Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-05-04
PUBLIC UTILITIES
DECISION ON DEATH
OF HARRY WILSON

The Public Utilities Commission
has made public it's decision in the
investigation of the death of Harry
Wilson of Randolph on April q last
by accident on the Gardiner Ran
dolph bridge. as follows:
On April 21. 1921, about $50 P. NJ,
Harry Wilson of Randolph, aged IA
years, with several of his companions.
who were coming from a meeting of
their boys club at Randolph, were
crossing the Gardiner Randolph
bridge from Randolph to Gardiner
AS they went along across the bridge,
Harry Wilson, the victim of the acct
dent, and Carl Purdy went up over
the top of the iron truss on the east
erly span Of the bridge These boys
climbed up the easterly post of the
northerly truss of the bridge, the
Purdy boy reaching the top first, fol-
lowed by the Wilson boy. They
crawled along the top of this truss on
hands and knees. The Purdy boy got
safely across the truss and down the
westerly end and went along with the
other boys. When the boys ap-
preached the draw-span they missed
the Wilson boy and one of the boys,
George Arnold, went back to look for
him. He found the body of the Will
son boy hanging in the braces of the
bridge about 10 feet above the floor.
Within few minutes help came and
the body was taken down.
An examination of the body dis
closed that the neck was broken and
that there was also burn across the
palm of the right hand. the flesh be-
ing burned nearly to the bone. The
high tension wires of the Central
Maine Power Co. cross this bridge
supported by posts attached to the
northerly side of the northerly truss,
the wire being located about 81 inch
es above the top of the truss. After
the accident one of these wires was
found pulled down to within II inch
es of the top of the truss.
No one saw the Wilson boy at the
time of the accident, but it is sup
posed that he stood up on the top of
the truss and took hold of one of these
live wires. The testimony in the case
shows that this Wilson boy and other
boys had been accustomed for some
time past to go over the top of this
truss as was attempted to be done at
the time of the accident. Warnings
had been given to the boys, it seems.
from time to time. but those warnings
Lad not been needed. 1t seems unfor-
tunate that human life must be sac
rll1ced IN order to teach these bows
not TO attempt to do such dangerous
stunts
There appears to have been no way
IN winch this accident could have
peen avoided except to prevent these
boys from climbing upon and over
this truss. The top of the truss was
nearly so feet from the water of the
river and the danger of falling, aside
from the chance of being killed by
the electric wires. is very great. 1t
would seem as though the extreme
danger connected with such an un-
oertaking ought to have been suffi-
cient to have prevented the boys
from undertaking this feat.
We desire to call this situation to
the attention of the company as we'll
as 10 the officials of the towns of
Gardiner and Randolph to the end
that such action be taken, if any be
necessary, as will in the future nre-
vent accidents of this kind. In this
connection also it might be well for
the companys officials to ascertain
definitely whether or not there are
any other places along their power
INES where similar conditions exist