Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-14
FALLS FROM LIGHT TOWER
Lamp Trimmer Takes a Sensational Drop o.
One Hundred and Fifty Fest.
COMES OUT OF IT PRACTICALLY UNHuRT
Gable Breaks Just as He Reaches the
Top of the Light Tower at h
Corner of Eighth and
broadway.

James z. Adams, an employe Of the Citi-
zens' Gas and Electric company, had a
thrilling experience and what is considered
a miraculous escape from serious injury, II
not death. yesterday morning while work.
ing on the electric light tower at the cor
ner Of Eighth street and Broadway.
Adams is employed as a light trimmer
and one Of his duties is to trim daily the
arc lamps at the top Of the light towers,
which are $50 feet high. To reach the
platform at the top Of the tower the trim
mer hoists himself up in a small iron cage
or elevator run by cables over pulleys.
Adams started to the top of the Eighth
street tower and was within ten feet Of the
platform when the cable supporting the
elevator cage suddenly broke. Immedi-
ately the cage with its human freight shot
downward at a terrific speed and on reach
ing the lower platform, about twelve feet
above ground, where its further descent
was checked, was broker to pieces and
Adams left sitting astride one of the iron
rods of the framework of the over. By
ISLANDERS who witnessed the accident and
the downward fight of the elevator ex-
pected to see Adams dashed to pieces or
killed by the concussion, but he was able
to climb dow the ladder unaided. ap-
parently but little injured by his fearful
fall.
When the cable broke Adams realized IN
an instant his danger and made desperate
efforts to check the descent of the cage by
grasping at the guide wires at the side. In
so doing his arms were badly bruised and
his hands torn and burned. Adams re-
tanned his presence Of mind and, finding he
could not check the descent Of the cage.
prepared himself for the conclusion when
A. 49,, ka.EoA r-zVIJ rnooh KAa IAu,ap 1InN-
form and be suddenly brought to a stop.
He relaxed his position and bent his limbs
and to this attributes his escape from seri-
GUS injury, IL not even death. Adams also
attributes his escape to the fact that the
elevator cage, released from the cable,
rocked from side to side against the frame
work of the tower and thus checked in
some degree its own fall.
Not Forced T. &C to Bed.
After climbing down the ladder to the
ground Adams was able to get into his
buggy unassisted and drive to his home at
7O1 Harmony street, where DR.. Jennings
examined him. Aside from the bruises and
cuts on his arms and hands and one cut
over the right eye, he appeared to be un-
injured and did not even find II necessary
to go to bed.
1t is expected that the accident will re-
suit in the renewal Of the agitation to take
these towers down and have the lights dis
tributed About hve years ago the tower
at Eighth street fell with a crash during
q storm, and although the street was
crowded at the time by people hurrying
home, no one was injured. City Electrician
Bradley has time and again recommended
that the towers be taken down, as he con-
siders them a constant menace to the pub
lie and the men employed to look after
them. After examining the broken cable
yesterday he gave it as his opinion that the
conditions OF the cable indicated that the
towers themselves were probably rusted
and weakened and consequently liable to
collapse at any moment. At the last meet
ing of the city council Alderman Mcdonald
suggested that the Eighth street tower be
dispensed with and it's four lights dis
tributed in the vicinity. Alderman Lovett
also suggested that the tower at Twenty
first street and Avenue B be taken Town.