New-York tribune., 1907-03-03
THE OUTDOOR WORKERS.
Scuere Winter Weather Calls for
Much Hospital Treatment.

More than 10 per cent of the two thousand OUT
door workers Of the lighting companies through
out New York State are to-day under special
hospital treatment as the result OF the extraor-
dinarily severe weather of the last six weeks.
In Elmira Rochester. Binghamton Buffalo and
almost every other city and town in the exposed
regions upstate special hospital wards and
shelters are equipped for the treatment and care
OF the seriously crippled forces Of linemen, pipe
workers and emergency construction crews. who
are essential to keeping up efficient service IN
the face Of record storm and zero weather. It is
estimated 10y experts Of the Empire State Gas
and Electric Association who have been investi-
eating the matter that not three men in ten
Of these field workers have come through the
winter campaign without at least a frost bite or
two, and often much more serious injuries. from
exposure
At Rochester the city hospitals have for a
month been caring fer patients from the local
lighting company's outdoor sllirmish line. who
have been taken to the rear in the battle to keep
at top notch efficiency the hundreds of miles Of
pipes and wires in the great system Each of
these men has his medical expenses and full
wages paid by the company for the entire period
Of his Interpretation. But. large as this item
has become to his employers, il is his services
In fullest physical capacity that are the most
company has begun 10 impress every available
ablebodied man from every department into
service with its all important emergency field
force, ii has become daily figh: TO man the
long stretches of mains in wind and weather
Each man Of this force has been equipped with
a kit Of bandages, spnts. salves. lotions, etc
as well as a respirator Of the most modern scien-
fihc pattern.
A fully equipped hospital ward and what
really amounts to a club is being installed in
the power house at Elmira for the trouble
gang" on whom the local lighting company de-
pends 10 locate and repair breaks" at a few
moments notice. day and night. So important
has the condition of the members Of this crew
become that they are housed. amused and looked
after day and night in regular club quarters.
No athletic team in training for great contest
was ever handled more gingerly than are the
members of this trouble gang" 4 doctor is in
constant attendance upon them as they sleep
1n modern dOrmitOry quarters, equipped with
shower baths or lol about the leather uphol
stored reading rooms. When the call comes 10
plunge out for miles on blizzard night and
work for hours astride windswept pole or
over an open trench. the men are bundled up
with all the care that haste allows When they
return the hospital ward is often called into
immediate reTuisition. with its oxygen tanks for
reviving and its array Of applications for strain.
frost bite or exhaustion. In spite of all this
careful handling however the trouble gang
is often depleted after some unusually trying
sortie
In addition 10 the dangers Of exposure to
storm and below zero temperature. the linemen
and gas pipe workers incur unusual risks when
the wind is tearing wires and the frost freezing
pipes. Sitting aloft among loose wires in the
teeth Of gale. with a deadly voltage playing
all about one. or digging TO frost broken
pipe from which gas belches is a task for cool.
brave men. The excitement and adventures of
such a life. the lighting say. attract and
hold certain class of men TO IL, however. and
the lineman whom the cold has crippled for
while is always about and at il again. almost
before his strength warrants.