Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-02-05
A RUNAWAY CAR
CAUSED A BAD SMASH-UP ON TIE ISLAND
YESTERDAY.
An Electric Motor and Salt Car Rushed Down
the Bridge Incline at Terrible Speed
and Crashed Into Q. n, COsns
Property.

At half-past three o'clock yesterday
morning another accident occurred on
the grade at the west end Of the new
steel bridge over the river, which re-
suited in the wounding of one man,
serious injuries to motor car No. As, and
the damaging of the property about the
front Of the residence Of Mr.. G. NJ.
Coen, at the corner of South Penn and
Ohio streets.
About three o'clock in the morning
motor No. 45, drawing a salt car, passed
north over the Market street line, went
around the Tenth street loop, and after
attending to the tracks in the upper
portion OF town, ran down TO the steel
bridge and started over. The car was
being operated by Supt M. LOTUS, in
person, and one or two employees OF the
company, and perhaps one passenger,
were on board. When the grade at the
west end of the bridge was struck the
cars ran all right for short distance,
and then the brakes must have failed TO
work, for the car became uncomfortable
and flew down the long grade at an ever
accelerating rate Of speed. When the
east side OF Penn street was reached the
cars must have been going at the rate
Of twenty-five miles an hour, aud
they left the track at the curve and
started straight across Penn street.
over the course taken by number Of
runaway cars in times past. Striking
the curbing on the west side OF the
street, Sthe stones were shattered, a
heavy post, eight or ten inches through.
the remains Of big pole broken off
four or five feet above the ground by a
former accident, was snapped of even
with the ground, and the motor tore
across the pavement, wrecked a sec
ton of Mr.. Coen's fence, broke the
heavy stone step at the gate In two, and
plowed through the yard, tearing up
earth and bricks, until the front plat
form of the car was within foot or so
OF the front door of the residence, be-
fore the momentum was checked. To
run across the street, shatter and mount
the curbstone TO the pavement, cut
deep ruts in the bricks, snap of a
heavy post, break down the fence,
break a stone a foot wide and thick in
two, mount into the yard, and then run
almost to the house through the bricks
of the paved walk augurs high rate
of speed when the cars left the track.
The men on the cars were very badly
shaken up, but all escaped except a
Martins Ferry citizen, an employe OF
the Etna Standard, who is said to bave
had one arm fractured and otherwise
injured. The cars were both badly
damaged, as may be imagined, and as
late as last evening there was consider
able wreckage al the spot. The crash
of the accident awakened good many
Jeople in the neighborhood, and yes
terday morning large crowd watched
the work OF getting the cars ont Of the.
yard, aud of the sidewalk and back on
the track.
The curbing in front OF Mr.. Coen's is
now about a total wreck, from the re-
peated ooslaughts OF electric motors,
while Mr.. Coen has about given up the
idea Of trying to keep front fence, aud
is thinking of trying a stone wall.
Enquiry about the accident was made
yesterday at both the Forty-eiRhth
street car barns and at the Tenth street
office. but no information could be OBJ
tained at either place. At FOrty-eighth
street the official in the Office said he
didn't know there had been an acci-
dent, ana assured the reporter no
one about the place knew any more
than be did, while at Tenth street they
believed there had been some trouble,
but they didn't know much about it.
1t has been suggested that change
in the curve from the bridge onto Penn
street would likely avert what may be
a serious accident 10 the future.