The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1915-08-26
Grangeville E. L. & P. Co. is
Defendant in Action In
volving Large Sum.
CHARGE; NEGLIGENCE
In Death of Albert Alexander
Who Lost His Life While in
Employ of Company.

On TueSday OF this week suit was
filed in the district court OF Idaho
county by ]. f. Ailshie and A. s. Har-
dy as attorneys for the plaintiffs, Mr..
and Mrs. A. e. Alexander. against the
Grangeville Electric Light and Power
company of this place. in the sum of
$4,000 as damages for the death of
their son. Allie Alexander, aged 20
years, which occurred on the morning
OF June Sth last, while the young man
was working for the company on east
Main street In this city The starting
Of this suit is not unexpected, as there
have been rumors current for some
time that such action was contemplat-
ed. The naming Of Judge ]. F. Ailshie
and A. S. Hardy as attorneys for the
plaintiff, however comes as news. WAL
lace N. Scales, the attorney for the
electric light company, will appear for
the defense on the case. The substance
of the complaint, after the identifi-
cation of the party defendant, as set
forth n the papers filed is as follows:
THAT ON the Sth day Of June, and
while the said Allie Alexander was in
the employ of defendant corporation
and engaged in it's service, he was di-
rected by defendants managers, fore
men, or superintendents, T. A. Bayless,
and S. s. Allen, to ascend a pole on
which the electric light and transmits
sion wires were attached and to cut
said wires and release them and to
splice and mend certain Wires and to
also release guy wire from an adjoin-
ing pole and to let down and release
certain street light wires and to let
one end of said guy wire and said
street light wires down to the ground.
and that in accordance with these in
structions and in carrying out the same
he ascended said pole and released the
guy wire and let the end of 1t and of
the said street light wires down to the
ground and cut certain wires, and while
removing from one side of the pole to
the other. in order to get on the op-
order to change his position on said
removed from around the pole and
fastened in the hook at the belt
strap. and Immediately on reaching the
opposite side of the cross-arm and post,
or a different position thereon. and
taking hold OF the wire. he was charg-
ed with a current of electricity from
said wires of voltage and current which
plaintiffs believe and alIege to have
been approximately $4,000 volts; but OF
whatever voltage. the same may have
been, 1t was sufficient to electrocute
and kin the said Allie Alexander and
did electrocute and kill him then and
there and cause him to fall dead from
said pole to. the ground; and that when
he was removed the last three fingers
on the right hand were burned by elec-
trio current and the knuckles of the
last or little finger Of the left hand
We're also burned by electric current,
and plaintiffs charge and allege that
an electrict current Of sufficient voltage
and power was sent through the body
OF the said Allie Alexander to cause
mis- sudden death.
Plaintiffs allege that the said Allie
Alexander came to his death and was
killed by reason Of the negligence and
carelessness and wrongful acts OF the
defendant. and that the said negligence.
careless and wrongful acts were several
and numerous. and more particularly as
follows:
That on a cross-arm ON the pole
which thessaid Allie Alexander was d.
reeted to ascend there were attached
three high tension transmission wires,
carrying current OF about $4,000 volts,
and that on a second cross-arm, which
Is about four feet below the cross-arm
carrying the high tension wires, were
eiectrict light wires apd electric power
wires carrying electric current for dis
trlouting purposes, and that a third
cross-arm was about three or three
ana half feet below the second, which
also carried electric light wires and
eiectrict power wires, and. that immed-
iasely below the third cross-arm was a
private telephone wire or wires used
oy the defendant company and in use
and operation at the time the said
Allie Alexander was directed to ascend
said pole and engage in work on said
wires, and plaintiffs allege that the
switch was not thrown out on said high
tension wires at the time the said Al
lie Alexander was directed to ascend
said pole and work thereon, and that
tne said telephone wire was charged at
The time with electric current and that
.ne said high tension wires were not
insulated and that they paralleled the
said telephone wire for distance Of
about six miles and paralleled said cleo
tric light wires and power wires, and
the telephone wires were between the