Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1894-02-24
AN AERIAL HORROR.
Death and Maimlng Two Hundred Fest
Above tho Tennessee RIver-An Acct.
dent to an Aerial Gable Csr-Thrliling
Experience Of seven -seekers-A
Young Lover Killed In the Presence Of
His Fiauce Was tho Cable Cut:

Above the Tennessee Rivor-An Acct.
dent to an Aerial Cable CaF-Thriiling
Experience Of seven Pleasures e-seekers-A
Young Lover Killed In the Presence Of
His fiauce Was tho Cable Cut:
MEMrHls, Tenn. Feb. ia special
to the Commercial from Knoxville,
Tenn, says: One killed and several
slightly hurt. is the result Of most
thrilling accident in this city yester-
day afternoon. The draw cable Of an
aerial car snapped in two, leaving the
car and passengers 300 feet in midair,
while the broken end of the cable
smashed through the frail car filed
with humanity to do its deadly work.
Longstreet Heights is the name Of
. beautiful tract of land south Of the
river and about two miles above the
city, owned by a real estate firm.
Some interested gentlemen erected
from the north bank Of the river to a
high bluff on the south side an
aerial cable line. At its highest
point the car is nearly 800 feet
above the Tennessee river. and
the trip over, while being most thrill
ing, afforded n beautiful view of the
surrounding country TO the passen.
gers. 4 car which would hold per-
haps twenty persons hung suspended
from two heavy cables, five feet apart
and one and five-eiglths inches in di.
ameter The engine house was located
on the north bank, and the car was
hauled TO the dizzy height by an end.
less cable five-eighths Of inch thick,
which wound around two drums.
Yesterday afternoon the car had ear.
ricd many passengers and made its last
trip about o'clock. Seven people
were in it, besides C. L. Lewis. who
stood at the brake.
When within 100 feet of the bluff the
drawing cable snapped in two between
the car and engine room and the car
started back as il shot from huge
cannon. Near the center of the river,
and fully 200 feet above it, its progress
was suddenly checked as the broken
end OF the cable wound itself like huge
serpent around the car 1t went crash.
through the wooden car, only to wind
itself around and crush through its top
again, as if it were but made of paper
There the car and passengers hung for
nearly two hours. while every minute
the crowd increased until a thousand
persons lined the bank Of the river
Employees seemed dazed and il was
some time before a long rope was Sc
cured. This was slipped down the
cable to the clrand a steamer anchored
itself directly underneath.
VIII kibley, boy, was the first to
be let down, and the crowd cheered
Justify as he was landed Next came
Miss Alice Wariel. who stood the
shock bravc|y. Belief gained ground
that no one had been hurt, hut those
familiar knew otherwise for in the
car hove Oliver Ledgerwood lay dying,
his life blood oozing from two ugly
wounds in the head. lie had gone
with Miss Wardell, his fance, for the
novel trip which ended SO disas-
trously.
One by one the passengers were let
down until the car was cleared. When
Ledgerwood reached the boat a sur.
geon pronounced his injuries fatal and
in less than ten minutes he was dead.
His skull had been fractured in two
places,
Mr. Fred Melee, another passenger,
suffered severe injury to one leg,
while Henry Hatcher's right hand was
badly hurt. Hugh Rule. boy, was
standing near the engine house when
the cable broke and was struck by the
end and seriously hurt.
Persons in the car say that Ledger
wood never reganed consciousness
after being struck. lie was promis-
ing Young lawyer and leaves Wild
owed mother to mourn his loss.
Before the coroner's jury last night
J. J.. Patton, one Of the lessees and
part owner of the cable line. made the
sensational statement, under oath,
that he believed the cable had been
cut. The matter will he fully investi-
gated