The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1915-06-10

On Monday morning at about $3.50
Grangeville was visited with one of
the saddest accidents that has occur
ed in many years when Allie Alexan-
der, aged 20 years, only son of Mr.. and
Mrs. A. L. Alexander, of this city,
lineman in the employ of the Grange
vile Electric Light & Power Co., lost
his life apparently by coming in con-
tact with a high tension wire on
25-foot pole at the north end of Main
street near the top of the hill and
fell to the street below.
Allie and other workmen had gone
to work a few minutes before the
accident and were engaged in straight
ening up the pole from which he lost
his life. The lighting wires on the
lower crossarm had been cut by other
workmen earlier in the morning and
1t was the duty of Allie to ascend
the pole and release other wires that
were attached from the side which had
placed the pole out of plumb. Allie
was near the top of the pole and as
far as is known was attending to the
work mapped out for him. but from
all appearances was not using his
safety belt for the reason that when
picked up the end of the safety ap-
pliance was snapped In the ring at
the opposite end The unfortunate
mans knife was stuck straight up in
the second cross arm, which 1t Is
stated goes to show that he was prob
ably hanging on or astride of the
lower cross arm
The workmen engaged ON the ground
had just returned to the electric light
office, and about the same time Bert
Baker was approaching the location
of this pole in going his rounds sol
letting for his grocery firm, noted that
workman was working at the top
of the pole, and A. e. Randall, of Mt.
Idaho, who was returning home from
town, was almost opposite the same
place when a jingllng of the wires was
heard and looking up, Mr.. Baker saw
the body of the victim just before 1t
reached the ground.
Mr.. Randall Immediately jumped off
| his horse and rushed to the assistance
Of Alexander and raised him to a
kind of a sitting posture and Mr..
Baker ran up the hill to the Geo. Med
we'd home to telephone for a physi-
clan. Not finding a phone there he
ran back and dispatched Randall down
town for assistance. and at this time
recognized the identity of the inert
man.
At about the precise minute of the
accident an electrical disturbance tool
place in the office of the company 9
block and a half distant, and realizing
that something was wrong the offic'
force knowing where the work was go
ing on rushed to the scene. Firs
aid methods were at once applied ant
on the arrival of DIR. Stockton shortl.
after artificial respiration was beini
vigorously applied. By this time
considerable number OF people had as
sembled and the work was carried ol
continuously until almost II o'clocl
but to no avail. Everything possibl
was done to resuscitate the unfortun
ate man without response.
The sister, Miss Mariaetta, was mott
fled and taken to the scene and o
, viewing the helpless condition of he
brother was at once driven to he
home in one of the nearby autos. Th
father Mr.. A. E. Alexander, who wa
out in the country a short distance
was sent for and arrived some tim
after the son had met with this dis
tressing accident and watched the ei
! forts of the many friends who so va
= iantly labored to restore life to the
well known friend and comrade, an
remained until the last vestige of hoI
had been given up when the body wa
removed to the w. E. Graham under
taking establishment to await funer
> arrangements. Mrs. Alexander was n
notified until after it was establish
ed that life was extinct. in the hoI
that the life of her boy might
saved by artificial respiration.
The management of the electric ligl
office states that no wires were a
tached to the lower cross arm al
that on making an investigation
the work to be done by Mr.. Alexand
found that his task had been compile
ed, and the wires had been careful
wrapped around the pole at the secol
cross arm, where the work had be-
II performed. The three wires on t
n top Cross arm and the apex of t
pole were the only ones carrying t