Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-04-01
DEATH IN THE RIDE
Three Passengers Killed in a
Trolley Runaway.
PANIC THE CAUSE OF THE HORROR

Motor Brakes Give Way and the Terrified
Men and Women Prevent the Conductor
from Averting the Disaster-Burned 10
Death in Forest Fire-woods AbIaxe In
kentucky and Indiana-Heavy Loss at
Victoria, Near cioverport, Ky.
EVANSVILLE, Pa. April 1.-The worst
accident in the history of the trolley roads
In this region and one that was thrilling
In the extreme resulted in the death of
three persons, the fatal wounding prob
ably OF two others and the severe injury
OF several more. and the fatality was due
in part to a panic among the passengers,
who crowded about the conductor and
motorman Of the unmanageable train.
The disaster occurred en- car No. 20 Az
the car passed out on the grade leading
down the mountain Motorman Seitz ap-
piled the brake, but the chain snapped.
He then threw the safety lever. To his
terror this refused to work and the terri
He'd motorman sprang to the reverse
brake. hoping to control the car by the
current. The actions Of the motorman
and the speed of the car had by this time
alarmed the passengers Failing to con-
troll the car Seitz shouted to Conductor
Socks to apply the rear brake. The mo-
torman's shouts caused panic on the
car and the passengers made q rush for
the platform
Going at the Rate of . Mile . Minute.
The car was going down the mountain
q mile a minute Conductor Socks ap-
pealed to the passengers to go back into
the car SO that he might apply the rear
brake, but his appeals were not needed.
David Backman, of Hazleton, and two
other men endeavored to keep the women
from throwing themselves from the car,
but try as they would they could not pre-
vent the frightened women crowdin9
around the conductor until the car was
entirely beyond control. Mrs. Williams
was the first to jump. Her body struck
against a post, breaking her back and
causing instant death. Mrs. Early next
flung herself of and was dashed to death.
She tried to save her boy, but he shared
the same fate as his mother. The re-
manning passengers with one exception
then jumped.
CoIlidcd with q Telegraph Pole.
Mrs. Evans was the only person to re-
main on the car with the exception Of the
motOrman and conductor. The car kept
the track until the crossing near the foot
of the incline was reached. Here 1t jumped
the track and crashed into a telegraph
pole. The front Of the car was stove in
and a piece of board penetrated Mrs.
Evans side. Tho screams Of the frantic
passengers as the car rushed down the
mountain could be heard for half n mile.
The residents Of this place hastened to
the scene of the accident and did all they
could to relieve the suffering.
List of Dead and Wounded.
The dead are: Mrs. Watkin L. Will.
iams, of Hazleton; Mrs. John r. Early,
of Beaver Meadow, and the latter's son
James. nged 8 years. The fatally injured
are: Mrs James Evans, of Colerain, side
torn open and otherwise injured; Mrs.
John Weir, wife Of Superintendent Weir.
of Beaver Meadow, back hurt These
persons were seriously injured: Watkin
L. Williams. husband of the woman who
was killed, legs and side bruised; Maggie
Herrity, of Beaver Meadow, leg broken
and body cut and bruised; three children
of Mrs. Evans; Hannah Somers, of Beaver
Meadow, body hurt and head cut; Morris
Hughes, of Wilkcsbarre, badly bruised
about the body. Mrs. Evans has since
died
Rear Brakes Would Have Held the Car.
Had the passengers remained in the car
the accident could have been averted, as
the rear brake would have held the car
and prevented the runaway. There are
six attachments on each car provided for
such an emergency, but the conductor was
wedged SO tightly against the dasher by
the panic-stricken women that he was un-
able to move his arms until the car had
gotten beyond control The motorman
and conductor were but slightly injured.