ELECTROCUTION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14210, 27 May 1910, Page 3

ELECTROCUTION.

DUXEDIX'S SHOCKING CASE. A shocking affair occurred in Cumberland f>cixci, oppoa.tc ...cbsis a. Una f. buns foundry, at aUuut half-past 2 0 cluck yestei\;.ty afternoon, sa\s yesterday's "ULago Daily Times." "A limn named James \ lendei'sou. e-:n pit <yed by tiio electric power and hgnt department: 01 tho City Corporation, was preparing t-o put in a. cioss-arm oil'a pole supporting the low-tension wires which, distribute power to teat, area, wiien Lis hand came in contact with one of the wires, and lie received thy full force oi an alternating current equal to -JUL) volts. Death must, have been m.--tauraneot:s. James lviiich, who was assisting Henderson in tile operation, saw his mate s plight, and gomg up the ladder with tho intention of rescuing him, if possible.—although it was actually too late. —caught hold of two of the wires, one in each hand, and but for the timely assist.nice of a third person "oukl have shared the same dreadful fate as tho unfortunate man .Henderson. lie sustained a very heavv shock, and was rescued with difficulty. He was immediately removed to the Hi spital, but seme two or three hours later had so far recovered as to be able to leave lor his home. A\ hen the accident occurred Henderson was perched on two wooden erossf arms, both supporting low-tension wires, and fixed a few foet from the I top oi the pole. He was engaged it, preparing to put in i>o.sition~ a third 11 oss-ai lii, and was being assisted in the carrying out of tins work bv Kineh who was really there to attend to Henderson's requirements Suddenly there was a loud report and a J iemlerson was observed tr be tightly grasping one of the live wir.es. In less than a minute his head began to droop, and in a few seconds more his body was lying motionless, stretched across the supports, his face resting on another wire. He uttered not a word, and it was quite obvious from Ins appearance that the moment ho caught the wire he was undergoing electrocution, which must have been accomplished in a very few seconds. Kineh immediately" sUd down the ladder and rushed into Messrs A. and T. urt's to request some one to telephone to have the power cut off. The loud explosion that occurred immediately the contact took place., and tha accompanying ttush, atttracted tha attention of several people in the locality. One 01 tue lust oi tuese was Air it. Brmsiey, u nose place of business is fcituateu cia the opposite side of Cumberland btreet, auu who was presented with the horrifying spectacle of a man undergoing electrocution. Another person whose attention was attracted was Air J. Higiuey, Air brinsiey's workshop lore.i.an, wiio, by Jus prompt and clear-headed action, prevented wiiat '"ight have resolved itself into a double tragedy. itusmng across the street, ho quicklv ascended the ladder that stood a-ainsts the pule with the object of doing sometlung for Jlende,-son, who was tnen lying motionless, but, seems that the v. ires were uninsulated, and luiowiii"tnein to lie live one>. he jiurrieciiv cic-sc-ended again. Kiuc'h then ascended the ladder, and. tho people who had gathered round, viewing the victim of a grim tragedy above them, and dread- ! {"« a second tragedv. warned him to j be careiul oi the wires. This warning lie appeared t-o have completc-lv dist legauied, ior the very first thing he c :d on reaching the point where Henderson was lying, in order to raise him-elr above the bodv, was to take hold of two wires above his head, one m/'! i hand. J Ti.-i head immediatelv .Sell back, although he retained Ins ' JIIS ft "'t <"i the ladder and his l hands on the wires. Ho was -roanim' horribly and his face had turned a ( orp.se-hl-.e hue. Mr I4ighlev immediately ascended the ladder again, this time v. ith the object of rescuing Kineh. ! He hrst of all lashed the mail's feet to the ladder, and then catching hold of a portion of his clothing, succeeded in separating his hands from tho wires Jt was an exceedingly risky operation, but it was aeeomphshsed without mishap and with the assistance of ConstiwMu .Hoc.jrson, Kineh wos removed to the ground. He was then in a verv bad condition, and was promptly re"moved to tiio Hospital. Mr Stark (city electrical engineer) arrived on the scene, in response to an urgent call, and as it was seen that :t would be useless to attemnt to rescue Henderson without cutting off the power, and this was done. Then Mr ffh'ey -if-'ain went uv> the ladder Henderson was stretched" across the .two vonden arms, still grasning the wire which had caused his death. 3U r Tlighlev freed his bands from tile wire bv means of a stack, and n start was then made to lower the liodv. Tt proved no liirbt for Henderson wis a big Wl ie ,i lie was lowered to the ground th» work of the floofUr rnrrpTlti W;IS nll ton nr , pnreJ)t _ The flesh of the hand wb-r-h lmr] gashed ~ tlirouijili to fli^

tone, and lus fac©j which. had come in contact with anoiher wire when his Lead dropped, was deeply across tile <;»k;i'!c. ii.;.s gaasny i;P^'e!mice iuuieutoU tliat ue.nu li.uot* been practically instantaneous. ihe wnoie spectacle was a one t-o uiuse \\no observed ]t. lieiiaei--6011 nitelcss <jut, <ji l-cut-h witn iiia.lipower wires all around ium, ana Lo have 1 escucxi lum beiore the power was flit oil would have been au uiier impossi Lnlit v. i\o sooner had ivinch gasped xue wires when lie ascended the ladder in au endeavour to free ins mate than everyone below was con\mced a second tragedy was about to be witnessed. It is very dtwbuul 11 lie could have remained in tne position lie was tor many minutes kinder. Jt was only promptness of action Unit •saved liim, and {jreut credit in this respect must be given to .Mr H.ghlev. either man was wearing ri,bb,'-r Kloves —an ordinary preen uta>ii in work ol tnis dangerous nature. The necessary cutting off of tho current resulted in an interruption in the supply or light and power to all private consumers 111 the cit.v for about 40 manutes. Henderson was about 45 rears of am and snigie, and had been in the emp.oy oi the City Corporation for about live years, and during that time lias una considerable experience in the class of work he was yesterday pnjinyrd m Kmch is a married man", and has not been employed bv the corporation for any length of time.