HIGH TENSION LINE ELECTROCUTES BOY EAST OF CLIFFORD
Source:
Republic
June 4, 1937
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HIGH TENSION LINE ELEC TROCUTES BOY EAST OF CLIFFORD
Benjamin Artis, 16, Flung From Top of Bridge, Buried in Mud. Youth Dies Instantly While Climbing Atop Structure to Watch Dredgers.
Benjamin Francis Artis, 16-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. William Artis of Clifford, was electrocuted last night on the Hawcreek bridge on the Nortonburg road five miles northeast of here when he came in contact with electric wires carrying 4,000 voltage. The body fell from the bridge to the edge of Hawcreek and was buried in fresh mud and mire.
The accident occurred at 8 o'clock as the boy was watching a night crew dredging the creek. Those men and other persons in the vicinity ran to his rescue. Help was called from this city. Homer Beatty of the Public Service company rushed out with a resuscitator but it was too late. Coroner Arthur L. Hultsch, who was called, stated that death had been instant.
The Artis boy and others had gone to the bridge to watch the dredging of the creekbed and after a time he and another boy began climbing onto the bridge. He was "cooning" up one of the slanting beams at the east end and had reached the top of the bridge when he straightened up and his shoulder struck the electric wires.
Wires Moved Yesterday.
The wires, which previously had been strung along the outside of the bridge and about two feet away from it, were moved yesterday by members of the construction gang, the coroner stated. The wires interfered with the crane on the dredger and as a safety move the wires were raised to the top of the bridge.
The Artis boy was not aware the wires had been changed and none of the construction crew knew that the boys were climbing on the bridge. As the boy reached the top of the end beam his right shoulder struck the wires and the body was hurled into space. A gash an inch and half deep was seared across his shoulders and in the fall one leg was broken.
As far as could be learned today J. N. Barr, who lives in the vicinity of the bridge, was the only eyewitness to the accident. He saw the boys climbing but could not shout in time to prevent the accident. He was one of the first to reach the boy's body and he helped to carry it out of the mud. An ambulance from the Hege and Flanigan firm was called.
Funeral to be Sunday.
The remains are at the Norman funeral home in Hope but will be taken to the family home Saturday morning. Funeral services will be held at 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon at the Clifford Christian church. The Rev. John Ford will be in charge. Burial will be made in Flatrock cemetery.
The tragic death of the young man proved a severe shock to his relatives and many friends, and in speaking of it today many referred to him as "a splendid young man." He was born Jan. 16, 1921, at Clifford and spent all his life there. He attended Sunday school and church and was an industrious worker. He was unusually large for his age, being six feet three inches tall and weighing 160 pounds.
In addition to his parents he leaves two sisters and seven brothers, Gladys and Edelle, Russell, Court, Billy, Forrest, Willard, Samuel and Lance.
Source:
Republic
June 4, 1937
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HIGH TENSION LINE ELEC TROCUTES BOY EAST OF CLIFFORD
Benjamin Artis, 16, Flung From Top of Bridge, Buried in Mud. Youth Dies Instantly While Climbing Atop Structure to Watch Dredgers.
Benjamin Francis Artis, 16-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. William Artis of Clifford, was electrocuted last night on the Hawcreek bridge on the Nortonburg road five miles northeast of here when he came in contact with electric wires carrying 4,000 voltage. The body fell from the bridge to the edge of Hawcreek and was buried in fresh mud and mire.
The accident occurred at 8 o'clock as the boy was watching a night crew dredging the creek. Those men and other persons in the vicinity ran to his rescue. Help was called from this city. Homer Beatty of the Public Service company rushed out with a resuscitator but it was too late. Coroner Arthur L. Hultsch, who was called, stated that death had been instant.
The Artis boy and others had gone to the bridge to watch the dredging of the creekbed and after a time he and another boy began climbing onto the bridge. He was "cooning" up one of the slanting beams at the east end and had reached the top of the bridge when he straightened up and his shoulder struck the electric wires.
Wires Moved Yesterday.
The wires, which previously had been strung along the outside of the bridge and about two feet away from it, were moved yesterday by members of the construction gang, the coroner stated. The wires interfered with the crane on the dredger and as a safety move the wires were raised to the top of the bridge.
The Artis boy was not aware the wires had been changed and none of the construction crew knew that the boys were climbing on the bridge. As the boy reached the top of the end beam his right shoulder struck the wires and the body was hurled into space. A gash an inch and half deep was seared across his shoulders and in the fall one leg was broken.
As far as could be learned today J. N. Barr, who lives in the vicinity of the bridge, was the only eyewitness to the accident. He saw the boys climbing but could not shout in time to prevent the accident. He was one of the first to reach the boy's body and he helped to carry it out of the mud. An ambulance from the Hege and Flanigan firm was called.
Funeral to be Sunday.
The remains are at the Norman funeral home in Hope but will be taken to the family home Saturday morning. Funeral services will be held at 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon at the Clifford Christian church. The Rev. John Ford will be in charge. Burial will be made in Flatrock cemetery.
The tragic death of the young man proved a severe shock to his relatives and many friends, and in speaking of it today many referred to him as "a splendid young man." He was born Jan. 16, 1921, at Clifford and spent all his life there. He attended Sunday school and church and was an industrious worker. He was unusually large for his age, being six feet three inches tall and weighing 160 pounds.
In addition to his parents he leaves two sisters and seven brothers, Gladys and Edelle, Russell, Court, Billy, Forrest, Willard, Samuel and Lance.
HIGH TENSION LINE ELECTROCUTES BOY EAST OF CLIFFORD
Source:
Republic
June 4, 1937
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HIGH TENSION LINE ELEC TROCUTES BOY EAST OF CLIFFORD
Benjamin Artis, 16, Flung From Top of Bridge, Buried in Mud. Youth Dies Instantly While Climbing Atop Structure to Watch Dredgers.
Benjamin Francis Artis, 16-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. William Artis of Clifford, was electrocuted last night on the Hawcreek bridge on the Nortonburg road five miles northeast of here when he came in contact with electric wires carrying 4,000 voltage. The body fell from the bridge to the edge of Hawcreek and was buried in fresh mud and mire.
The accident occurred at 8 o'clock as the boy was watching a night crew dredging the creek. Those men and other persons in the vicinity ran to his rescue. Help was called from this city. Homer Beatty of the Public Service company rushed out with a resuscitator but it was too late. Coroner Arthur L. Hultsch, who was called, stated that death had been instant.
The Artis boy and others had gone to the bridge to watch the dredging of the creekbed and after a time he and another boy began climbing onto the bridge. He was "cooning" up one of the slanting beams at the east end and had reached the top of the bridge when he straightened up and his shoulder struck the electric wires.
Wires Moved Yesterday.
The wires, which previously had been strung along the outside of the bridge and about two feet away from it, were moved yesterday by members of the construction gang, the coroner stated. The wires interfered with the crane on the dredger and as a safety move the wires were raised to the top of the bridge.
The Artis boy was not aware the wires had been changed and none of the construction crew knew that the boys were climbing on the bridge. As the boy reached the top of the end beam his right shoulder struck the wires and the body was hurled into space. A gash an inch and half deep was seared across his shoulders and in the fall one leg was broken.
As far as could be learned today J. N. Barr, who lives in the vicinity of the bridge, was the only eyewitness to the accident. He saw the boys climbing but could not shout in time to prevent the accident. He was one of the first to reach the boy's body and he helped to carry it out of the mud. An ambulance from the Hege and Flanigan firm was called.
Funeral to be Sunday.
The remains are at the Norman funeral home in Hope but will be taken to the family home Saturday morning. Funeral services will be held at 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon at the Clifford Christian church. The Rev. John Ford will be in charge. Burial will be made in Flatrock cemetery.
The tragic death of the young man proved a severe shock to his relatives and many friends, and in speaking of it today many referred to him as "a splendid young man." He was born Jan. 16, 1921, at Clifford and spent all his life there. He attended Sunday school and church and was an industrious worker. He was unusually large for his age, being six feet three inches tall and weighing 160 pounds.
In addition to his parents he leaves two sisters and seven brothers, Gladys and Edelle, Russell, Court, Billy, Forrest, Willard, Samuel and Lance.
Source:
Republic
June 4, 1937
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HIGH TENSION LINE ELEC TROCUTES BOY EAST OF CLIFFORD
Benjamin Artis, 16, Flung From Top of Bridge, Buried in Mud. Youth Dies Instantly While Climbing Atop Structure to Watch Dredgers.
Benjamin Francis Artis, 16-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. William Artis of Clifford, was electrocuted last night on the Hawcreek bridge on the Nortonburg road five miles northeast of here when he came in contact with electric wires carrying 4,000 voltage. The body fell from the bridge to the edge of Hawcreek and was buried in fresh mud and mire.
The accident occurred at 8 o'clock as the boy was watching a night crew dredging the creek. Those men and other persons in the vicinity ran to his rescue. Help was called from this city. Homer Beatty of the Public Service company rushed out with a resuscitator but it was too late. Coroner Arthur L. Hultsch, who was called, stated that death had been instant.
The Artis boy and others had gone to the bridge to watch the dredging of the creekbed and after a time he and another boy began climbing onto the bridge. He was "cooning" up one of the slanting beams at the east end and had reached the top of the bridge when he straightened up and his shoulder struck the electric wires.
Wires Moved Yesterday.
The wires, which previously had been strung along the outside of the bridge and about two feet away from it, were moved yesterday by members of the construction gang, the coroner stated. The wires interfered with the crane on the dredger and as a safety move the wires were raised to the top of the bridge.
The Artis boy was not aware the wires had been changed and none of the construction crew knew that the boys were climbing on the bridge. As the boy reached the top of the end beam his right shoulder struck the wires and the body was hurled into space. A gash an inch and half deep was seared across his shoulders and in the fall one leg was broken.
As far as could be learned today J. N. Barr, who lives in the vicinity of the bridge, was the only eyewitness to the accident. He saw the boys climbing but could not shout in time to prevent the accident. He was one of the first to reach the boy's body and he helped to carry it out of the mud. An ambulance from the Hege and Flanigan firm was called.
Funeral to be Sunday.
The remains are at the Norman funeral home in Hope but will be taken to the family home Saturday morning. Funeral services will be held at 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon at the Clifford Christian church. The Rev. John Ford will be in charge. Burial will be made in Flatrock cemetery.
The tragic death of the young man proved a severe shock to his relatives and many friends, and in speaking of it today many referred to him as "a splendid young man." He was born Jan. 16, 1921, at Clifford and spent all his life there. He attended Sunday school and church and was an industrious worker. He was unusually large for his age, being six feet three inches tall and weighing 160 pounds.
In addition to his parents he leaves two sisters and seven brothers, Gladys and Edelle, Russell, Court, Billy, Forrest, Willard, Samuel and Lance.
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