Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-07-06
ACCIDENTS.
The Fourth Witnessed a Number,
but None Serious.
A SeIieSG ni-fOrtuHes on the Milan
Road a Number of
Minor Mishaps.

Minor Mishaps.
The Fourth did not pass without &C
cidents
There were quite q number but, none
particularly serious. Those affecting the
greatest number of people no doubt, were
on the Milan road between Rock
Island and Black Hawks tower. The
Rock Island & Milan railway company
had made ample arrangements for hand
ling great number of people as far as
cars are concerned, and in addition 60
the regular equipment had borrowed a
half dozen trailers from the Rock Island
and Moline lines. Besides this the track
had been thoroughly inspected and re.
paired where 1t was thought necessary.
but before the day was ended the COM
panY discovered that S. had been found
true of the other franchises purchased in
the three cities the track where this had
not already been done, would have tc be
relaid, II the company expected to
handle heavy traffic. The company en-
countered no end Of misfortunes COM
mencing early in the day with couple
of collisions on Seventh avenue, in which
Nick Fergsl received a lacerated woun d
in the LETT leg, and horse was pinched
between the cars. Then in the afternoon
new motor No. l with engineer A. B.
Carl in charge, ran of the track at the
central station cattle guards, and after
an hours delay was righted. Again at
$3.50 Old motor No. 2 with Walter
Cook at the throttle struck
al obstacle in the track in the way of q
wrench, which strange to say. was so To-
Gated in the switch near the
tower as to throw the motor
which jumped the track, and started off
the incline. But for encountering tree
whicu stopped the motor disaster would
have occurred. The ktrsck was torn up
for considerable distance, and while a
force OF men were put to work attempt.
ing to raise, the motor it proved big
undertaking and occupied the remainder
of the dav. To add to the misery too.
at $50 two dummies left the track at the
centre station, where the old track begins,
and then the company gave up attempts
lug TO handle business, and devoted its
energies to getting its motors out of the
bitches. Manager Louderback at once
arranged with the R. l. s. P. to have the
7;45 train ran back to Milan and bring in
the people. and also for special trains
during the evening, until all who were
willing TO wait were brought home, and
he paid the entire expense of.the same,
bringing ell who were Inconvenience BY
the series of accidents free of charge.
The company would no doubt have
haIdled $1,000 people but for the acct
dents which were not only embarrassing
but discoursging. and showed the Milan
road south of the centre station to be
the same worthless condition as TO
the other tracks throughout the
city, when The On icsgs gentlemen
purchased the lines. The accident
afforded another illustration of what the
syndicate has done for Rock Island and
what more it will do, as Manager Louder.
back stated last night; 1.-THE accidents
were costly for We would have had a
profitable day had they not occurred
However we are thankful that the results
were not more serious in the way of loss
of life or limD | have written nv asso>
ci4tes in Chicago with regard to relaying
the rack south of the centre station, ard
it vii. no doubt be done, as it is not fit
10 hnul heavy loads. slthOugh we can use
IL temporarily hv patching il UP and run
ming SLOW, aud this we will do until we
cs1 get the iron for relaying It .
OTHER ACCIDENTS
There were, as stated above q nsmber
of F,urth Of July casualties:
Peter Jensen, a switchmsn in the c.,
r. & 2 yards. had hrs loft hand badly
burned by the explosion of some fires
wO k on Saturday evening
William Sp4udng residing GA Tnirtv-
fifth street, was badly burned about the
face while discharging q cannon on Sat-
urfsy night
B-rna d Koch, son of John Ko b, the
Market square gunsmith, had his face
badly burned ny powder from a toy can
non. which be was discharging on Satur
day.