Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-31

afterward ran away and caused considerable
damage. Citizens are afraid the over
charged tracks may kill some one.
A big howl is going up on the Southsids
against the condition of the track Of the
Thirteenth street electric road. It Is said
that the rails are so heavily charged with
electricity that the track is dangerous, and
that someone may be killed. There have
been frequent instances of the electricity in
the rails doing mischief, and complaints
have often been made.
Yesterday the excitement was brought to
a climax by horse being thrown to the
ground by shock and causing a serious
runaway. One man was badly injured and
the buggy smashed to splinters. The result
promises to be suit against the company for
damages.
John Strump, a resident of the Southside,
is the last one to have practical demon
stration of the amount of electricity in the
rails. About neon yesterday he attempted
to drive his horse across the track
at the junction of Birmingham ave-
nue. and Plus street. The road is
very steep at this point, and the position Of
the track makes it bad place to drive
over. As the horse was crossing the track Il
struck one of its Eoofs against rail and
fell down, with a convulsive shivsr. It had
received a powerful shock.
SHOCKED A SECOND TIME.
The horse. after some struggling. regsined
its feet, but, in doing so. it again struck its
foot against the rail, and the shock threw il
once more to the ground. BY this time the
animal had become so frightened that when
1t again rose to its feet and received a slight
shock, it gave lurch which tipped the
buggy over, throwing Mr.. Strump out.
The horse did not stop running until
caught at South Eleventh street. The bug
gy was wreck, and it is feared the horse is
injured. Later Mr. Strump visited Alder
man Beinhauer's Office. and consulted with
the alderman in relation to bringing action
against the compony for damages.
Alderman Beinhauer says that he had an
experience last Sunday with the track at
the same point, which came near resulting
more disastrously than Mr.. Strump's
runaway, He was attending q funeral
at the time. As the horses at
tached to the hearse crossed the track,
one OF them stepped on a rail and received
very severe SHOCK. Line nOrSeS are uaburdl-
ly very docile, but the accident excited them
SO that they came near running away. They
sfterward refused to cross the track, and it
was only by good management that terri
BILE accident was averted.
A NUMBER OF INSTANCES. -
DIR. Potser's horse has been shocked and
thrown to the ground several times, while
crossing the tracks of the Thirteenth street
electric road. Numerous other instances
have also come to light where horses have
been shocked. Some horses who have had
experience with the subtle fluid refuse TO
cross the track, or, in doing so, give leap.
But the danger from the charged rails Is
not confined to horses. About 500 school
children cross the tracks daily. going to and
coming from school. Some of them discoV-
cred that the track was charged, and COM
meneed to experiment with it. They found
that by touching a small wire to the track
they could receive a shock, and some Of
them did not care to repeat the experiment.
1t is feared that some of the school
children may receive shock that will more
than amuse them. Some Of the residents
are very much concerned for the safety Of
their children, and will join any move to
have the rails made more safe.