The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-02-01

|edy.
The two unfortunate men, justI
preparing to start work in the
buildings of their employers,
which are separated by the new
Harmon structure, had apparent
ly attempted to turn on the lights
when the shock passed through
them.
Lying Under Light Wire.
Young Charlson was found ly-
ing beneath a light socket in the
rear of the wagon company's plant
about 7 o'clock by B. Hanson, a
fellow worker. The bulb had
been wrenched from its fastenings,
as though the man had gripped it
before becoming unconscious.
Drs. Reed and Love were no.
titled Immediately, but the man
was lowering between life and
death when they arrived, and at
tempts to save his life proved .fu-
tile. The thumb and forefinger
of his right hand we're badly burn
ed, but no other marks showed on
his body.
Leaves Wife and Children.
Ohrstrom received the current
when he turned the button of an
electric globe in the shipping
room of the grocery house. With
out sound he sank to the floor,
and lay there until other persons
in the department found his pros
trate body. The doctors, who
had just completed working over
Charlson's body, were summoned,
and worked for more than an
hour with no visible results, the
patient dying shortly after 10
O'Clock. Ohrstrom was married
and leaves a wife and two chill
dren, girl and a boy.
Arthur Charlson is survived by
his parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Luther
D. Charlson, 4019 South Twelfth
street, and by five brothers and
four sisters. The brothers are:
Luther, Is years; Anton, IA; Os-
car, 10; Otto, s, and Robert, aged
10 months. The surviving sis
| ters are Minnie Charlson, 81, now
in San Francisco; Alma, 20; Lin
da, IL, and Florence. aged 4.
Miss Minnie Charlson, the
young mans eldest sister, has
been notified, and funeral arrange
ments will await her arrival from
the South.
Narrow Escape.
Persons In several other build
ings near Twenty-first and Pacific
received minor shocks. Charles
Reid, another blacksmith in the
West Coast Wagon company's
shop, was knocked to the floor by
the force Of shock from an in
Icandescent socket. The shipping
room of the Armour company's]
store was completely filled with
smoke from, burning insulation
when A. H. Frost, one of the
clerks, entered the smoke-filled
room to locate the trouble. He
gropingly reached for the light
socket, and received current of
electricity through his thumb
which sent him staggering to the
floor. The switches of the build
ing were Immediately thrown of,
and the fire danger averted.
Firemen Called Out.
The chemical fire extinguisher
wagon was summoned to the Ar
mour building at o'clock, as the
hot wires had not ceased smolder-
ing. 1t was found that wood
work had become infiamed in sew
eral places and fire officials ex-
pressed their surprise that disas-
trous fire had not started. The
damage was slight. but great
deal Of the wiring of the various
buildings will probably have to-
be replaced, as the high current
has rendered 1t weak and unsafe.
Cause Of Trouble.
The excessive current of elec-
ltricity In the light wires. which
Iare only supposed to carry 110
volts, was due to the crossing OF q
high power wire with feed wire.
Several pieces OF lumber fell
from the sixth story OF the new
Harmon buildin& strtklnG the
WIRES. gaturdax afternoou. The
lumber - re1aove1 y cree ane