NEWSPAPERS: Accidental Death of Grover Darneille, Jackson County, Oregon *************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with United States Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by noncommercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *************************************************************************** Transcribed and formatted for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Elizabeth Corethers 7 Jun 2003 *************************************************************************** Medford (Oregon) Mail Tribune, Saturday, 24 Jun 1922, p. 1, c. 2 GAR. DARNEILLE IS KILLED BY 40 FT. FALL Well Known Medford Man and Trusted Lineman of California-Oregon Power Co. Instantly Killed at Corner of Central and Jackson Streets--Hand Slipped >From Pole. Grover Darneille, 35 years of age, and one of the oldest linemen for the California-Oregon Power company, from a standpoint of service, was killed instantly this morning at 8:10 o'clock when he fell 40 feet from a pole at the corner of North Central and Jackson street. Work on the new pole was just complete, all the lines having been fastened to the insulators and Darneille had just unsnapped his safety belt preparatory to coming down the pole. He had hold of the pole with one hand and was about to attach the loose end of the safety belt to his belt. In order to do this it is necessary to change the hold on the pole from one hand to the other. Just before changing his grip, his hand slipped and his climbers held fast. He was leaning from the pole and as his feet were held in a stationary position by the climbers, he fell head first, his feet remaining stationary until his head had reached a lower level and had pulled the spikes of the climbers from their seat in the wooden pole. He struck the cement sidewalk on Central Ave., 40 feet below head first and was killed instantly. The fellow workers on Frank Stinson's crew rushed to his aid, nothing could be done. One man was coming down the pole at the time of the fall and Darneille fell past him while another of his fellow workers was close to the base of the pole and took several quick steps in an effort to catch him before he struck the ground. No lines closer than 20 feet to Darneille were carrying a charge of electricity and the accident is therefore not attributed in any way to an electric shock. Darneille was one of the company's best linemen and had been climbing poles for years. The work was being done early in the morning in order to inconvenience none of the persons whose power was cut off and the new pole was set in order to allow the northwest street corner of Central to be cut off so that ten intersection might be enlarged. Darneille is survived by a widow and two children. He was protected by the Workmen's Compensation Act, the benefit of which his relatives will receive and was a member of the local Elks' and K. P. lodges. It is understood that he also carried some additional life insurance.