Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-09-11
$4,000 VOLTS SHOT
THROUGH HIS BODY
Col. ID. H. Maury Receives Pow
erful Alternating Current at
Cavendish But Lives

Rutland, Sept. 1o--To receive an alter
mating electric current of 1900 volts
through ones body and to live is an ex-
perience that has come and will come
to very few. If any others than Lieut.
Col. y. n. Maury, a consulting engineer
of Washington, n. C. Colonel Maury is
in Rockingham hospital, Bellows Falls,
to-day, badly burned in several places as
the result of an electric shock at the
Cavendish station of the Colonial Power
& Light company yesterday. He will re-
cover. thanks to a miracle and to the
prompt first-aid efforts given him by those
who were with him at the time of the
accident.
1t is very doubtful If any other man has
received such powerful electric current
through his entire body from head to feet
and survived.
COL d. II. Maury Of Washington. y. c.,
a consulting engineer. who is making an
investigation for the bankers who propose
to invest in the new hydro-electrc COM
pany in which several power and light
ing companies in Vermont are interested,
together with Major j. r. Werth. we're at
The Berwick in this city Yesterday and
went to Cavendsh in the process of their
Investigations to take an inventory of the
Cavendish plant of the Colonial Power &
Light company
While at the power station there,
Colonel Maury went inside the rail to
take the record and ella Justification of the
potential transformer. Getting his head
too close to this transformer, that car
ried a current Of 900 volts. an arc was
formed and the expert received the full
current through the entire length of his
body. He was standing on the ground
at the time of completing the circuit.
large hole was burned in his head,
the bow of the spectacles over his ears
was melted. several holes in his legs.
heels and feet were made by the cur
rent lie was instantaneously rendered
unconscious.
Tyler w. Earle Of the Northern En-
cheering company of this city, e. y.
Spencer, chief load dispatcher Of the
Cavendsh station. his assistant. H. r.
McNutt, Operator H. H. Elliott and Major
Werth, who were present, Immediately
rendered first aid and restored Colonel
Maury to consciousness. The prompt
work of these men undoubtedly saved the
engineers life. DR. ". r. Kinsman Of
Cavendsh was the first physician on the
ground, later Dr. G.. n. Buxton of Proc
torsville arriving.
MIR. Earle immediately took colonel
Maury to Rockingham hospital at Bellows
Falls. His condition to-day is said to be
remarkably good, and that he will un-
doubleday recover. The doctors and cleo =
tricians marvel that the man could have
survived such a terrific current
Colonel Maury during the war was in
strumental in furnishing drinking water
supplies 70 the various army camps in
this country. He is an expert in hydraulics
He is in Rutland and this part Of Yer
mont as an engineer 10 make inventories
of various plants and equipment Of the
Colonial Power Light company. the
Claremont Power company. and the
Western Vermont Power & Light com
panN which together with the
Claremont Power company. propose n
consolidate for the larger development OF
hydro electric power in the Rutland
territory He represents the banking in
terests that propose to finance this ex-
tensive new development aior Werth
Is assisting him in the investigation.