The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-07-13
STARTLING CAR ACCIDENT
Trolly Wire Wraps Aboat a Crowded
Motor and Causes Great Terror.
Car Full Of Struggling Passengers Sur.
rounded with Electric Flames-Few
Injured. and None Seriously.

" llilBOl5 btEccb III
the vicinity of Fourth street were witness
es of a very novel electrical display about
$50 o'clock last night. the apparatus for
which was furnished by the street-car
company. 1t was about this time when
motor car No. 277 on the Fairview Park
line. drawing trailer No. 207, was coming
south on Illinois street. At the first pole
north of Fourth street the trolley wire was
broken and hanging down upon the track.
1t was not noticed by the motorman until
the cars were very close to the hanging
wire. and the current was reversed imme-
diately, but before the brake could be set
the car had run into the wire, which wrapped
round and round the front end of il. and
became so entangled with the wheels that
IL was impOssib BILE TO set the brake.
The wire in contact with the wheels sup
piled a So iii cient to run the car q dis
tanee of about $50 feet before it was finally
stopped. Persons residing along the street
say that II would be impossible TO describe
the scene of the flight of the cer wrapped
Ii a blue electrical flame that seemed to
enyeloD the entire car. From the rapidly
revolving wheels there wac sent forth q
storm of sparks and blue flame
which lighted up the street for q con-
siderable distance. There were probably
twenty passengers upon the motor. which
was In charge of Batty, with Andy Me-
Eulty. motOrman. and about q dozen on
the trailer. In charge of A. j. Lyons. The
passengers on the motor car became fright
ened and most of them tried To jump from
the car. and IL was only due TO the presence
of mind of the conductor that more were
not hurt. Men, jumped from the car.
women screamed and clam bered over and
under the seats in their excitement. not
knowing they were doing. The
49,
brake, trying TO set it and stop the car,
and during il all the wire was wrapping
itself around the car. splitting blue sparks
In the faces of the passengers. and the
flames issuing from about the wheels cast
q weird blue light over the whole that
made q scene never TO be FORGOTTEN by per.
sons who saw il. A number of them say it
was the most terrible sight they ever wit
messed, and that tine Gar looked like some
regions flying down the street on
an errand of destruction. j. III.
Sharpe. residing at the corner of Fourth
and Illinois street. said 1t looked like q fly
ing funeral pyre. One could soc q crowd of
wildly excited persons in the car ehind
the blue flames frRntically gesticulating
and sorambling over the seats. endeavoriDg
to reach the running board and escape from
the car.
The street, for quite a distance above and
below the scene of the accident, Is torn up
for improvement, and this made it very
dangerous to attemp pit to alight from q NOV
ing car at any time. and much more 80 for
women and children laboring under
great excitement and intent only on get
ting out OF the car in some way.
Conductor Lyons. of the trailer. by force
prevented one girl from jumping from the
car and probably saved her life by doing
SO. When the flames fist began to fly
from the wheels she started to Jump from
the car. but was caught by Lyons. who
held her on the car till it stopped. On the
motor was Judge Lott, his wife and son
and Mrs. Inflow. of Independence. Kan.. his
mother-in-law. The latter kept her seat
for awhile till several persons had jumped
from the car. and then. before she could be
prevented from doing so, she jumped Just as
the car crossed Fourth street. She fell
upon her face On the ground and received n
slight cut on the forehead and was bruised
ab6ut the body. but her injuries are not
serious. Judge Lott jumped after her. and
was thrown TO the ground and received
several slight bruises. Aside from q few
slight bruises and shocks. no one else was
injured. Jesse Mount. residing on Prospect
street, and Thomas Holmes. residing at No.
260 East Washington street. were upon the
front seat In the motor car, and both re-
ceived slight shocks, and Mount was
slightly bruised about the body in alight-
ing from the car,
Mrs. Inflow was carried into the residence
OF j. II. Sharpe. on the corner. and Dr. Tai
bolt was called to attend her. The injuries,
as stated. were slight and the nervous
shock was moro than the injuries received
In the fall. She Is q woman we'll along in
years. but displayed remarkable courage
under the circumstances. A carriage was
called. and she was taken to her rooms in
the Windsor Hotel, in company with Judge
Lott and family. Travel on the line was
stopped for several hours before the damage
could be repaired. and care on the limo
were run around College avenue and over
T~wenty-sixth street.