The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-02-05
NARROW ESCAPE.
Accident on the San
MateO Railroad.
A Car COliideS With a Buggy Con.
tanning a Woman and Two
Children.

The San Mateo Electric Railroad seems
to be prolific OF accidents. It is only
eight days ago that about thirty or FORTY
people were more or less jpinred nv car
running OFT the track and being capsized.
and last night three persons narrowly es-
capped being crushed to death.
Car II, while going west about twenty
minutes to o'clock, collided with a buggy
between Army and Twenty-seventh
streets. The buggy was being driven by
Mrs. Mary McConahey, wife of James Nc
Couahey. carpenter and builder, 16 Dame
street, between Thirtieth and Thirty-first.
her fye-year-old daughter. Maude, and
Maggie Farmer. II years of age. who re-
sides with her parents on Arlington street.
The buggy was being driven along the
track. and owing to the fact that there is a
steep rise after crossing Army street the
mOtorman did not observe IL till he got to
the top of the hill He Immediately rang
the bell and made a grad for the lever to
stop the car. but missed it.
Sergeant Burke was sitting on the
dummy close TO the motorman. and when
he saw the motOrman miss the lever he
yelled like COmanche warrior 10 the &C.
eupants OF the buggy to get off the tracy,
and the motOrman joined in the yell.
Mrs. McConahey had just pulled the
rein to turn the horse off the track when
the Car crashed into the buggy and the
three occupants were thrown into the air.
Sergeant Burke, who tad his umbrella
IN his left hand, grabbed hold of Mrs. Nc
Conahey's dress with his right hand as
she was disappearing III front of the car
and held on like grim death, but the mate
rial Of the dress was not strong enough to
sustain her weight, and TO his horror it
ripped and she fell to the ground, shrek
Ing with fright. The two children also fell
In front of the car.
fortunately the motOrman had not lost
his presence of mind when he missed the
level, and his second attempt was more
successful. He pulled the car up with a
short jerk. but not before the woman anu
the TWO children had been showed along
the track for few feet by the guard.
Wnen the passengers, conductor and
motormah Jumped to the ground they ex-
pected to ind three maneled bodies. and
they were only too glad when Maggie
Farmer crawled out and said: Pm not
hurt"
Mrs McConahey's daughter was crying
piteously. but it was found that it was
more fright than pain.
Mrs. McCOuahey was unconscious, and
DIR. Miller was hastiy summoned He
found she had sustained two scalp wounds.
but 10 the joy of all she gradually re-
gained consciousness. As she was lifted
to her feet she looked around in dazed
manner and asked "Whathas happened TO
me? Where am l? Who took my horse
ana buggy home?" Then she slowly
compre hended the situation and burst into
tears.
The buggy had been smashed into
pieces and the horse broke away, but was
captured by some boys and taken to its
stable.
Mrs. McConahey and the two children
were placed on the car and taken as near
as possible to her residence. She was
then bic to walk home.
She had been out at the Midwinter Fair
grounds to see her husband. who is erect
Ing some of the buildings there, and was
returning home in the buggy when the
accident occurred.
DR. Miller said that she wnpld suffer
considerably from the shock to her sys-
TEN, although the wounds on her head
were not serious.
All who witnessed the accident saw that
the escape of herself and TWO children
from death was most miraculous one.