Evening star., 1915-04-05
NO CHANGE LIKELY
IN WIRING SUBURBS
Fatal Accident to w. A. Whit
aker Not Regarded as
Sufficient Reason.
PUBLIC UTILITIES BOARD
is CONDUCTING INQUIRY
Coroner's Jury Decides Death Was
Due to Contributory Negligence
of Unfortunate Man.

The fatal burning of Wallace \. WHIT
aker. receiv1ng teller of the Nationai
Savings and Trust Company, caused Q!
his touching a live feed wire at i3tH
and Emerson streets northwest, Sa'u
day night is not likely to result III 'he
n,1tlic utilities commission oraerihs
,he nlaciag of all electric wires III 'He
suhurhan sections underground. was
@be oniuion expressed by o1nclais u
the commission toda9.
one member of the commission eSpi
81 ,he belief that to require me pc
tho nj wires underground in the su'u' oa''
..ctio,, would lead to doubilis " ~
,rica of electric current furnlsheu. UT
srr,ers in these sections. and prooaois
would prohibit the maintenance oi
.er,,,ce to the outlying distriets oii d
five-cent fare basis. fter
=, ,s suggested. however. that ai'ei
tho commission has concludeo
u,tio, of the property OF 'he
con,nany It would see It's wy
- 70 ordering the under
..;,o a. the same rate as now iiia
.:a h., tho overhead service. with
.ad,,c,ior in the rates charged lof ~
x;Iad consumers inside the hre
i;i.s On account of the proAllilts -
houses inside the fire ilnits snu ..IIr- is
furnishing electric service nc =, tbe
much cheaper in this are~hah III ~
outlying portions.
Official Inquiry Under way.
r.. fa,a, accident caused by Mr.. Whit-
,aker attempting to move from the siu.
walk near Emerson ana io'h
,,ortbwes, a wire which had been pio"h
down by the storm is being maoe tl'e eu
loot Of an official investigation by the
public utilities commission Annougn ,, ue
Ginning TO discuss the matter untn liey
hove received a report on 1t, of11clalS oi
Yha commission today indicated that they
were Of the opinion present resula.loiS ,ii
designed to protect the pubnc against eoii on
ing in contact with live wires are SUI
ficient. .+
The regulations prescribed the exact
manner in which overhead wires may
be strung, and there is notntns -
indicate, they claimed. tnal me-. .ns nod
wire al 18th and Emerson streets nau
-, haen n1aced in accordance with the
requirements -. +h,+
there is no way to foreteH Wnereh
NAV break, and that pedestrians WY
observe wires on the sidewalk snoulo
Immediately communicate with N.
electric power company anu
that the current be turned on.
yn4DeCtOrS
~ the District make inspections "
tires after storms, but there Is no
reruIar inspector charged Win tne
dufy of seeing that the wires are KEPT
in such conditions
contributory Negligence Alleged.
That his death was due to an electric
shock as result of contributory neg
Nxence was the verdict reached at an
inquest held at the morgue today In
the case of Mr.. Whitaker.
One of the most important witnesses
examined was Edward Chaplin, Boy
Scout of Troop 81 He told of having
warned Mr. Whitaker against touching
the broken wire. and, it is stated. st
was due to his scout training that he
remained on guard to try to prevent
just what happened
Funeral services for Mr.. Whitaker
were conducted at his late home this
afternoon by Rev. Clarence Vincent,
pastor of Mount Pleasant Congrega-
tional Church. of which church he was
a member He also was a member OF
the Sons Of the American Revolution.
The pallbearers we're Rodney Lynn.
Merrill Galliher. Frank Ullmer. Her
bert Smith, Charles Lamborn and
Heinie French. Interment was at Rock
Creek cemetery.