WALTER L. SURFUS
(1920 - 1948)
Efforts To Save Life of Surfus Fail After a 4-1/2-Hour Battle
Pronounce Utilities Worker Dead at 4:30
A four and one-half hour battle against death by firemen, fellow workers and Coroner Theodore Teitgen Thursday afternoon failed to save the life of Walter Surfus, 28-year-old employe of the Manitowoc public utilities.
Surfus, the father of two young sons, was rendered unconscious shortly before noon when the boom of a crane which was being used to move a 20-inch water pipe across Viebahn street between South 16th and 17th streets accidentally came in contact with an overhead electric power line carrying 2,300 volts.
The accident happened as Surfus and four other employees, including Foreman Harry Luecke, had their hands either on the heavy pipe or on the steel cable by which it was being hoisted.
As the top of the boom brushed against the electric wires the charge passed through the bodies of all five men, with Surfus receiving the most severe shock. According to other members of the crew, he was thrown clear of the pipe after which he seemed to stagger across the narrow street and collapse.
Others Recovered
Luecke and the other men touching the pipe, Darrell Farr, Henry Novak and Jerome Reimer, were all thrown to the ground. None, however, was hurt seriously. Florian Glisehinski, the crane operator, received none of the electric charge as the machine in which he was standing is equipped with pneumatic tires.
Immediately following the accident Surfus was laid under a tree on the lawn in front of the Almon Jaeger home and the fire department’s inhalator squad called to the scene. Firemen James Danielson, George Orth and Ari Albrecht began applying oxygen and artificial respiration to the unconscious man shortly after 12 o’clock. Fireman Roy Scherer joined in the rescue effort later in the afternoon.
Although Surfus showed no visible signs of life, Dr. Teitgen held out hopes for his revival throughout the afternoon. At one time, about 3 p.m., the doctor noticed the pupils of the victim’s eyes growing smaller, an indication of a faint heart beat which could not be detected in the pulse. He injected a series of five heart stimulants, four of them in the arm and the final one directly into the heart. Fireman continued their resuscitation efforts without letup until Surfus was pronounced dead by the coroner at 4:30. No inquest will be held.
Surfus, who served in the merchant marine during the recent war had been employed as an underground construction worker by the local public utilities since May, 1947.
Funeral Monday
Funeral services will be held at 8:30 a.m. Monday at the Urbanek and Schlei funeral home and at 9 o’clock at the St. Boniface church, the Rev. Alfred Pritzl officiating. Burial will be in Calvary cemetery where military rites at the grave will be conducted by the Amvets.
Mr. Surfus was born in this city in 1920, the son of Mr. and Mrs. George Surfus. He served in the last war as an engineer in the merchant marine. In 1946 he married Miss Marian Gerl of this city.
Survivors are his wife; two children, James, 12 months, and Thomas, two months; mother, Mrs. George Surfus of this city; brother, George Jr. of this city; three sisters, Mrs. Kenneth Brachman and Mrs. Stanley Pazorski of this city; Mrs. Wilfred Chase of Rockwood.
The body may be viewed after Sunday noon at the funeral home. The Holy Name of which Mr. Surfus was a member, will recite the rosary at the funeral home at 7 o’clock Sunday evening.
Manitowoc Herald Times, June 4, 1948 P. 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(1920 - 1948)
Efforts To Save Life of Surfus Fail After a 4-1/2-Hour Battle
Pronounce Utilities Worker Dead at 4:30
A four and one-half hour battle against death by firemen, fellow workers and Coroner Theodore Teitgen Thursday afternoon failed to save the life of Walter Surfus, 28-year-old employe of the Manitowoc public utilities.
Surfus, the father of two young sons, was rendered unconscious shortly before noon when the boom of a crane which was being used to move a 20-inch water pipe across Viebahn street between South 16th and 17th streets accidentally came in contact with an overhead electric power line carrying 2,300 volts.
The accident happened as Surfus and four other employees, including Foreman Harry Luecke, had their hands either on the heavy pipe or on the steel cable by which it was being hoisted.
As the top of the boom brushed against the electric wires the charge passed through the bodies of all five men, with Surfus receiving the most severe shock. According to other members of the crew, he was thrown clear of the pipe after which he seemed to stagger across the narrow street and collapse.
Others Recovered
Luecke and the other men touching the pipe, Darrell Farr, Henry Novak and Jerome Reimer, were all thrown to the ground. None, however, was hurt seriously. Florian Glisehinski, the crane operator, received none of the electric charge as the machine in which he was standing is equipped with pneumatic tires.
Immediately following the accident Surfus was laid under a tree on the lawn in front of the Almon Jaeger home and the fire department’s inhalator squad called to the scene. Firemen James Danielson, George Orth and Ari Albrecht began applying oxygen and artificial respiration to the unconscious man shortly after 12 o’clock. Fireman Roy Scherer joined in the rescue effort later in the afternoon.
Although Surfus showed no visible signs of life, Dr. Teitgen held out hopes for his revival throughout the afternoon. At one time, about 3 p.m., the doctor noticed the pupils of the victim’s eyes growing smaller, an indication of a faint heart beat which could not be detected in the pulse. He injected a series of five heart stimulants, four of them in the arm and the final one directly into the heart. Fireman continued their resuscitation efforts without letup until Surfus was pronounced dead by the coroner at 4:30. No inquest will be held.
Surfus, who served in the merchant marine during the recent war had been employed as an underground construction worker by the local public utilities since May, 1947.
Funeral Monday
Funeral services will be held at 8:30 a.m. Monday at the Urbanek and Schlei funeral home and at 9 o’clock at the St. Boniface church, the Rev. Alfred Pritzl officiating. Burial will be in Calvary cemetery where military rites at the grave will be conducted by the Amvets.
Mr. Surfus was born in this city in 1920, the son of Mr. and Mrs. George Surfus. He served in the last war as an engineer in the merchant marine. In 1946 he married Miss Marian Gerl of this city.
Survivors are his wife; two children, James, 12 months, and Thomas, two months; mother, Mrs. George Surfus of this city; brother, George Jr. of this city; three sisters, Mrs. Kenneth Brachman and Mrs. Stanley Pazorski of this city; Mrs. Wilfred Chase of Rockwood.
The body may be viewed after Sunday noon at the funeral home. The Holy Name of which Mr. Surfus was a member, will recite the rosary at the funeral home at 7 o’clock Sunday evening.
Manitowoc Herald Times, June 4, 1948 P. 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WALTER L. SURFUS
(1920 - 1948)
Efforts To Save Life of Surfus Fail After a 4-1/2-Hour Battle
Pronounce Utilities Worker Dead at 4:30
A four and one-half hour battle against death by firemen, fellow workers and Coroner Theodore Teitgen Thursday afternoon failed to save the life of Walter Surfus, 28-year-old employe of the Manitowoc public utilities.
Surfus, the father of two young sons, was rendered unconscious shortly before noon when the boom of a crane which was being used to move a 20-inch water pipe across Viebahn street between South 16th and 17th streets accidentally came in contact with an overhead electric power line carrying 2,300 volts.
The accident happened as Surfus and four other employees, including Foreman Harry Luecke, had their hands either on the heavy pipe or on the steel cable by which it was being hoisted.
As the top of the boom brushed against the electric wires the charge passed through the bodies of all five men, with Surfus receiving the most severe shock. According to other members of the crew, he was thrown clear of the pipe after which he seemed to stagger across the narrow street and collapse.
Others Recovered
Luecke and the other men touching the pipe, Darrell Farr, Henry Novak and Jerome Reimer, were all thrown to the ground. None, however, was hurt seriously. Florian Glisehinski, the crane operator, received none of the electric charge as the machine in which he was standing is equipped with pneumatic tires.
Immediately following the accident Surfus was laid under a tree on the lawn in front of the Almon Jaeger home and the fire department’s inhalator squad called to the scene. Firemen James Danielson, George Orth and Ari Albrecht began applying oxygen and artificial respiration to the unconscious man shortly after 12 o’clock. Fireman Roy Scherer joined in the rescue effort later in the afternoon.
Although Surfus showed no visible signs of life, Dr. Teitgen held out hopes for his revival throughout the afternoon. At one time, about 3 p.m., the doctor noticed the pupils of the victim’s eyes growing smaller, an indication of a faint heart beat which could not be detected in the pulse. He injected a series of five heart stimulants, four of them in the arm and the final one directly into the heart. Fireman continued their resuscitation efforts without letup until Surfus was pronounced dead by the coroner at 4:30. No inquest will be held.
Surfus, who served in the merchant marine during the recent war had been employed as an underground construction worker by the local public utilities since May, 1947.
Funeral Monday
Funeral services will be held at 8:30 a.m. Monday at the Urbanek and Schlei funeral home and at 9 o’clock at the St. Boniface church, the Rev. Alfred Pritzl officiating. Burial will be in Calvary cemetery where military rites at the grave will be conducted by the Amvets.
Mr. Surfus was born in this city in 1920, the son of Mr. and Mrs. George Surfus. He served in the last war as an engineer in the merchant marine. In 1946 he married Miss Marian Gerl of this city.
Survivors are his wife; two children, James, 12 months, and Thomas, two months; mother, Mrs. George Surfus of this city; brother, George Jr. of this city; three sisters, Mrs. Kenneth Brachman and Mrs. Stanley Pazorski of this city; Mrs. Wilfred Chase of Rockwood.
The body may be viewed after Sunday noon at the funeral home. The Holy Name of which Mr. Surfus was a member, will recite the rosary at the funeral home at 7 o’clock Sunday evening.
Manitowoc Herald Times, June 4, 1948 P. 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(1920 - 1948)
Efforts To Save Life of Surfus Fail After a 4-1/2-Hour Battle
Pronounce Utilities Worker Dead at 4:30
A four and one-half hour battle against death by firemen, fellow workers and Coroner Theodore Teitgen Thursday afternoon failed to save the life of Walter Surfus, 28-year-old employe of the Manitowoc public utilities.
Surfus, the father of two young sons, was rendered unconscious shortly before noon when the boom of a crane which was being used to move a 20-inch water pipe across Viebahn street between South 16th and 17th streets accidentally came in contact with an overhead electric power line carrying 2,300 volts.
The accident happened as Surfus and four other employees, including Foreman Harry Luecke, had their hands either on the heavy pipe or on the steel cable by which it was being hoisted.
As the top of the boom brushed against the electric wires the charge passed through the bodies of all five men, with Surfus receiving the most severe shock. According to other members of the crew, he was thrown clear of the pipe after which he seemed to stagger across the narrow street and collapse.
Others Recovered
Luecke and the other men touching the pipe, Darrell Farr, Henry Novak and Jerome Reimer, were all thrown to the ground. None, however, was hurt seriously. Florian Glisehinski, the crane operator, received none of the electric charge as the machine in which he was standing is equipped with pneumatic tires.
Immediately following the accident Surfus was laid under a tree on the lawn in front of the Almon Jaeger home and the fire department’s inhalator squad called to the scene. Firemen James Danielson, George Orth and Ari Albrecht began applying oxygen and artificial respiration to the unconscious man shortly after 12 o’clock. Fireman Roy Scherer joined in the rescue effort later in the afternoon.
Although Surfus showed no visible signs of life, Dr. Teitgen held out hopes for his revival throughout the afternoon. At one time, about 3 p.m., the doctor noticed the pupils of the victim’s eyes growing smaller, an indication of a faint heart beat which could not be detected in the pulse. He injected a series of five heart stimulants, four of them in the arm and the final one directly into the heart. Fireman continued their resuscitation efforts without letup until Surfus was pronounced dead by the coroner at 4:30. No inquest will be held.
Surfus, who served in the merchant marine during the recent war had been employed as an underground construction worker by the local public utilities since May, 1947.
Funeral Monday
Funeral services will be held at 8:30 a.m. Monday at the Urbanek and Schlei funeral home and at 9 o’clock at the St. Boniface church, the Rev. Alfred Pritzl officiating. Burial will be in Calvary cemetery where military rites at the grave will be conducted by the Amvets.
Mr. Surfus was born in this city in 1920, the son of Mr. and Mrs. George Surfus. He served in the last war as an engineer in the merchant marine. In 1946 he married Miss Marian Gerl of this city.
Survivors are his wife; two children, James, 12 months, and Thomas, two months; mother, Mrs. George Surfus of this city; brother, George Jr. of this city; three sisters, Mrs. Kenneth Brachman and Mrs. Stanley Pazorski of this city; Mrs. Wilfred Chase of Rockwood.
The body may be viewed after Sunday noon at the funeral home. The Holy Name of which Mr. Surfus was a member, will recite the rosary at the funeral home at 7 o’clock Sunday evening.
Manitowoc Herald Times, June 4, 1948 P. 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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