The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-02-25
SWIFT AS THE WIND.
A RUSH DOWN AN INCLINE PLANE.
Tho Terrible Dash Made by Two Cars,
sIoaded with Coal, in Crashing into "a
Hoa,e one Man Killed and several
Others Very Seriously Injured.

PIrTsDuRGu, Feb. PA thrilling aeci-
dent occurred on the, Castle Shannon
Railroad coal incline, Carson street, near
Fint, about Z o'clock this morning, which
resulted in the death Of one man and the
injury OF two others. August Better, the
old brakeman at the head Of the plane,
700 feet up the hillside, hitched two heay-
ily-laden coal cars to the wire cable and
started them down tho steep grade. Just
as the cars began to descend, the hitching
plate, to which The cable was attached,
broke, and the cars, freed from the rope,
dashed down the declivity with frightiul
velocity. Their combined weight was
three tons, and as the plane is at an angle
of twenty.eight degrees, the speed was
fearful, the air cutting swath in the
loose snow beside the track. They held
the track, and in an instant they had
reached the bottom and passed under
the platform like a flash, and
then jumped almost across Car
son street, where they were
dashed to pieces. One portion struck q
side wall OF the old Kim homestead and
made deep hole in 1t at point one foot
from a window in q vertical line, and 20
feet below where the runaway car struck
in 1850. The air was filed with flying
coal and for moment after the coils on
nothing could be seen in the immediate
vicinity. When the dust had cleared
away two men were found lying on Carson,
street just at the entrance TO Able, Smith
& Co. s glass house yard Two teams at
tached TO heavy wagons stood near by,
the horses restless with fright. The men
were assisted to their feet, but neither
were found seriously hurt. Under the
employees shanty, at the foot Of the incline,
lay the mangled remains Of Fritz Better, a
young German, whose duty 1t was tore
move the ropes from the cars upon their
arrival at the platform at the foot OF the
incline. Hishead and breast were crushed,
he evidently having been struck by one OF
the cars. A portion Of the platform was
splintered by the collision. The body
was removed to Wards livery stable.
The injured men were Thomas Hart and
Martin Carey, two teamsters in the em-
plOyI VI tld SlBp illll. tiRtS IA1d hAo hboS
broken BY flying coal, and was also badly
bruised. He was taken to his home on
Fourth street. Carey received aslight in
jury to his leg, and he would not stop
work on account OF the wound.
Superintendent Bailey took charge OF
the plane after tho accident lie found
that the hitching plate had been broken,
evidently by theirost. Ithad been strong
enough. TO bear the weight Of several tons
when the cars were being hauled to the
city over the coal road, diGtanco
OF four miles. 1t was the duty OF
August Better. father Of the deceased
andthe top brakeman TO examine all cars
before starting down the hill. Old man
Better was almost heart-broken over
tho accident. He seemed to think that 1t
was his fault and wept bitterly when
speaking of. his sons death. The. body
was removed to his home, corner OF Ruth
and Mulberry streets, Mt. Washington.
The deceased was "a years Of age and un:
married.
This is the first time in "a years that an
accident Of the kind has happened: The
old Kim landmark has withstood two col
lisions. A family named Craig, at present
occupying the house, were badly Tighten
ed when the car struck, bnt no member
OF the family was injured. Ilfit