EXTRAORDINARY AND TRAGICAL
Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, November 15.
John Kelly, a married man with a family of five, was lost from the Earnscleugh Company's No. 3 dredge, near Alexandra South. The body was found this morning.
The only other dredge-hand on the dredge last night was William Lainchbury, and he was found in the morning, huddled up on the dredge's boat, with every finger severed from his right hand. He was completely dazed and unable to give any particulars of the accident.
The dredge is worked by electricity, which is conveyed by a cable from the shore to the dredge. It is presumed that something went wrong with the cables, and that the two men left the dredge in the boat to rectify the power, but forgot to cut off the power, or failed to use the rubber gloves provided for the purpose. -Ashburton Guardian, 15/11/1910.
ELECTROCUTED
ACCIDENT TO DREDGE HANDS.
[Special to the Star.] ALEXANDRA, November 15.
A most distressing accident occurred on the Earnscleugh Company's, No. 3 dredge some time this morning, during the midnight to 8 a.m. shift.
When the relief arrived at the dredge at eight o'clock it was immediately seen that something unusual had happened. The boat was in the paddock, and on it being reached one of the crew, William Lainchbury, was found huddled up in the bottom of the boat, with every finger severed from his right hand. He was completely dazed, and unable to give any particulars of the accident. Search was made for his mate, John Kelly, but no trace of his whereabouts could be found. His cap was ultimately discovered floating about in the water in the paddock, and it is surmised that his body will be discovered in the bottom of the paddock. How the accident occurred is not known, for the two men were on shift together, and until Lainchbury recovers exact particulars will not be ascertained. The dredge is worked by electricity, which is conveyed on a cable from the shore to the dredge. It is presumed that something wont wrong with the cable, and the two men left the dredge in the boat to rectify the power. On the pole on shore there is a switch, which when pulled out cuts off the power from the pole to the dredge, and instructions regarding the working of the power and appliances are posted on board. However, it is probable that the men went out in the boat and endeavored to right matters on the cable without cutting off the power or wearing rubber gloves provided for the purpose. It is surmised that the men got hold of live wires, with the dreaded result. Kelly may have been electrocuted and dropped out of the boat into the water.
Both men were old employees of the company, and were regarded as careful workmen, Kelly having been employed on this dredge since it first started years ago, being in the employ of the company previously. He was a married man with five children. The accident has caused a profound sensation throughout the district. Dragging operations are now being carried on with a view to recovering the body of Kelly. As the dredge is working away from the river it is expected that the body will be found at any time.
Later. Kelly's body was found at 10.30 this morning. -Evening Star, 15/11/1910.
Dredging Fatality.
INQUEST ON JOHN KELLY.
An inquest on the body of John Kelly was held at Alexandra on Wednesday last touching the fatal accident that occurred on the Earnscleugh No. 3 dredge last week, and which was reported in last issue. The inquest was held before Mr H. Schaumann (acting coroner) and a jury of six.
Evidence by Dr Gregg, who held a post mortem examination on the body, showed that death was due to drowning.
John M. N, Prater, employed on the Earnscleugh No. 3 dredge, said that Lainchbury said they were repairing the cables when the power came on. Witness said instructions were always given to switch off the power for 15 minutes when repairs were needed. The power was cut off by pulling out the plugs on the pole line on shore. Those on the dredge communicate with the power house when repairs are required or when a burn out occurred.
John Bolton, employed on same dredge, detailed as to the finding of Lainchbury in the boat, also as to searching for the body of deceased Kelly and finding it in 25 feet of water underneath the cables. Similar evidence was given by George A. Carson, all three witnesses stating that their instructions were to pull out the plugs when the cables required repairing.
Evidence by Patrick Weaver, manager of the dredge, showed his instructions were that the plugs must be pulled out before repairs to the cables were effected. When he arrived on the dredge the power was on, the cables were burned through on the high bank, and one cable was burnt for about two inches above where deceased was found. Witness took out the plugs and disconnected the power. Rubber gloves were provided for handling wires.
Charles Roland, engineer in charge of the power house, detailed the working and cutting off of the power to the dredge. A short circuit occurred on the line at 6.30 on the morning of the accident. No telephone message was received from the dredge.
Roger Gartley, motorman at the power house, gave similar evidence as to shutting off the power.
William Lainchbury, who was working with deceased at the time of the accident, gave his evidence at the Dunstan hospital. Deceased and witness went out in the boat to repair the cables at 6.30 a.m. on the 15th. The current was cut off from the power house. Witness was repairing the cable, and did not know what deceased was doing. The power came on and witness was knocked out. They did not take out the plugs at the last job. It was usual to pull out the plugs before the cables were repaired. Witness had no idea how deceased got into the water. When witness received the shock he was knocked unconscious. Deceased was always a careful man. Witness and deceased had not been on the best of terms lately, and witness bore no animosity towards deceased. Witness knew the power was off, as the dredge was stopped. Owing to the telephone not working he did not communicate with the power house.
A verdict of "accidental death" was returned by the jury. -AHCOG, 23/11/1910.
No comments:
Post a Comment