The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-05-16
NEARLY A DISASTER.
4 Collision at Tenth and BraRnan
Streets.
MAE GiLLiGHERS LEG HlNGLED.
A Yard Engine Drives Baggage-Cm Into a
HOrSe-Car Containing Several
Persons.

A railroad collision occurred at tn enter
section of Brennan and Tenth streets last
night at 9 30 O'Clock, and il is a miracle that
no lives were lost
baggage car Of the Southern Pacific
Railroad dashed into one OF the Omnibus
Company's horsecars, which contained sew
eral persons, and wrecked and threw it sew
eral feet distant.
A passenger ma med Michael Gallagher had
his right foot crushed so badly that it will
have to be amputated, and the driver. John
Sheehan, was pinioned beneath the car and
internally injured.
Sheehan was seen shortly after the coils
ion by a CALL reporter, bit was so excited
that he could give no intelligible account of
how it occurred. From his remarks about
the affair the following facts are gathered {:
He left Tenth and Howard streets with sew
eral passengers. all of whom were sitting
inside car 9, which he was driving, except
Gallagher, who was sitting On the rear DASH
board.
When the car reached Brannan street on
its way to South San Francisco, Sheehan,
seeing no headlights of engines, nor hearing
any bells of warning ringing, started to
drive across the track. All OF a sudden, and
before any one on the car knew anything of
crashed into it and hurled 1t several feet
across the street. Fortunately for the
passengers inside the car, the baggage
car crashed into the rear platform, but most
unfortunately for Michael Gallagher. an
empl0ye in D0lan's soap factory, who re-
sides at 212 Utah street with his
family. Gallagher, as stated above.
was sitting on the rear dash board, but per-
mitted his fOotto dangle over the second step
on the right side of the car. Consequently
when the baggage-car struck the platform
GallagheT'S leg above the ankle was
crushed into jelly. When the collision
occurred Driver Sheehan was thrown to the
ground, and the car slid over him. The
passengers, among whom were three CHI
nese, were thrown into heap inside the
car. and all were more or less bruised.
Off Ger j. NJ. Lewis, who was in the yicin-
itY. FASTENED to the scene of the accident
when he heard the yells of the frightened
passengers and the wounded Gallagher. lie
called patrol wagon and then set about to
eXtricate Sheehan from his position beneath
the car. Gallagher was laid on the ground
until the patrol wagon arrived and then
taken TO the City and County Hospital.
The doctors after examining his mangled
leg decided that it would be necessary to
amputate it, His family we're notified, as
the operation could not be performed with
out their permission. They objected TO the
cutting off of the leg. and as they desired to
take Gallagher home the patrol wagon ac-
cOmmodated them.
Richard Powells, who had charge Of the
yard engine which was backing the bag
gage-car down to Fourth and Townsend
streets, knows nothing as to the manner in
which the accident occurred. He claims
that his bell was ringing, and cannot
understand how the cardriver failed to hear
it. On the other hand the Omnibus people
maintain that the engines bell was not
ringing, nor was the electric bell at the
crossing. The place is very dark in con-
sequence of the lack of street lamps, and
people living near the scene of the accident
say it is a wonder that number of col
liSions have not occurred before this. Trains
are being made up by the Southern Pacific
all night long and yard engines running at
ali times between Sixteenth and Fourth
ard Townsend streets.
John Sheenan, the driver Of ear 9, Is one
of the Oldest drivers in the city. He has
driven cars here for a number Of years, and
was engaged in the same occupation in st.
Louis aud New Orleans He is regarded as
very careful man, and other drivers who
have known him for long time say that he
is not man who takes any chances in max
ing a crossing. They maintain that the
bells could not have been ringing, and that
the darkness of the place led him to drive
over the railroad track without seeing the
baggage-ear coming toward him.