running fgrom the pole settled in the
angle Of the two buildings to the pole
..+ h. .-1l n no hytIcr,. hY,l-, Nai l.,t
md. however. fell on the trolley wire
but both evidently touched the ground.
The end nearest the mill crossed some
Of the other light wires and one end
trailc don the ground. on the pole in
the angle of the mill there are two
transformers.
The following explanation of the obnor-
nal charging Of the wires which was
given to The Journal by u practical cleo
irician. seems L. be the most reasonable
ana ii also agrees with the opinion Of DR.
Amcs that the mon must have received at
least 20op volts. The current which comes
| from the machines is Of about 24ou volts
This is greatly reduced in the transform
cr@ before it goes to the lights. When
! The break i'm the mill yard. which was be
| tween the transformers and the station
! ANA therefore in the 23t|-Nult current. De-
| Cured. the wires became crossed in some
| manner 50 that the high voltage went di-
| rcctly into the mill over the light wires
| ana into the wire which @ Brien was
| handling. some If the insulation of the
| wires had been worn off ana when he
| placed his hand on these places re re-
ceired the full force of the 22O0 volts.
! This. however. is only one of the various
! opinions expressed. only an expert cleo
| trnuhle with the wires originated.
| Mrs FOSS was Frustrated by the news