The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1888-02-03
A RUNAWAY CAR.

The Man in Charge of s.. Paul Grip.
Car Loses Control of 1t, and 1t Crashes
Down Hill, Leaving the Track. and Is
Smashed to Pieces-One Passenger
Killed and Eighteen Injured.
ST PAUL. Mum, Jan 2S.-For months a
topic OF vivid interest has been as to when
the st. Anthony Hill line of catle-cars
would be opened, the horse-cars being
quite inadequate to supply the rapid
Embarrassing population in that part of
the city. SHOWS have covered the tracks,
AMI minor accidents have caused re-
peated postponements, but yesterday the
cars first began to run with some regularity.
and the public was allowed to make use of
them. About halfway up the Third
street hill the line turns into Shell
by avenue at an obtuse angle, and
from this curve to the top of the hill
the grade is sleeper, probably one foot in
four Some days ago an experienced civil
engineer pointed out in published inter-
view the danger of locating curve at the
bottom of so long and steep an incline. but
the officers of the road declared it perfectly
safe.
At 1:5O in the af ernoon a grip and pas
senger car, both heavily loadediwith passen-
gers, started down the hill 1t was in
charge OF Conductor North and Gripman
johnson. The grip had been inspected be-
fore it left the end of the line, and seemed
in perfect order, but about midway down
the hill the grip failed to hold the cable,
and thetrain rushed down to the curve, on
reaching which it had attained speed of
twenty miles an hour. The grip-car did
not leave the track, but the passenger
coach whipped off, turned over, and was
dragged some dis5aace Many of the pas
sengers jumped of, but the majority of
those in the closed car could not do so, and
ali Of them, twenty or more, were more OF
less hurt
Gripman Johnson says: We We're about
halfway down the Shelby avenue hill when
the cars began to slide. The grip slipped
no, it didn't either; they just ran away.
| don't know just why At the corner they
rolled over did my best to stop the cars
and threw my weight on the grip, but ]
could not hold the cars. At the curve on
Third street the car went off and rolled
over and over"
The only fatality so far as known is that
of Merville l. Saunders, assistant treasurer
of the Northwestern Fuel Company, who
was standing on the rear platform of the
passenger-car and with another man
was thrown against a tree when the
car few the track. He was horribly
crushed, and died soon after being taken
home. He leaves family. The hospitable
residents of the neighborhood threw open
their houses to the injured, and police and
physicians were on the ground in a few
minutes. Those most seriously hurt were
as follows: -;
Louis Robert, of Dayton avenue, a lad, had
his left hand torn off at the wrist, the arm be-
ing badly mangled; Conductor Frank E.. North
was badly cut about the face and hands with
broken glass, and perhaps hurt internally
George H. Watson, of Marshall avenue, was
seriously hurt in both legs below the knees
G. A. Baker had his hands and legs cut an6
bruised; Miss Ada Kersten of Dayton ave
nue. was severely cut about the face
Mrs. Charles Steele, of North Washington
cut; Bert Darrow, of Selby avenue, is very
seriously hurt about the chest and has Sc
we're scalp wound; Mf. Seney, corner of Dayton
and Virginia avenues, was cut with broke:
glass and badly shocked; A. Bertram, of West
Tenth street, was hurt about the head and had
his skull fractured; Henry E. Smith, OF
lgiehart street, has severe scalr
wound from broken glass; A. II
Smith and son were badly burned by
the car stove falling on them; Milton G. Brown
real-estate dealer, had his right arm hurt
Andrew Mason was badly cut on the head an6
had his hands burned; f. J. Meyst, superin
tendent of Kellogg's printing office, had his
right knee shattered.
Miss Linda Thorsen and Mrs Don Seaman
both of Milwaukee, were in the car Miss
Thorsen was thrown against the stove ani
wedged there by the body of q heavy man
She is severely burned about the limbs ant
body Mrs. Seaman escaped with bad cut or
the face