Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-09-18

was about to run in front of the car.
The child was too young TO realize
self against it,"
The decision of the public utilities
commission in the matter of the ac-
cident on the premises of the An
droscoggin Electric Company at Au-
burn August Il last which resulted
IN the death Of Frederick a. Gerrish,
vas that:
HIS death resulted from his own
carelessness in attempting 10 crdss
over the railway track without talk
ing any precautions"
A decision was rendered by the
public utilities commission in the
matter of the accident on the prem
lses Of the Bath and brunswick
Light x Power Company AT Eath.
August II last which resulted in the
death Of Osmer {. Jewet,.
The decision OF the commission
covering the matter is as follows:
"Osmer c. Jewett. the l1-year- old
son of Mr.. and Mrs. Hylan y Jew
August -. 1920. AZ 1880 A. NJ. by
coming in contact With a guy wire
OF the Androscoggin Il kennebec
Railway at Lower Washington
street, Bath. The line Of the electric
railway passes along this street. and
the poles OF the Bath & brunswick
Light and Power Company car
ry the trolley arms and iced
wires of the railway company.
the three phase 900 volt wire OF tic
power company. the street lights and
the fire alarm \ guy wire of the
railway company was attached to TIE
trolley arm on the pole, designated
Is Pole 3. thence extending a distance
Of ~ feet and under the high ton
sion wires of the Bath & Brunswick
Light & Power Company through an
eye bolt on the opposite side ri Puic
>, and thence for a distance OF 81
feet where it was attached to Pole
about two feet above the ground
A circuit breaker was placed upon
tho guy wire about Is feet from Pole
). bur no other circuit breaker was
on this wire. The guy wire came in
contact with the high tension wire
4; some point between Pole and
Pole >. either from the SaEging Of
the long span of high tension wire or
from some other cause thereby
charging the guy wire from the cir
cult breaker to Pole l.
The Jewett boy was playing with
q companion near by Pole /. and
took hold Of the guy wire a short
distance from the pole at a poNt
where it was within easy reaching
distance from the ground. He imme-
diately received the full shock of the
electric current from the charged guy
wire. which killed him instantly.
1T appears that the high tension
wires at the point of contact were
not properly insulated. the insulation
being badly worn and broken. Had
these wires been properly insulated
in all probability this accident could
not have occurred. The construc-
ton Of the guy wires was faulty and
imperfect in that no circuit breaker
was placed upon this wire between
Pole and Pole I. A circuit breaka
should have been placed upon this
guy wire between these two poles at
some point where the wire was high
enough from the ground to be be
yond the reach OF person upon the
ground. Had this guy wire been prop
erly constructed. in all probability
this accident could not have oc-
Cured.
The accident was caused prirnari-
~ by the faulty construction OF the
guy wire. 1t was the plain duty Of
the railway company or other party
responsible for the construction and
maintenance of this guy wire 10 see
that the wire was SO constructed and
so maintained that it should not be
come a death trap and a menace to
the public safety. as il proved TO be
in this case. II was also the duty OF
the power company 10 properly insu-
late its high tension wires at place
where they were liable TO come in
contact with other wires and there
by become menace 10 the public
And. as il seems to US. the power
company ought TO insist that such
appliances of other companies as it
permits upon its poles should be so
constructed as not to endanger the
safety Of the public.
We recommend 10 the two com
panies whose lines are involved in
this accident such repairs and re-
construction of their respective lines.