The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-10-17
DOWN TO DEATH.
HORRIBLE ACCIDENT ON THE IN
CLINED PLANE RAILWAY
CINCINNATI.
The Disaster Due to Defect in the Machinery
Several Men and Women Literally
Dashed to Pieces.

palling accident ever known on the in
clined plane railways in this city happened
today between II and l o'clock. 1t was on
the Mount Auburn inclined plane, which
lies at the head of Main street and reaches
to height of between $50 and 800 feet, in
space, perhaps, of 2 600 feet or less. Two
cars are employed, one ON each track.
They are drawn by two steel wire cables
that are wound up on drum at the top of
a hill by an engine located there. Nine
passengers had entered the car at
the foot of the plane, and number
were in the other car at the top. The pas
sage of the ascending car was ali right
until it reached the top, when to his un-
speakable horror, the faithful engineer
found that the machinery would not re-
spond and that he could not stop the
engine. Only one result was possible The
car was arrested by the strong lumber
which stops the progress and asthe engine
continued all its force was expended on the
two cables and they snapped like wrapping
thread under its enormous power. Then
the car with its nine inmates locked within
began the descent of that frightful slope.
The crash at the foot of the plane was
trightful and the scene was horrible. The
iron gate that formed the lower end of
the truck on which the car rested was
thrown sixty feet down the street. The top
of the car was lying almost as far in the
gutter. The truck itself and flooring and
seats of the car formed shapeless wreck,
mingled with the bleeding and mangled
bodies of the nine passengers. Two were
taken out dead, one a middle-aged lady,
recognized as Mrs. Ives, the other young
lady of 90 Miss Lillian Oskamp, daughter
of Henry Kneiss, teacher, died soon after
wards.
Fifty thus were injured, perhaps fatally,
and one man escaped miraculously with
but slight injury. The names of the in
jured are not yet fully ascertained. Hon
orable w NJ Dickinson and Mr.. McFad-
den are said to be two of them. Judge
Dickinson is nearly 70 years old and can
hardly survive such shock. AS soon as
it could be done the dead w~re taken to
the morgue to await identification, while
the wounded were taken to
animation could be made. Intense excite
ment prevailed and enquiries were made
by friends who feared that members of their
families might be in the illfated car.
This inclined plane is the oldest in the
county. 1t was built twenty-one years ago
and this is the first accident attended with
loss of life at any of the four inclined
planes that are in constant use. 1t is too
early for examination into the trouble with
the engine but there has been only one
similar case in the history of inclined
planes here. in both the others the engine
was got under control before the cables
were broke. Perhaps, the most horrible
condition of any exception in the descen
ding car was two passengers in the other
locked in as is always the case and were
compelled to await the coming of the other
car and its inevitable crash beside them at
the foo. of the track.
Judge w. NJ. Dickinson was one of the
first of the wounded to die. He is well
known attorney, retired for number of
years. He was the warm personal friend
of President Lincoln. The list of dead now
stands:
Judge w. NJ. Dickinson.
Mrs. Caleb Ives
MISS Lillian Oskamp, Rachael Krieiss
and Joseph Hocksteller.
The wounded were: Charles McFadden,
both legs broken.
Joseph McFadden, cut inside and on va
riOus portions of the body and internal in
juries.
Mr. Hocksteller, cuts and internal in
juries, and Mrs Joseph McFadden,
wounded, were taken to the hospital.
Charles Golbel, who was the man of the
lever who had the unspeakable horror to
find himself unable to stop the engine, says
he complained that the cut off was not
working properly. 81 told the engineer
about it this morning." he said, "and the
engineer told me he had repaired it. but it
was evidently still out of order, and this
must have been what was the cause of the
accident"
Engineer Howard could not be found,
though this is not to be considered evil
dence that he is hiding. The confusion
about the place was very great for CON
siderable time. Coroner Pendigs will
make thorough investigation Of the cause
of the accident.
Mr.. Kneiss was teacher in the third
intermediate school, and lived at IA Euclid
avenue. Mount Auburn, with his family.
He was on his way home to dinner. His
body was badly disfigured, and was re-
moved to the morgue.
Mrs. Ives was the wife of Caleb Ives,
treasurer of the Globe Soap works at 35
Water street, and lived at Riverside. She
was on her way to visit her son, Franklin
Ives and his bride, nee Belle Duhme, who
were married few weeks ago. Mrs. Ives
was about go years old, and her neck was
broken. The body was removed to the
morgue.
Joseph McFaddin, aged g. stone
cutter, of 10 Saunders street, Mount
Auburn, was found to be injured. His
right leg was crushed, his scalp cut and he
was suffering severe internal pain. He
was taken from the wreck with his
foot crushed and was removed to his home.
The right leg of Judge VIM. NJ. Dickinson,
aged 65, of 1856 Auburn avenue, was
crushed and his scalp and face were
wounded. He was conscious but 1ghty
and was not able to tell anything about the
accident He also died.
Mrs. Hochstetter wife of VIM. Hoch-
stetter. of the firm of Laist & Ho ;hstetter,
was barely conscious. She was severely
injured about the head. She lives at Oak
and Bellevue streets All those at the
hospital are too badly injured to recall the
terrible scenes as the car whirled them TO
the nottom of the incline.
An eye witness describes the cause of the
appalling accident as follows: As car
number % reached the top of the plane
Goebel, the cableman, forced down the
lever which shut off the steam. For some
reason the apparatus refused TO work and
the car rushed ON upon the iron railing