The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-11-25
Death instantaneous. the Unfortunate
Man Being Manglcd Beneath
the Wheels and Trucks.
Tue Car Ran Into n switch AT High
Speed and 1t There jumped
the Rails.

lie little thought 1t was his last run on
earth. but so it proved. At the switch
on Central avenue and Ninth street the
car Jumped the track and ii few seconds
later the pilot was beneath the wheels
dead.
John Larson was on the car al the
time. lie was the only person aboard
save Mckenzie. lie was off duty for the
night and was coming home on the last
car. He says the car was running at "A
high rate of speed as it neared the
switch. but he had no though of dan
ger. He felt the car leave the rails. the
trolley slipped from the wire and all was
dark. As soon as the car stopped he
ran around To the front end to see II
the pilot was safe. Not seeing him he
called out his name. but received no
response. tie then looked under the car
and saw McKenzie's feet protrudlng.
| He took hold of them and shook the
man. but still receiving no reply he ran
down Central avenue and summoned
assistance.
\ number of men were soon at the
scene. among them being Supcrintend
ent Dickinson. Of the street railway.
! Mckenzie, it was seen at a glance. was
dead. lie was lying just back of the
motor. between the front and rear trucks.
HIS head was crushed and his brains
were lying ON the ground. He was
placed ON Il etrctchcr and removed to II
pace in Powers undertaking rooms.
Drs. ADAMS ard Gclsthorpe had been
summoned. They made an examination
a. f. the extent Of the injuries, The
head was crushed. the %fcnoral artery
severed. and a cash ia the abdomen al
lowed the intcstinc- to prOtrude. while
the right thigh bone and both bones of
the left leg were fractured, Death was
Of course instantaneous
From what could he seen at the place
the accident occurred, which was visited
by Il TRImNl reporter, the car had left
the track some scventy-tive feet north Of
where if was standing. showing IT must
T have been running at Il high rate "f
= specd. Mckenzie had stald al his post
. until the wheels struck the rail and had
then been thrown ~ front ~ the car,
| The wheels struck the Central avenue
} track lust as he fell and the momentum
of the ear carried il forward 50 that
when the trucks settled, after being
t raised by coming into contact with the
e rail the wheels crashed through the
pilots head and the wheels on the OPP
positr side caused the fractures. His
brains lay scattered on the ground AND
i even after his body had been removed
there were to be seen portions OF the
t BRAIN and "a large piece Of his skull was
;" also found
i Mckenzie had been in the employ .
the street railway company but ii few
o ! weeks. but was considered one Of tn,
/. most Trustworthy men IN the line. III
n is SAID to have beer employed in Mime
# apoii- and ~. Paul hcfor" coming her
=. in :, similar capacity. Before goin!
- 10 work for tine street railway compan.
& he had been employed as clerk at tn
Milwaukee h"usr.
z His sister. Mrs \. q. Hay, who re-
u sides at the Milwaukee house. was al
', most distracted when told Of her broth
rr'R sudden death. Her HUSBAND
and friends were with her. hu
her grief seemed lnrunso!dhi,
She told "A friend that hc
q brother was about - wears Of = an'
O that he came to Montana some tw.
e ,ycar4 ago. His relatives, except Mr.
Hay are living in Canada. Mr.. Ncken
lir was hlghlv este ed 10y his felloN
e workmcn and bv all vino knew him ia
~ hls manly behavior and "Ncmplar
N christian life.
IS Superintendent Dickinson say TN
lc car must have been running very rapid
II when il came tu the switch. McN"nZl
~ either did not turn otf the current an
y apply the brake AS hc should have dom
of or he lost ms head when hr saw tt
nrarncss of the switch which he was al
preaching 50 rapidly ON tive grade, IT
ear is the last one brought over the In
at night. The men are or duty at
O'clock. but they bring the car To til
emit Of the line not only for the reason
brings them homr. but for the purpot
of taking out the crew in the mornIn
The foregoing is all that could uc a
crrtaIncd after the accident. IN l
quest will bc hcld today. and addition
facts may hc developed. but from VIII
/ was seen last night the pilot caused b
own death 10y running into a switch on
curve at IA rate Of speed entirely too hig
The accident is IA most deplorablc OF
but it contains a lesson which 9th
pilots will 10 well to profit 10y