Charles Bowers is Instantly Killed by Falling R. E. A. High Tension Wire

Mishap Occurs When Grader Hub Snaps Guy Wire and Breaking Pole Drags Power Line Down

Accident is Climax of Series of Bad Breaks Occurring Since Road Construction Began

Charles “Chuck” Bowers, 38, of Liberty Center, was instantly killed at about 2:30 Wednesday afternoon when a 6900-volt high tension wire fell and struck him across the forehead while he was working on a road construction gang on Route 110, 2 1/2 miles east of Napoleon.

The accident occurred shortly before the road gangs quit work for the day because of the falling rain. According to eyewitnesses, Mr. Bowers was driving a caterpillar tractor and pulling a grader along the south side of the road, when the right rear hub of the grader caught on a guy wire leading to the high tension pole carrying the R. E. A. wires.

Howard Frederick, who was walking behind the grader, called to Mr. Bowers, but was unable to make him hear above the noise of the tractor. The strain snapped the guy wire, and the high tension pole snapped about half way up, the top half falling and pulling the wires down directly upon Mr. Bowers, striking him across the forehead.

Wires Carried 6900 Volts

According to Mr. Frederick, who shut the tractor off, Mr. Bowers seemed to be killed instantly, for although he was removed to the Napoleon hospital as rapidly as possible and given oxygen, he showed no signs of returning consciousness. The wires, carrying approximately 6900 volts, fell and hit Mr. Bowers without striking the tractor. It was surmised that if the wires had hit the tractor first, a part of the charge might have been grounded and Mr. Bowers would have escaped serious injury.

Climax of Several Mishaps

This fatal injury was the climax of a series of mishaps that have occurred since work was begun on the stretch of road. One other man was seriously injured when a clam bucket broke loose and snapped the cable holding the boom on a crane, which struck him as it fell, and several times during the past several days, graders and tractors have been overturned while making fills along the canal bank where the road is being straightened and widened.

This community deeply felt the shock of the news of Mr. Bowers death, for he was well and widely known and liked. He had just recently moved into his new home on south Damascus street after a period of remodeling. He has been employed on the Creager road crew for a number of years, and was one of the most jovial and best liked of the group.

He is survived by his wife and niece Alice in the immediate family.