The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-03-08
Still LES.'|S
SHOCKED
Receives a Heavy
Voltage at
Ainahau.
PICKS LIVE WIRE
FROM GROUND
Becomes Unconscious But Revives
Under Treatment-Left Hand
Seriously Burned.

Edmund Stiles. bookkeeper for
Spreckels & Company, had a narrow
escape from instant death at Ainahau
last evening. He received a shock of
electricity, which, estimated from the
conditions existing, must have been
in the neighborhood of 1000 volts, and
his life was saved by the prompt ac-
ton of the lineman and the others who
were about
The immediate cause of the accident
was the breaking OF the lines which
furnish light to the home OF Governor
Cleghorn, at Waikiki Owing to the
distance from the main road, and the
fact that there is so much foliage in the
two residences, that of the Princes.
and that of Gov. Cleghorn, which
would cause great loss of electricity
in low tension line, the high power
wires are carried to a transformer,
which is located inside the grounds.
There is little travel in the private
road, and the line is so carried that
there is the least possible chance OF a
preak.
Last evening there was call for the
trouble man from the light company
at Z o'clock, as the lights which had
been burning for some time had gone
out. When ltnemau William Carey
arrived he found that the line had
broken just inside the yard at Alma
hau, and that the two ends OF the
wire were lying in the bushes. He at
once cleared the one which led from
the road, taking the end of the wire
to carry it up the pole and tap it in
there. He directed every one to keep
away from the wires as they were
alive. There was a small gathering
about to see the operation of handling
live wires. among those at hand being
Mr.. Stiles, who was visiting at the
residence of the Governor
Carey had only just began to make
saw that Mr.. Stiles had reached into
the bushes and taken hold of the end
IF the wire. The man was stinening
up from the shock and no one had got
20 his relief before the lineman had
'eached him and drawn from his hand
he wire which had been grasped about
l foot from the end. When the wire
lad been taken away Stiles dropped to
he ground unconscious.
He was picked up and carried into
ip. and the body rubbed with alcohol
Or. Mays was called and told over the
elephone what was being done and he
-dvised the continuation of the treat
nent. By the time the physician ar
ived the work OF resuscitation had
cen effective, and Mr.. Stiles was able
o sit up. He received very pain
al burn in the palm of the left hand.
his proved to be the only serious ef-
ect which he suffered from the expert
nee. Later in the evening when his
ound had been dressed, Mr. Stiles was
out of all danger by hi. at
He said ne was feeling no i'll
fleets, the sensation being much that
T recovery from faint
Superintendent Hudson of the Ha-
allan Electric Company, was there as
1on as he could get out after notihca-
on of the accident, but he found that
le injured man was all right when he
rived. The lights had not been turn
l on, however, as Governor Cleghorn
ad asked that the work be stopped
hen the accident occurred. Mr.. Hud-
n said last evening that there was
way 10 account for the occurrence
her than that Mr.. Stiles had not
ard the warning OF the Iineman, and
I'd seen the wire and picked it up 70
Of service. The break was due, he
id. 10 the wind having chafed the
ire with some branch and ii gave
az under the pressure Of last even
g.