The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-06-23
ELEcTR0CUTION OF
'LINEMAN AR0UsEs
CORONER BURGESS
Will Hold Inquest In Attempt 10 Fix
Responsibility For James Brooks
Death; Declares Inspection
Is Not Adequate.
Insulation Had Worn OFF Edison
Company's Wire From Which Vic
tim Received Fatal Shock.

Coroner Burgess is aroused o9er
the electrocution of James Brooks, a
Michigan State Telephone Co. line
man, In the alley north OF Baker-st,
between Wabash aud Fourteenth-aves.
Tuesday morning lie will hold an
inquest next week, in an effort to FIX
responsibility for Brooks death and,
In the hope OF putting stop to such
accidents, will confer with the cor
poration counsel with = view 10 hay-
ing an ordinance prepared that viii!
make regular inspection Of high ten
sion wires compulsory.
The public lighting commission
now exercises general supervision
over all the outside wires and has UNI
dertaken to compel the private light
ing companies TO make repairs and
changes wherever these are deemed
necessary in the opinion Of the inspec-
tors. The place where Brooks met his
death evidently was overlooked, both
by the inspectors OF the public light
ing commission and the Edison Hum
mating Co. II was one OF this COM
pany's wires with which Brooks came
In contact as he was climbing up
telephone pole.
The high tension wires OF the Edison
company run on each side of the tele-
phone company's poles at this point.
though they are considerably lower
than the telephone wires. To reach
the top OF the telephone pole, Brooks
had to pass between the two high ten
sion wires. Because OF the high volt
age these are dangerous even when
the Insulation Is new. In this In
stance, The Times discovered. Tues
day afternoon. that The insulation has
worn of from the wire for a space OF
five or six inches at a point directly
opposite the pole. and, after the acci-
dent to Brooks. was found to be in
contact with one OF the iron bolt steps
used by the inemen in climbing the
poles
II this bare wire, with its high vol
tage, were in contact with the bolt
step when Brooks started to mount
the pole his death Is easily explained,
for the moment he grasped the step
In his upward ascent the full force OF
the current would pass through his
body. 1t is possible that he took
hold OF the wire to push it aside, not
noticing that the insulation had worn
of. But even II he had touched the
wire at an insulated point the result
might have been the same.
Fatalities OF this kind have been
all too frequent IN the past and
think II is time We should take some
action" said Coroner Burgess TO Ten
Times. "Juries nave made reeommen-
1ations from time TO time, but they
lave counted for nothing. While II
will be difficult TO show any criminal
negligence in this case. | believe the
widow OF Mr.. Brooks has an action Cor
damages against the lighting company.
| shall certainly take the. matter up
with the corporation counsel To see u
an ordinance cannot be drawn that
will compel lighting companies TO Keep
their lines in repair"
An unfortunate feature OF the case
Is that Brooks and his wife wera
reconciled only two weeks ago after
a long estrangenent because OF The
husbands weakness for drink. He mad
promised to strais5ten up. and. SO snr
as known, had been leading an exen
plary life since the reconciliation.
Alexander Dow. vicepresident and
general manager of the Edison Hum
mating Co., said Tuesday morning,
that he had received no report on the
death of the lineman He expressed
the opinion that the light wire could
not have been long II, contact with the
bolt step; otherwise the company
would have known about it, for the
contact would have caused trouble on
the circuit.
THE probabilities are that the wire
has been in that position only since
the accident" said he. The lineman
might have pulled 1t over there him
self. or 1t might have been drawn into
that position when he fell. Those
wires are strung In short spans for
the very purpose OF keeping them clear
OF the telephone poles, and II that wire
was in contact with the step before
the accident that condition must have
developed since the last rain; other
wise there would have been serious
trouble on the line.
Telephone linemen are not sup
posed TO touch our wires at all. They
know, IL they are competent nnemen,
that the wires are dangerous and are
supposed to steer clear Of them. The
insulation is a protection in a way.
but it is not a real protection, and
any man who touches one OF those
wires is taking great chance"
Supt. Frank Mistersky, of the public
lighting commission. will make per.
sonal inspection OF the wires at the
point where BROOKS was killed II
the wire has been IL contact with the
holt step for any length OF time some-
one has been negligent. he admits.
Mr. Mistersky say that. while the
authority Of the lighting commission
10 exercise supervision over the light.
ing wires OF private companies is open
to question. the latter have cooper
ated Fplendidly with the department
In correcting dangerous conditions
wherever they have been found 10 TX.
Is.
TRIES TO ENTICE CHJTn