Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1893-11-09
THROUGH A DRAW.


Electric Car Through an Open Draw
bridge Into tho Willamette River at
Portland, Ore.-The Track was Slippery
from . Heavy Fog. and tho Brakes
Could Not Check the Momentum of the
Car.
PORTLAND, Ore, Nov. s.-Portland's
second street railway catastrophe
within year occurred early yesterday
morning, when an electric car from
Milwaukee, an East side suburb, to
this place, plunged through the open
draw of the Madison-street bridge and
sank in the Willamette river. There
were eighteen or twenty passengers
aboard when tn car started to cross
the bridge, and all but seven of them
saved their lives by leaping from the
car on the brink of death. Five corpses
have been recovered from the river,
and man and a boy are yet missing.
A Dense Fog Euveloped tho River.
1t was about s:25 when the car ar
rived at the bridge. A dense fog en-
veloped the river. and sharp frost
covered the rails with coating Of ice.
The draw had just been opened to al
low the passage of river steamer, and
the usual precautions of closing the
gates and displaying red signal lights
had been taken. Owing to the frost,
however, the car could not be stopped
in the usual distance, and dashed
through the frail gate and into the
river. The motorman, when he saw
he could not stop the car, gave tho
alarm to the passengers, and as many
as had time saved themselves by jump
ing.
Plunged In Just In Front of tho Boat.
The steamer was within a few yards
of the draw when the car crashed
through the frail barrier and plunged
into the river just in front of the bow
of the boat.
Details of the awful affair can be
best learned from statements of wit
nesses. Those of Motorman C. w.
Terry and Conductor w. c. Powers
were sworn to before Mayor Mason
and Chief of Police Hunt, who released
the men on their own recognizanceA
Motorman Terry says:
The MotormanrA Story.
The track was somewhat slippery
all the way, but it was worse on the
bridge than anywhere else. On reach
ing the bridge threw OF the power
and on entering the heavy fog I tried
the brake. The car was then about
three spans esst of the draw. The
brake worked all right and held tho
wheels, but the wheels slid along ON
the track. By this time 1 was within
one span of the draw. and for the
first time saw the red light I then
reversed the motor and put on full
power. It seemed to have no effect,
and the wheels continued to- slip, and
the power was, OBS to reverse when tho
car went down into the river. & stayed
with the car until it broke through tho
gate; then, seeing had done all in my
power, jumped, landing on the side
walk. / grasped the outside railing
and pulled myself up, for my feet were
the car had sunk ont of sight"
Called to the Passengers to Save. 1hsIa-
selves.
Conductor Powers tells what mean-
while was taking place within tho
car. He saw the rcd light at thessme
as the nstorman, and then
to hi. horror tha$ the
brakes would not hold the car.
II called to the passengers to save
just as the car struck the gate: saw
a number Of people jump before the car
left the bridge. and heard lady cry
ing for help. It was Miss Thayer, who |
was more frightened than hurt, for sho
got up and afterwards walkeG aeT0ss
the bridge to, her work"