Death In The Ride
JEAN8VILLE, Pa.. April 1.- The worst accident in the history of the trolley roads in tina regiou and 0110 that wns thrilüng in the extremo resulted in the death oi three persous, the fatal woundlng probably of uvo others and the severe injury of several moro, and the fatality was due ín part to a panlc among the passengers, who crowded bout the conduotor and motorman of the unrnanageuble train. The disaster occurred en oar No. 20. As the car passed out on the grade leading down the mountain Motorman Seitz applied the hrake, but the chain enapped. He then threw tlie safety lever. To his terror this refused to work and the terrifled motorman sprang to the reverse brake, hoping to control the car by the current. The actions of the motorman and the speed of the car had by this time alarmed the passengers. Failing to control the car Seitz shouted to Conductor Socks to apply the rear brake. The motorman's shouts caused a panic on the car and the passengers made a rush for the platform. Golng at the K:it of a 31 il a Mínate. The car was going down the mountain a mile a minute. Conductor Socks appealed to the passengers to go back into the car so tbat he might apply the rear brake, but his appeals were not heeded. David Backman, of Hazleton, and two other men endeavored to keep the women f rom throwing themselves from the oar, but try as they would they could not preyent the fnghtened women crowdine around the conductor until the car was entirely beyond control. Mrs. Williams was the first to jump. Her body struck ngaluet a post, breaking her back and causing Instant death. Mrs. Early next flung herself off and was daahed to death. She tried to save her boy, but he shared the same fate as his mother. The remaining passengers with one exception then jurnped. Collidetl with a Telegi-aph Fole. Mrs. Evans wus thu only person to remain on the car with the exception of the motorman and conductor. The car kept the track until the Crossing near the toot of the incline was reached. Here it jumped tho track and crashed into a telegraph pole. The front of tiie car was stove in and a piece of board peuetrated Mrs. Evans' side. The screams of the frantio passengers as the car rushed down the mountain could be heard for half a mile. The residents of this place hastened to the scène of the accident and did all they could to relieve the suffering. IJsl nf Deail and Woumled. The dead are: Mrs. Watkin L. Williams, of Hazleton; Mrs. John R. Early, of Beaver Meadow, and the latter's son Jamea, aged 8 years. The fatally injured are: Mrs. James Evans, of Colerain, side torn open and otherwise injured; Mrs. John Weir, wife of Superintendent Weir, of Beaver Moadow, back hurt. These persons were seriously injured : Watkin L. Williams, husband of ths woman who was killed, legs and side bruised; Maggiu Herrity, of Beaver Meadow, leg broken and body cut and bruied ; threu ohiidren of Mrs. Evans; Hannah Somera, of Beaver Meadow, body hurt and head cut; Morris tiughus, of Wilkesbarre, badly bruised about the body. Mrs. Evans has since died. Kear Rrakes Would Have Hetl the Car. Had the pussengors romainwl in the car the accident eould have bot-n averted, as the retir brake would have held the car and provented the runaway. There are gix attachments on each car provided íor such an emergency, but the conductor was wedged so titrhtly atainst the dasher by the panic-stneken women that he was unable to move hls arms until the car had jotten beyond control. The motorman and conductor were buc slightly injured.
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Ann Arbor Argus
Old News