Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-28

ACOoAN Vi TIC past OCNC4Op sOAAC AAsCA-
esting matters.
Yesterday afternoon about 115 John Wag-
ner, resident of the East End, while cross
ing Fifth avenue at Grant street, was struck
by cable car No. of the Pittsburg Traction
COmpanv's line, and almost instantly killed.
Wagner, who was an old man of some so
years, attempted to cross in front of the car,
which was going down the avenue.
As the guard of the car raised In going
over the crest of the hill it struck the man,
knocked him down and ran over him, with
the result as above stated. The body was
slightly mutilated. 1t was removed to the
morgue, from whence it was taken away by
his friends about o'clock last evening.
The victim was an old soldier, being a MEM
Der ot Colonel j. c. Hull Post 157, G. A. r.
From the testimony of eyewitness no
blame can be attached to B. S. Beck, the
gripman.
Mr.. E. D. Davis, Treasurer of the traction
company, when seen by DISPATCH rep
resentative last night, said he was satisfied
the gripman was not to blame, and ex-
pressed the belief that he would be exoner-
ated by the Coroner at the inquest this
morning.
SOMETH1NG ABOUI ACGlDENIS.
''I wish you would state, . said Mr.. Davis,
''that the most of our accidents occur at
Soho The children attending the Four
teenth ward school race alongside of the
cars. with one hand resting on them, all the
wav up the Soho hill. This is also the case
with the pupils of the Oakland school. L
think that the policemen OF this district
should be instructed to arrest some of these
children, not as a punishment. but in order
to save them from bodily injury. The con-
ductors and gripmen are unable to stop the
children and it is time that something was
done. We are in constant fear of serious
accidents at these points"
Speaking of the number of deaths caused
bv the road in its 16 months of operation,
Mr.. Davis said:
with double the number of cars used by
the old horse car line, we have had fewer
accidents during the past year. We run
our cars at more rapid rate than any other
cable road in the country, and know that
we have had less accidents than any other
company. Only two deaths have been
caused, including the sad happening of to-
day. Early in the spring. about April,
think, a small child ran upon the track i'm
mediatelv in front of a moving car, receiv-
ing injuries which resulted in its
death. The gripman was exonersted
BY the jury. Only three persons
have sustained injuries sufficient to lay
them up for sny length of time. Thursday
morning one of our cars hit Charles Huff
man, driver for j. c. Buffum & Co. Huff
man had alighted from lis wagon. near
Stevenson street, and thoughtlessly stepped
backward toward the track An outbound
car struck him, knocking him against his
wagon.
"He was severely cut about the head, but
do not think it will result in any serious
injury. We use the utmost caution, but
people will occasionally act in a careless |
manner.
HER BUsTLE WAS HIT.
The other day as one of our cars was ap- |
preaching Stevenson street lady started |
across the street in front of it. The gripman |
promptly reversed his lever, but not In time |
to prevent hitting her hustle. The hustle |
was knocked awry. Did she faint at the |
thought OF her narrow escape. Not much. |
She merely adjusted that pannier and |
tripped down street as though it was an |
everyday occurrence for her to be famed |
with cable car"
The Citizens Traction Company has been |
somewhat unfortunate on the score of ac-
cidents. Since the opening of this road,
January l, 1889, six persons have been IA
tally injured.
Superintendent Rugg is in Boston spend
ing the holidays, and In consequence COM
plete list of the names of the persons killed
and injured during the year by that road
could not De ATTAINED.
FAMILIARITY BEGETS CARELESsNESS.
Mr.. c. NJ. Gormley, the secretary of the
company, was seen by DISPATCH repre-
sentative last night. He said: 81 think
that the accident of this afternoon was at
tributable to carelessness, although that
may seem like harsh term. As people be-
come more familiar with the cable roads they
to degree become more careless. If mans
hat is blown of by the wind and lodges on
the track, he plunges after it, giving little
heed to the fact that car may be rapidly
approaching.
To the cause of carelessness 1 think the
larger part of the accidents occurring on the
cable roads of this city are due"