The news & observer., 1905-06-27
Terrible Fate of Young
Man On Bridge.
STARTED TO DESCEND
He Grasped or Caught at the Electric
Wire and With Smoke Issuing
From His Body Fell Dying.
Sad Accident TO Aged


Especial to News and Observer
Asheville, n. c., June 26.-Arthur
Jackson, a white man twenty-one
Asheville cotton mills, was electro
cuted on Carriers bridge that spans
the French Broad and Swannanoa
rivers, two miles above Asheville yes
terday afternoon about three o'clock.
The young mans untimely death is
attributed directly to his desire to in
spect a birds nest in a creVice of the
bridge, though with no desire to rob
the mother bird of her young.
Mr.. Jackson, in company with three
companions. went for tramp across
the river into West Asheville. and re-
turning by the river road came to
Carriers bridge shortly after three
O'Clock When about midway the
structure. Jackson esDied a birds nest
near the top of the iron span and
climbed the latticed work to where
the nest was located, took the young
birds from the nest, held them up to
the view of his companions and then
replaced them in the nest
Instead of descending to the bridge
way by the latticed work in the center
young man climbed onto the top of
the steel railing, running the entire
length of the bridge and with Il width
OF perhaps twelve inches and walked
toward the north of the Asheville end
OF the structure. At the extreme end
of the bridge uprights descended
ninety feet from the ground at an
angle of about forty-five degrees,
While at the point of the angle is n
wooden arm containing several cleo
tric light wires conveying current
from the plant of the Asheville Elec-
trio Company on Hominy to this city.
Upon reaching this end of the
bridge the victim either started to
fall and caught the wire. or not real
iZing the danger. placed his right hand
on the wire for support I'm descending.
Instantly and without a groan he
fell back on the iron uprights. while
the issue Of smoke and smell of burn
ing flesh attracted the attention of the
companions below and held them hor-
rifed.
Sheriff Reed was notified and going
TO the scene succeeded in getting the
body down.
Another similar tragedy occurred
at identically the same place on Car
riers' bridge, about three years ago,
when Homer Randall. i'm walking
along the top of the structure fell
and caught the live wire, and was
electrocuted. Mr.. Randall was held
above the bridgeway by the live wire
until his hands burned Off when the
body fell to the floor below.
Thrown Down BY Dogs.
Mrs. NJ. j. Ramsey, eighty years OF
age and mother of r. c. Ramsey. OF
| this city, was thrown to the pave
mcnt ON Haywood street Saturday
evening about $50 O'Clock, by coming
| in contact with two dogs fighting on
the sidewalk, sustaining injuries from
which the doctors fear she will not
recover. Mrs. Ramsey accompanied
| by lady companion, left her resi-
dence on Haywood street Saturday
evening, for a stroll i'm the cool night
air. Upon leaving the house dog
belonging to Mrs. Ramsey's cpmpan-
| ioE. followed the ladies and when the
strollers had reached d pon: close to
| the Haywood Street Methodist church
they met another dog. The animals
BEGAN fighting The dogs growing
and biting each other fought over the
| sidewalk and I'm their madness plunged
into Mrs Ramsey who was unable
owing to her extreme age to get out
of the way. Tie unfortunate lady
was thrown to the pavement and sus-
tanned a fracture of the right leg
three inches below the hip joint and
also a terrible wrench of the back.
Physicians were Immediately sum.
pT7ned and Mrs. Ramsey taken to hel
h ne, where an investigation revealed
II fact that she WIS badly hurt anc
ov ne to her advanced age there wa.
no shance for recovery