Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-11-17
DEATH IN STREETCAR
Thirteen People Drowned In The City Of
Cleveland.
THROUGH AN OPEN DRAW
The vehicle, with Its Passengers,
PIunxcs Into the CuynhoRa River,
Though Danger-siguaIs Are I'm
Full View.


Full View.
CLEVELAND, O., November l6.-A
frghtful accident. by which thirteen peo-
pie lost their lives occurred in the heart
OF the city this afternoon. Owing 10 'ne
criminal negligence and still uneSpiaih-
able carelessness OF a street-car conduc-
tor. a car well-llled with people took an
awful plunge of 40 feet from the draw
of the Central viaduct into the dark
waters of Cuyahoga river.
The accident occurred at 7:3 O'clock
The Central vIaduct is a long stone ana
, iron structure which crosses the Naiiey
railroad and the Cuyahoga river, ana
connects Jennings avenue on the south
side with Central avenue Oh the east
The bridge Is 10 feet above the river.
The draw was open for a tug drawing
schooner. which was about 10 pass De-
meath the bridge. As usual. the gates
were closed on both sides OF the draw.
and danser-lghts were displayed 10 guard
against accidents. An electrician was
seen coming along from the east towards
the south side, but Captain Charles Bren-
nan, who has charge Of the bridge, had
no thought of danger. as the usual pre-
cautions had been observed. The car was
one OF the Cedar and Jennings-Avenue
Branch OF the big consolidated line, ana
had fourteen passengers, d conductor, ana
a motorman aboard.
At what is known as the 'derallinx-
switch" some 200 feet from the draw,
the conductor mechanically alighted, as
Is the won't OF all conductors at TINS
point TO see II all WAS right. The car
came to a standstill. and tho motorman
waited for orders. The conductor, for
some unaccountable reason, failed TO see
9he red signal Of danger or the closed
gates, or. perhaps. custom made MN
careless, and he signallsd to the motor
man. John Rogers, 10 come ah'ad. Inc
motorman turned on the electric-current'
the conductor jumped aboard the car.
and. at considerable speed, the vehicle
neared the death-trap. Why the motor
man did not see the danger-lighta. or the
closed gates sooner than he did will al
ways remain a mystery. but the tact re-
mains that he did not.
SEEN TOO LATE.
A few feet from the draw il dawned
upon the motorman that II was open.
With a speed born OF Jesneratlon. he
threw the handle and applied the brakes.
The brldge-captaln, seeing the approach
ing car, shouted like mailman, but 1t
availed nothing. The car was already
on the down-grade to the draw. and
the brakes would nCt hold the car on
the slippery rails The motorman, realiz-
ing his danger. fOrsOOk the precious car
90 he was hauling. and with wild cry
leaped of the front platform, ran down
the Viaduct In the direction Of Central
avenue. and disappeared I'm the darkness
At the same instant two male passengers
jumped of the rear platform, and escaped
death as by miracle.
The car reached the closed iron gates,
and in an instant the crash Of Swapping
iron and breaking glass was heard. This
alarmed the conductor who had stepped
inside. and ne was seen 10 make dash
for the rear door. but he was too late.
A second later the car swayed OF the edge
of the awful space, steadied for an Ia
slant. as though In frantic endcayor
10 maintain Is equilibrium. and then
topplel over. There was an agonizing
chorus OF screams. and in an Instant
all was quiet. The car struck upon a
projection OF piles In the abutment be-.
meath the draw. then turned. and col
lapsed and fell into the dark river below,
scattering It's passengers I'm all directions,
and breaking the tOw-ine between the
TUG and the schooner that were passing.
ONLY \ FEW ORGANS.
\ few suppressed grOans were heard
by the men vino happened To be on the
docks below.
Men from the bridge above and from
the docks. who witnessed the accident.
called 10 the men OF ;he tug 10 pick
up the people, but only two passengers-
one man and one woman-were rescued
The news OF the accident spread rapidly.
and in a few minutes a iire-bOat. six
ambulances, six dead-wagOns. and
squad OF policemen were on hand. Tn
injured man and woman were taken
TO a hospital. and the work Of reacuinS
the bodies was taken up. one By one
they were found and taken 70 under
taking establishments In different parts
OF the city, as Cleveland has no morgue.
The work Of Identification was extremely
slow. Late at night, when the Southslde
residents heard of the catastrophe, ana
when they began to realize that their
loved ones had not yet returned nome
the undertaking establishments were tele-
pLoned and visited, several OF the bodies
being identified before midnight.
The police are on the lookout for the
motorman. and extra officers In every
part of the city are searching Tor num-
hut thus far ne mas not b''h aPPA'"N''''
DEAD IDENTIFIED.
Among the dead Identified up to mid
night are: A.,
Miss Martha Sauernhemer and Mrs:
John Sauernheimer. her sister-in-law' OF
No l5i Merchant avenue
John Hoffman, the conductor.
Curt. Lephene. lG-year-old boy who
had ticket in his pocket from London,
Canada IN Victoria. IB. G.
Bessie Davies, school-teacher, OF Noyes
street. 10 years old.
Henry w. Mecklenburg, tailor; NO. IL
Mary street; 80 years old.
Harry W. Hortster. clerk for the Root
G. Mcbride Co., No. 81 Mentor avenue; 20
years old
lanes Mclaughlin. printer, No. II
Trowbridge avenue; % years old.
- Ferguson.
John Soorenger and George Reiss were
the men who Jumped off the platform.
Pat. Rooney was taken from the river
alive. but badly injured.
TEMPLAR COuRTEsIEs.