Evening journal., 1902-03-03
DANGERS Oh THR
AVRRAGR LINBMAN
Storms Of Past Week Bring
Him Close to Death
While at Work in Tho CITY His Task
Is Extremely PCrllOuS-ATmy
Is Now at Work

The vast losses sustained by the
Western Union Telegraph Company
and the Postal Telegraph Company by
the recent devasting sleet storm will
amount to tens of thousands of dollars
when the figures for repairs and the di-
rect loss through inability TO handle
the preferred business are computed.
At present an army Of more than a
thousand men. the majority of whom
are experienced linemen, is engaged in
repairing the wreck Of the storm on
nearly every important line.
The task of the average lineman,
with its perlls and hardships, is by no
means an attractive one. In the first
place he must have served several
years in the work of construction be-
fore he can call himself a first-class
man. Every one OF these fellows must
be possessed Of great strength and en-
durance for their lot is hard. Their
work is all done in the open air, in
the country generally and in wintry
weather with snow or rain and low
temperature and with an absence Of
shelter it requires q rugged constitu-
tion to withstand the elements.
Linemen work in squads that range
in numbers from four to twelve, and
sometimes more. There is a boss or
foreman in immediate charge who is
responsible for the work done. To
start in and follow atrunk line through
a city and its outskirts and then on
through the country. over hill and
dale, stringing new wires, connecting
the old. and in some instances putting
in new poles, requires skill and exper-
lience on the part of the foreman. On
every line there are from a dozen to
! fOrty-eight wires In one place the
sleet and rain may have carried all
these away. and the tiny wires are
scattered about in the widest disor-
der
Where the line passes through a
piece of woodland the damage is great
er. Huge limbs of trees have been
torn off by the wind only to fall on the
strings of wires. either breaking them
off or putting them out of service. A
4 little farther ON a weak pole has given
away under its heavy load and col
lapsed. TO secure q new pole from the
base of supplies, perhaps a couple of
miles away, bring it to the scene and
place it in position is the work of a
couple of hours for a squad Then the
/ lob of stringing new wires from pole
to pole and the connecting of broken
lines must be carried out carefully
/ The squads can cover but short dis
tance during a day where any great
amount Of repairs has to be made sc
that the entire work proceeds slowly.
Should the lineman be assigned tC
work in or near the city. his task be-
comes one of peril. He does not know
at what instant the wire he is pulling
into position may come into contact
with another wire carrying a heavy
power current and cause him to be
stunned or may be killed. If he be-
perched high in the air between the
lcrosstrees Of a tall pole, the danger
incurred by him is all the greater. for
he is surrounded by a network of wires
each of which carries a death-dealinl
current. AZ to protection from such
danger. the lineman can do but little
He can wear rubber gloves and move
cautiously. but the best of men al
times grow careless, and the best OF
gloves have proved useless in prevent
ing fatal shocks,