The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-05
CAR ACCIDENT IN OAKLAND.
Miss May Coates and Attorney
w. H. Waste the Victims.
CRASHED INTO BY THE LOCAL.
Distress of the Survivor and the
Young Lady's Relatives-Cause
of the Collision.

A frightful accident occurred last nlgnt
at Seventh street and Broadway, In OAK
land. where two streetcar lines Zone
cable and the other an electric) cross the
broad-gauge local train track, on which
trains run every half hour in the day ana
hourly after P. b., and at a point at
which lust such an accident has been long
expected.
A cabIe-car of the San Pablo avenue
line was run into by the down train from
Fruitvale, and one passenger was Killed
and another badly bruised, at 7:15 last
evening, The train was late. it is stated,
and should have been at the stopping
place in the next block at 1903. The fact
that travel was light at that hour on the
streetcar line is the only reason that 1t
was not full car and that moro lives were
not sacrificed.
w. II. Waste, well-knOwn young at
torney, and his fancee - Miss May
Coates-were riding inside the car, the only
passengers aboard, and intended getting
out on the opposite side of the street to
take this very train to the city, where the
young couple were to attend the military
tournament at the Mechanics Pavilion.
Just as the rear end of the cable got
1aIly UU bu6 uOWu VI avn bhCIO 60 q WI
rife crash. The engine, with the heavy
train behind it, plowed ahead through the
debris of the wrecked sreetcar. which
was lifted and turned about like straw,
and the occupants were thrown, cut,
bruised and bleeding by broken glass and
shattered timbers, at least thirty feet to
the sidewalk in front of Kent's corner.
In moment tender hands raised the in
jured people and carried them out of the
fast-gatheriUg crowd. The young man,
Waste, appeared the stronger and was able
to totter about a bit, but he was forced to
be still while the patrol was sent for He
was worried about thu young lady. who
was lying helpless. but breathing family.
She appeared TO take some stimulants Of
fered, but seemed badly hurt.
The patrol was on hand in few minutes,
and Mr. Waste and Miss Coates were taken
to the Receiving Hospital, but the poor
girl. it was noticed. was dead when the
hospital was reached. She had died on
the way. She was laid on the operating
table and an examination showed an ugly
fracture at the base of the skull, on the
left side, which, no doubt rendered her
unconscious from the first. The
about the head and consisted of
at least half dozen gashes. but for
tuuately none of a dangerous character.
He said when spoken TO that he did not
feel much pain. but he mourned constant
~ for the young woman. When told that
she was dead his actions were pitiful and
he upbraided himself.
Her poor mother" he cried. "What
will she say? How can she be told of it?"
Wastes story is substantially as above.
He thought, however, that there was one
other passenger in the car. and he was
also of the impression that the conductor
was inside collecting his fare, or had been
Immediately previous. The conductor at
this point should be out to pilot his car
across the track, as is customary.
The crash seemed to be at the rear or
closed portion of the car, as the back end
is all torn out, that side having been
struck where Waste and the young lady
sat.
The gripman was saved because in
front, and it must be that the conductor
vas also about the front somewhere. The
gripmsn of the car, No. l. was Billy
Josephs. and the conductor is John VIII
son, but neither OF them would talk when
approached on the subject. No doubt
both had been considerably shaken Up.
One witness said the conductor was out
plotting the car. and that the flagman be-
came confused and gave the wrong signal.
He has a red and white lantern. with
the white signaling to come ahead, while
with the red he warns off or stops teams
or cars. The flagman is c. A. Blethen.
and his story is that he gave the right sig
nails. He said he stood in the middle OF
the street between the up and down roads,
and while he warned off the streetcar
with the red light he waved the train to
come on.
An eyewitness says that the fault lay
with the train. Ii was late and coming or
fast. He thought the streetcar was safe
over, but expected to see an express
wagon run down. He said the conductor
of the cable-car was out, and as usual had
motiOned his car to come ahead. He said
he did not see the fiagman at all.
The unfortunate woman who came to SO
untimely an end, Miss May Coates, was
well known in Oakland, where she had re-
sided a number Of years. She was a
teacher in the Garfield School and %
years OF age. She bad a large circle of
friends, among whom she was much be-
loved. She resided at 612 Fifteenth street
with her aged mother, whose sole reliance
and support she was.
The news of the sudden bereavement
was broken gently to the mother las,
night and she was Frustrated. The younp
woman had left the house so short a time
previously light-hearled and happy. her
last words to the mother being, Don't ge,
lonesome, I'll be home early" Miss
Coates body was taken to the undertaking
parlors Of the Coroner at $50 o'clock las,
evening and an inquest will be held to.
day.
Her escort. Mr.. Waste. theIyoung girl's
fiance, is a well-knOwn young attorney
of Oakland, and for a long time was re.
porter on one of the local papers. He lad