TRAGEDY OCCURED IN HEATING PLANT OF SCHOOL BUILDING
Knud Therkelsen, age 65, janitor of the Mt. Pleasant Public School building, was killed instantly this Friday morning by electrocution shortly after 6 o'clock when he went to his work to make a fire in the heating plant a short distance south of the school building. It appears that Mr. Therkelsen had gone down into the basement of the heating plant and in reaching to turn on the light, a high voltage of electricity passed through his body killing him instantly. He lay in front of the door where coal is shoveled from the bin into the furnace. The light globe with cord attached remained hanging on the nail on the wall in the usual place.
J. Elmer Johansen, 33 years of age, principal of the Mt. Pleasant public school, arrived at the school building shortly after 8 o'clock and discovered that no heat was coming from the heating plant. He immediately began an investigation. The heating plant is separate from the school building, heat being conveyed through underground pipes.
Upon his arrival at the heating plant Mr. Johansen discovered the body of Mr. Therkelsen lying upon the cement floor. Without pausing to make further investigation he hurried to the telephone and and summoned Dr. 0. Sundwall and Superintendent of Schools, J. W. Anderson. He told the doctor that he thought the janitor was dead and to come over and see. Upon the arrival of the doctor, the two discussed the cause of death to a man of apparently good health. As the doctor and Mr. Johansen went over to the heating plant and looked at the body of the janitor, the thought came to the doctor that possibly Mr. Therkelson might have fallen backwards and caused a fracture on the skull, the position of the body suggesting such an accident. Mr Johansen such "was propably so." And while discussing it the doctor felt of the body finding it cold and no apparant fracture about the head. He was somewhat at a loss then as to what had happened. It being rather dark in the basement, the doctor suggested the need of a light and both men looked around for the light. Mr. Johansen saw it first and while saying "There it is," reached for the globe, or place to turn on the light and as he did so a heavy voltage of about 5000 passed through him and he was thrown heavily to the cement floor and he died instantly. The doctor immediately saw the real situation and as Mr. Johansen body was then free from the wire the doctor made a hurried effort to revive him. There was practically no response, save a slight quiver of the flesh.
As the superintendent lived a few blocks farther away he did not arrive in time to see Johansen before he was dead. His boy Vernon, however, being excited over the telephone call run ahead of his father and arrived on the scene in time to see Mr. Johansen fall.
It is presumed that a heavy wind during the night caused one of the high-tension wires to become tangled up with one of the secondary wires on the line in front of the residences of S. E. Jensen and Hazzard Wilcox as the high-tension wire was found in this condition with one end on the ground or bridge over the the stream at that place. This crossing of the wire on the secondary line threw upwards of 5000 volts into the lighting unit served by that particular transformer which includes the school building, the residences of H. C. Jacobs, E. C. Johnson, Ernest McArthur, S. E. Jensen and others in that particular neighborhood.
On this same unit there were citizens who received very severe shocks while attempting to turn on lights. Miss Dorothy Jacobs said that she was severely shaken and frightened when she turned on one of the basement lights at the Jacobs home, and it is presumed that she escaped death on account of being on a wooden step.
Electricians report that upon the installation of the lighting plant and when it was taken over by the city several years ago, they were advised by the General Electric company's engineer to provide suitable ground wires at each transformer, but this apparently has not been done, and only in a few cases are transformers suitably grounded.
Mr. Therkelson and Mr. Johansen unquestionably received the full shocks of the 5000 voltage, as death in each case was instantaneous and both bodies were severely burned and disfigured by the shocks.
Mr. Johansen was born at Wales, Utah, thirty-three years ago, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Christian Johansen, who with his wife, Mrs. Tillie B. Johansen, and one brother, J. C. Johansen,survive him. He was graduated from Wasatch Academy in 1908 and performed a mission for the L. D. S. church to Germany and Austria from 1910 to 1914. He was married in 1914 to Miss Tillie Borg of Marysvale, and had been a teacher in the Mt. Pleasant public schools nine years, the last seven which he was principal. He was active in church work and was especially active in the Young Men's Mutual Improvement association. The schools were closed on account of the double tragedy and the celebration of the Mt. Pleasant Historical association, which was to have opened today, was postponed until next Wednesday.
Mr. Therkelson was born in Jylland, Denmark, sixty-five years ago, and came to Mt. Pleasant in 1894, after having embraced the L. D. S. faith in his native land. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Louise Therkelson, and one daughter, Mrs. James Fuller. He performed a mission to Denmark from 1913 to 1915. He was a truck gardener and had been janitor at the public school for three years.
A double funeral will be held at the Mt. Pleasant South ward chapel next Monday, March 27th. at 2 o'colck P. M. All the school children will meet at the public school building at 12:30 o'clock Monday and each girl will carry a flower to the funeral. The boys will form in line with hats removed. A gloom of sadness has overshadowed the community on account of this tragedy.
Published in the Mt. Pleasant Pyramid 1922-03-24
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
DOUBLE FUNERAL FOR SCHOOL MEN
The double funeral services held Monday afternoon, in the South ward chapel for J. Elmer Johansen and Knud Therkelson, principal and janitor respectively for the public schools, who were accidently electrocuted Friday morning, were attended by the largest assemblage ever attending a funeral in Mount Pleasant, many having to remain outside during the services. Hundreds of schools children as well as others were not able to get in the chapel. The caskets were conveyed to the chapel from the homes through a line formation of school children, each girl of whom carried flowers. The floral offerings were conveyed in the three automobile trucks and were in charge of the public school faculty.
Published in the Mt. Pleasant Pyramid 1922-03-31
Knud Therkelsen, age 65, janitor of the Mt. Pleasant Public School building, was killed instantly this Friday morning by electrocution shortly after 6 o'clock when he went to his work to make a fire in the heating plant a short distance south of the school building. It appears that Mr. Therkelsen had gone down into the basement of the heating plant and in reaching to turn on the light, a high voltage of electricity passed through his body killing him instantly. He lay in front of the door where coal is shoveled from the bin into the furnace. The light globe with cord attached remained hanging on the nail on the wall in the usual place.
J. Elmer Johansen, 33 years of age, principal of the Mt. Pleasant public school, arrived at the school building shortly after 8 o'clock and discovered that no heat was coming from the heating plant. He immediately began an investigation. The heating plant is separate from the school building, heat being conveyed through underground pipes.
Upon his arrival at the heating plant Mr. Johansen discovered the body of Mr. Therkelsen lying upon the cement floor. Without pausing to make further investigation he hurried to the telephone and and summoned Dr. 0. Sundwall and Superintendent of Schools, J. W. Anderson. He told the doctor that he thought the janitor was dead and to come over and see. Upon the arrival of the doctor, the two discussed the cause of death to a man of apparently good health. As the doctor and Mr. Johansen went over to the heating plant and looked at the body of the janitor, the thought came to the doctor that possibly Mr. Therkelson might have fallen backwards and caused a fracture on the skull, the position of the body suggesting such an accident. Mr Johansen such "was propably so." And while discussing it the doctor felt of the body finding it cold and no apparant fracture about the head. He was somewhat at a loss then as to what had happened. It being rather dark in the basement, the doctor suggested the need of a light and both men looked around for the light. Mr. Johansen saw it first and while saying "There it is," reached for the globe, or place to turn on the light and as he did so a heavy voltage of about 5000 passed through him and he was thrown heavily to the cement floor and he died instantly. The doctor immediately saw the real situation and as Mr. Johansen body was then free from the wire the doctor made a hurried effort to revive him. There was practically no response, save a slight quiver of the flesh.
As the superintendent lived a few blocks farther away he did not arrive in time to see Johansen before he was dead. His boy Vernon, however, being excited over the telephone call run ahead of his father and arrived on the scene in time to see Mr. Johansen fall.
It is presumed that a heavy wind during the night caused one of the high-tension wires to become tangled up with one of the secondary wires on the line in front of the residences of S. E. Jensen and Hazzard Wilcox as the high-tension wire was found in this condition with one end on the ground or bridge over the the stream at that place. This crossing of the wire on the secondary line threw upwards of 5000 volts into the lighting unit served by that particular transformer which includes the school building, the residences of H. C. Jacobs, E. C. Johnson, Ernest McArthur, S. E. Jensen and others in that particular neighborhood.
On this same unit there were citizens who received very severe shocks while attempting to turn on lights. Miss Dorothy Jacobs said that she was severely shaken and frightened when she turned on one of the basement lights at the Jacobs home, and it is presumed that she escaped death on account of being on a wooden step.
Electricians report that upon the installation of the lighting plant and when it was taken over by the city several years ago, they were advised by the General Electric company's engineer to provide suitable ground wires at each transformer, but this apparently has not been done, and only in a few cases are transformers suitably grounded.
Mr. Therkelson and Mr. Johansen unquestionably received the full shocks of the 5000 voltage, as death in each case was instantaneous and both bodies were severely burned and disfigured by the shocks.
Mr. Johansen was born at Wales, Utah, thirty-three years ago, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Christian Johansen, who with his wife, Mrs. Tillie B. Johansen, and one brother, J. C. Johansen,survive him. He was graduated from Wasatch Academy in 1908 and performed a mission for the L. D. S. church to Germany and Austria from 1910 to 1914. He was married in 1914 to Miss Tillie Borg of Marysvale, and had been a teacher in the Mt. Pleasant public schools nine years, the last seven which he was principal. He was active in church work and was especially active in the Young Men's Mutual Improvement association. The schools were closed on account of the double tragedy and the celebration of the Mt. Pleasant Historical association, which was to have opened today, was postponed until next Wednesday.
Mr. Therkelson was born in Jylland, Denmark, sixty-five years ago, and came to Mt. Pleasant in 1894, after having embraced the L. D. S. faith in his native land. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Louise Therkelson, and one daughter, Mrs. James Fuller. He performed a mission to Denmark from 1913 to 1915. He was a truck gardener and had been janitor at the public school for three years.
A double funeral will be held at the Mt. Pleasant South ward chapel next Monday, March 27th. at 2 o'colck P. M. All the school children will meet at the public school building at 12:30 o'clock Monday and each girl will carry a flower to the funeral. The boys will form in line with hats removed. A gloom of sadness has overshadowed the community on account of this tragedy.
Published in the Mt. Pleasant Pyramid 1922-03-24
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
DOUBLE FUNERAL FOR SCHOOL MEN
The double funeral services held Monday afternoon, in the South ward chapel for J. Elmer Johansen and Knud Therkelson, principal and janitor respectively for the public schools, who were accidently electrocuted Friday morning, were attended by the largest assemblage ever attending a funeral in Mount Pleasant, many having to remain outside during the services. Hundreds of schools children as well as others were not able to get in the chapel. The caskets were conveyed to the chapel from the homes through a line formation of school children, each girl of whom carried flowers. The floral offerings were conveyed in the three automobile trucks and were in charge of the public school faculty.
Published in the Mt. Pleasant Pyramid 1922-03-31
TRAGEDY OCCURED IN HEATING PLANT OF SCHOOL BUILDING
Knud Therkelsen, age 65, janitor of the Mt. Pleasant Public School building, was killed instantly this Friday morning by electrocution shortly after 6 o'clock when he went to his work to make a fire in the heating plant a short distance south of the school building. It appears that Mr. Therkelsen had gone down into the basement of the heating plant and in reaching to turn on the light, a high voltage of electricity passed through his body killing him instantly. He lay in front of the door where coal is shoveled from the bin into the furnace. The light globe with cord attached remained hanging on the nail on the wall in the usual place.
J. Elmer Johansen, 33 years of age, principal of the Mt. Pleasant public school, arrived at the school building shortly after 8 o'clock and discovered that no heat was coming from the heating plant. He immediately began an investigation. The heating plant is separate from the school building, heat being conveyed through underground pipes.
Upon his arrival at the heating plant Mr. Johansen discovered the body of Mr. Therkelsen lying upon the cement floor. Without pausing to make further investigation he hurried to the telephone and and summoned Dr. 0. Sundwall and Superintendent of Schools, J. W. Anderson. He told the doctor that he thought the janitor was dead and to come over and see. Upon the arrival of the doctor, the two discussed the cause of death to a man of apparently good health. As the doctor and Mr. Johansen went over to the heating plant and looked at the body of the janitor, the thought came to the doctor that possibly Mr. Therkelson might have fallen backwards and caused a fracture on the skull, the position of the body suggesting such an accident. Mr Johansen such "was propably so." And while discussing it the doctor felt of the body finding it cold and no apparant fracture about the head. He was somewhat at a loss then as to what had happened. It being rather dark in the basement, the doctor suggested the need of a light and both men looked around for the light. Mr. Johansen saw it first and while saying "There it is," reached for the globe, or place to turn on the light and as he did so a heavy voltage of about 5000 passed through him and he was thrown heavily to the cement floor and he died instantly. The doctor immediately saw the real situation and as Mr. Johansen body was then free from the wire the doctor made a hurried effort to revive him. There was practically no response, save a slight quiver of the flesh.
As the superintendent lived a few blocks farther away he did not arrive in time to see Johansen before he was dead. His boy Vernon, however, being excited over the telephone call run ahead of his father and arrived on the scene in time to see Mr. Johansen fall.
It is presumed that a heavy wind during the night caused one of the high-tension wires to become tangled up with one of the secondary wires on the line in front of the residences of S. E. Jensen and Hazzard Wilcox as the high-tension wire was found in this condition with one end on the ground or bridge over the the stream at that place. This crossing of the wire on the secondary line threw upwards of 5000 volts into the lighting unit served by that particular transformer which includes the school building, the residences of H. C. Jacobs, E. C. Johnson, Ernest McArthur, S. E. Jensen and others in that particular neighborhood.
On this same unit there were citizens who received very severe shocks while attempting to turn on lights. Miss Dorothy Jacobs said that she was severely shaken and frightened when she turned on one of the basement lights at the Jacobs home, and it is presumed that she escaped death on account of being on a wooden step.
Electricians report that upon the installation of the lighting plant and when it was taken over by the city several years ago, they were advised by the General Electric company's engineer to provide suitable ground wires at each transformer, but this apparently has not been done, and only in a few cases are transformers suitably grounded.
Mr. Therkelson and Mr. Johansen unquestionably received the full shocks of the 5000 voltage, as death in each case was instantaneous and both bodies were severely burned and disfigured by the shocks.
Mr. Johansen was born at Wales, Utah, thirty-three years ago, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Christian Johansen, who with his wife, Mrs. Tillie B. Johansen, and one brother, J. C. Johansen,survive him. He was graduated from Wasatch Academy in 1908 and performed a mission for the L. D. S. church to Germany and Austria from 1910 to 1914. He was married in 1914 to Miss Tillie Borg of Marysvale, and had been a teacher in the Mt. Pleasant public schools nine years, the last seven which he was principal. He was active in church work and was especially active in the Young Men's Mutual Improvement association. The schools were closed on account of the double tragedy and the celebration of the Mt. Pleasant Historical association, which was to have opened today, was postponed until next Wednesday.
Mr. Therkelson was born in Jylland, Denmark, sixty-five years ago, and came to Mt. Pleasant in 1894, after having embraced the L. D. S. faith in his native land. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Louise Therkelson, and one daughter, Mrs. James Fuller. He performed a mission to Denmark from 1913 to 1915. He was a truck gardener and had been janitor at the public school for three years.
A double funeral will be held at the Mt. Pleasant South ward chapel next Monday, March 27th. at 2 o'colck P. M. All the school children will meet at the public school building at 12:30 o'clock Monday and each girl will carry a flower to the funeral. The boys will form in line with hats removed. A gloom of sadness has overshadowed the community on account of this tragedy.
Published in the Mt. Pleasant Pyramid 1922-03-24
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
DOUBLE FUNERAL FOR SCHOOL MEN
The double funeral services held Monday afternoon, in the South ward chapel for J. Elmer Johansen and Knud Therkelson, principal and janitor respectively for the public schools, who were accidently electrocuted Friday morning, were attended by the largest assemblage ever attending a funeral in Mount Pleasant, many having to remain outside during the services. Hundreds of schools children as well as others were not able to get in the chapel. The caskets were conveyed to the chapel from the homes through a line formation of school children, each girl of whom carried flowers. The floral offerings were conveyed in the three automobile trucks and were in charge of the public school faculty.
Published in the Mt. Pleasant Pyramid 1922-03-31
Knud Therkelsen, age 65, janitor of the Mt. Pleasant Public School building, was killed instantly this Friday morning by electrocution shortly after 6 o'clock when he went to his work to make a fire in the heating plant a short distance south of the school building. It appears that Mr. Therkelsen had gone down into the basement of the heating plant and in reaching to turn on the light, a high voltage of electricity passed through his body killing him instantly. He lay in front of the door where coal is shoveled from the bin into the furnace. The light globe with cord attached remained hanging on the nail on the wall in the usual place.
J. Elmer Johansen, 33 years of age, principal of the Mt. Pleasant public school, arrived at the school building shortly after 8 o'clock and discovered that no heat was coming from the heating plant. He immediately began an investigation. The heating plant is separate from the school building, heat being conveyed through underground pipes.
Upon his arrival at the heating plant Mr. Johansen discovered the body of Mr. Therkelsen lying upon the cement floor. Without pausing to make further investigation he hurried to the telephone and and summoned Dr. 0. Sundwall and Superintendent of Schools, J. W. Anderson. He told the doctor that he thought the janitor was dead and to come over and see. Upon the arrival of the doctor, the two discussed the cause of death to a man of apparently good health. As the doctor and Mr. Johansen went over to the heating plant and looked at the body of the janitor, the thought came to the doctor that possibly Mr. Therkelson might have fallen backwards and caused a fracture on the skull, the position of the body suggesting such an accident. Mr Johansen such "was propably so." And while discussing it the doctor felt of the body finding it cold and no apparant fracture about the head. He was somewhat at a loss then as to what had happened. It being rather dark in the basement, the doctor suggested the need of a light and both men looked around for the light. Mr. Johansen saw it first and while saying "There it is," reached for the globe, or place to turn on the light and as he did so a heavy voltage of about 5000 passed through him and he was thrown heavily to the cement floor and he died instantly. The doctor immediately saw the real situation and as Mr. Johansen body was then free from the wire the doctor made a hurried effort to revive him. There was practically no response, save a slight quiver of the flesh.
As the superintendent lived a few blocks farther away he did not arrive in time to see Johansen before he was dead. His boy Vernon, however, being excited over the telephone call run ahead of his father and arrived on the scene in time to see Mr. Johansen fall.
It is presumed that a heavy wind during the night caused one of the high-tension wires to become tangled up with one of the secondary wires on the line in front of the residences of S. E. Jensen and Hazzard Wilcox as the high-tension wire was found in this condition with one end on the ground or bridge over the the stream at that place. This crossing of the wire on the secondary line threw upwards of 5000 volts into the lighting unit served by that particular transformer which includes the school building, the residences of H. C. Jacobs, E. C. Johnson, Ernest McArthur, S. E. Jensen and others in that particular neighborhood.
On this same unit there were citizens who received very severe shocks while attempting to turn on lights. Miss Dorothy Jacobs said that she was severely shaken and frightened when she turned on one of the basement lights at the Jacobs home, and it is presumed that she escaped death on account of being on a wooden step.
Electricians report that upon the installation of the lighting plant and when it was taken over by the city several years ago, they were advised by the General Electric company's engineer to provide suitable ground wires at each transformer, but this apparently has not been done, and only in a few cases are transformers suitably grounded.
Mr. Therkelson and Mr. Johansen unquestionably received the full shocks of the 5000 voltage, as death in each case was instantaneous and both bodies were severely burned and disfigured by the shocks.
Mr. Johansen was born at Wales, Utah, thirty-three years ago, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Christian Johansen, who with his wife, Mrs. Tillie B. Johansen, and one brother, J. C. Johansen,survive him. He was graduated from Wasatch Academy in 1908 and performed a mission for the L. D. S. church to Germany and Austria from 1910 to 1914. He was married in 1914 to Miss Tillie Borg of Marysvale, and had been a teacher in the Mt. Pleasant public schools nine years, the last seven which he was principal. He was active in church work and was especially active in the Young Men's Mutual Improvement association. The schools were closed on account of the double tragedy and the celebration of the Mt. Pleasant Historical association, which was to have opened today, was postponed until next Wednesday.
Mr. Therkelson was born in Jylland, Denmark, sixty-five years ago, and came to Mt. Pleasant in 1894, after having embraced the L. D. S. faith in his native land. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Louise Therkelson, and one daughter, Mrs. James Fuller. He performed a mission to Denmark from 1913 to 1915. He was a truck gardener and had been janitor at the public school for three years.
A double funeral will be held at the Mt. Pleasant South ward chapel next Monday, March 27th. at 2 o'colck P. M. All the school children will meet at the public school building at 12:30 o'clock Monday and each girl will carry a flower to the funeral. The boys will form in line with hats removed. A gloom of sadness has overshadowed the community on account of this tragedy.
Published in the Mt. Pleasant Pyramid 1922-03-24
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
DOUBLE FUNERAL FOR SCHOOL MEN
The double funeral services held Monday afternoon, in the South ward chapel for J. Elmer Johansen and Knud Therkelson, principal and janitor respectively for the public schools, who were accidently electrocuted Friday morning, were attended by the largest assemblage ever attending a funeral in Mount Pleasant, many having to remain outside during the services. Hundreds of schools children as well as others were not able to get in the chapel. The caskets were conveyed to the chapel from the homes through a line formation of school children, each girl of whom carried flowers. The floral offerings were conveyed in the three automobile trucks and were in charge of the public school faculty.
Published in the Mt. Pleasant Pyramid 1922-03-31
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