The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-07-11
Two UNION LINEMEN
MEET SUDDEN DEATH
SHOCKING TRAGEDY ENACTED At
THE CARNIVAL GROUNDS.
CORONER ATTACHES
BLAME TO NO ONE
easily Scene at the Time Of the Ira
sedy. Electrical Workers. Union
Takes Charge Of Funerals.

Mossum D. Blewett and George
Rabtschung, two members of the Elec-
tr1cal Workers Union, were instantly
killed at the Carnival grounds
Wednesday morning and their bodies
terribly burned, by an electric current,
the result of the crossing Of a galvan-
lied iron guy wire with a heavy pri-
mary conductor of the electric lighting
system. Two thousand three hundred
volts passed through the victims.
The men were arranging the guy
which was put in place to support a
tall pole from which one of the car
n1Val performers slides to the ground.
To put the line in place it was neces<
sary to pull 1T over the heavily charged
primaries and another smaller wire
considerably lower down.
According to the usual methods of
linement in such cases, they threw the
rope to which the wire was attached
over the three wires, and P. G.. Busha,
an assistant, pulled on 1t, drawing the
wire over. The operation proceeded
without hitch until the knot which
fastened the wire to the hauling rope
caught on the third small wire, and
Busha was unable to loosen it.
Blewett and Rabischung grasped
the wire to send wave along 1t and
release 1T at the point where it caught
the smaller one. 1t Is supposed that
the drawing of the iron wire over the
live one wore off the insulation and
caused the tragedy.
A flash Of blue flame appeared at
the point where the crossing occurred
and the two men were lifted from their
feet and hurled to the ground, while
their bodies were enveloped In flames
The deadly wire wrapped itself about
the now lifeless bodies, and the smoke
Of burning flesh rose from the scene
Excited people ran from the nearby
houses. Many essayed to pull the
men away from the wire, and one pro-
cured pail Of water to throw on them
If either had been done, the rescuers
would have been instantly killed. Only
the prompt action of Colonel Ferari
who was present, and J. H. Johnson
chief electrician for the carnival COM
pany, kept them back.
It was nearly ten minutes before the
power house could be reached by tele-
phone and the current shut off.
Blewett had only one hand: on the
u. WtEe, While htschqnE itsWtth
both. Hand we're s6u 6ufied TOY
bones, and the flesh nearly dropped
from the bodies of the victims. Blew
ett's face was badly charred, and
Rabischung's right foot hung only by
a tendon.
When the current had been shut off
the bodies were taken from the fata
coil and removed to undertaking es-
Establishments, where they will be pre-.
pared for burial.
~
was unmarried, and lived with his
brother and widowed mother at 1925
West Superior street.
George Rabischung was "a years old
and recently came to Duluth from
Minneapolis, where he lived at 81:
University avenue. His home here was
at 1875 Sixth avenue west.
Coroner Boyer conducted an investi-
cation yesterday afternoon, and pro.
nounced the death Of the two men en-
tirely accidental, and attaches blame tt
no one.
The men, while experienced cleo.
tricians, were not linemen. Their trade
was inside wiring, and they were no.
accustomed 10 the methods used BY
linemen in stringing wires where there
is any current in the vicinity.
- 40 q SC1y ud116SlOuS QIOCSGUln{
to grasp a line to shake it while it lie
in contact with live wires. Men ac
customed to linemans duties woult
under no circumstances have takel
hold Of the wire," said E. A. Nelson
vice president Of the electricians
union, last evening.
special meeting of the union wa
held Wednesday evening the two com
mittees were appointed to take charg,
of the funerals. Rabischung's fathe
who lives in st. Paul, arrived in Duluth
Thursday. and the body was takel
there on the afternoon train.
All the electricians of the city LET
their work to escort the body to tn
train. F1aatens band headed the es
cort. G. Skoog Of the union accom-
panied the remains to st. Paul.