Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-23
DEATH BY TRACTION,
A Startling and Probably
Fatal Grade Collision
0NLAWRENCEVILLR'S HILL
The Grip of a Rear Car Breaks, and it
Crashes Down on Another,
CATCHING AN OLD MAN BETWEEN.
A Panic on the Forward Car, and Several
Other Persons Injured.
THE SECOND COLLISION OF ITS KIND
ONLAWRENCEVILLR'S HILL
CATCHING AN OLD NAN BETWEEN.
A Panic on the Forward Car, and Several
Other Persons Injured.
THE SECOND COLLISION OF ITS KIND

Another car broke loose on the East End
division of the Citizens Traction Com
psnY's line yesterday afternoon near Thirty
seventh street, and, rushing down the hill,
smashed into another car that was just
ahead, crushing one man, it is thought
fatally, grinding one boys leg seriously
and manning three others.
The same thing, without such serious re-
suits, has happened once before; but it was
only by chance that it turned out to be less
startling than the ugly accident of yester-
day.
From the stories of those that saw the ac-
cident (Which happened about 1:S0 o'clock,
it seems that the forward car had stopped at
Thirty-seventh street to let off some
passengers, and Just started on
down the hill toward the city.
The car was full, and seven or eight persons
were on the platform. Suddenly the car be-
hind gave lurch forward and come on at
terrific rate. The grip had broken, and
the car was at the mercy of the law of gravi-
tation, which rushed it on, there being in
sufficient time and distance clear to stop it
with the brakes.
A PANICKY SCENE.
When the persons on the platform of the
forward car saw that the rear one was fairly
pouncing down upon them, they endeavored
to get of, climbing over the rails and push
ing one another every way.
James De Beck, a man of 6S, living on
Ella street, Bloomfield, was whirled around
in getting of, and caught between the two
cars, cutting his face and head frightfully,
bruising his right side, and, as DR.. Gaert-
ner, who attended him, learned on eSamina-
tion, seriously injuring the pleuritic mem.
brane of the chest.
John Henry Crawford, young man liv-
ing on Forty-ffth street, had his left leg
badly bruised, the doctor stating, however,
that be will probably be able to be around
in seven or eight days. He was taken to
his uncle, Mr.. Keys, nearby.
Two young men from Little Washington,
whose names were not learned, had their
feet bruised, and another man had his
thumb cut. The rest of the passengers were
generally shaken up, frightened and thank
full that they escaped as well as they did.
LIABLE TO PROVE FATAL.
DIR. Gaertner took Mr.. De Beck home in
his buggy, and on his return told a DIS
PATCH reporter that the old man was very
seriously hurt, and that the chances for his
recovery were verv doubtful
Later inquiry elicits the fact that car No.
20S, the one in front, was occupied by a
pleasure party that had got on at Fortieth
street, and it is alleged that De Buck and
Crawford might have got into the car with
the others, but preferred standing on the
rear platform, where they were when the
collision occurred. At Thirty-sixth street,
they say, q car was observed to be
following car No. 20S at a very rapid rate.
No particular attention was paid to the in
cident till the car in the lead stopped to per-
init passenger to get off at Thirty-ifth
street, when it was discovered that some
thing was wrong with the car following,
and that collision was imminent.
De Beck was SO injured internally that
he may die. Crawford had both legs
crushed, il seems. De Beck was finally
taken to his home on Ella street, and Craw-
ford to his at No. 155 Forty-fourth street.
No official investigation as to the cause
Of the accident has yet been made.
This accident, while it may result in the
loss of only one life, recalls the Federal street
horror in this-that il occurred in q manner
liable to find repetition to-day, tomorrow or
any day, on line that is travelled to an
enormous extent. 1t has had a parallel
once before on the same hill, except as to
results, and, as stated, may occur again at
any time If cars are permitted to follow each
other closely down that hill, with the pos
sibility of breaking gripsand running away.