Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1919-07-02
TELEPHONE LINEMAN
Meets TRAGIC Death
HEMAN YOUNG IS ELECTROCUTED
WHILE WORKING ON POLE
NEAR RYAN.
FUNERAL IS HELD ON MONDAY
COroner's Jury Finds Death Was Caus-
ed by Accidentally Coming in Con-
tact with High Line.

A terrible accident which instantly
eXtinguished the life of Manchester
young man, occurred near Ryan last
Saturday morning. A number of line
men. of which Heman Young was one,
in the employ of the Delaware Coun-
ty Telephone Company, were working
on the new line one and one-fourth
miles from the McKeever farm near
Ryan. They had connected special
wires with the main line, intending
to run them to the new residence of
Mr. Rissler. AS the building was not
quite ready for the installation Of the
wires they were coiled on the ground
a tthe foot of one of the poles. At the
suggestion Of some one, Heman Young
picked up the coils and hanging them
over his arm, ascended the pole, his
intention being to fasten the coils
near the top Of the pole in order to
keep them out Of the way.
Within few feet OF him ran high
tension wire of the Central City Elec-
trio Service Company. Nobody knows
exactly how the accident happened. 1t
is thought that Heman, in trying to
swing the coils in his hand onto the
cross arm of the pole, in order to
fasten them there, must have caused
them to come in contact with the high
tension wire, which at this time was
carrying current of 16,500 volts. He
was killed instantly, but was prevent
ed from falling to the ground by his
waist strap which attached him to
the pole.i His body, however sagged
backward so as to bring his neck in
contact with the high tension line.
His clothing was in flames in an in
stant, and severe burns We're inflicted
A brave and daring act was then per-
formed by Edwin Goen, another line
man, who quickly ascended the pole
and at the risk of his own life sever
ed the high tension wire with a pair
OF pliers.
Claude Heman Young, son of Mr..
and Mrs. Lester Young, was only 20
years Of age. He was born in Edge
wood, Iowa, on Oct L. When he was
two years old, his parents removed
to Greeley, where they continued to
live until about six yeas ago, since
which time they have made their nome
near Manchester. Heman had been
in the employ Of the Telephone COM
pany for about two years. He was a
promising young man, and it is not
only a terrible blow to his parents
but seems tragedy for him that his
career was so suddenly cut short. He
had many friends, and the magnificent
floral tributes at the funeral gave evil
dence OF his own popularity as well
as Of the sympathy of the community
for his people.
The services were conducted on
Monday last at 200 P. NJ. Rev. DR..
Beatty of the Methodist church being
in charge. The body when taken from
the pole, was Immediately removed to
Browns undertaking parlors. Later,
Mr.. Brown, the county coroner, i'm
panelled jury consisting of J. J.
Dolphin, w. H. Ward, and E. E. Coax
ley, who, after inquiring into the facts,
returned the following verdict:
The said jurors on oath do say: We
find that the said deceased came to
his death by accident Cause, coming
in contact with the high tension wire
of the Electric Service Company of
Central City, Iowa. while employed in
constructing a telephone line to the
residence of Alfred Rissler.