The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-11-18
AgONDUCEOR'SMINDER
PLUNGED DOWN A HUNDRED FEET
Into the River usiou-Fifteen Dead Bodies
Already Recovered and Four Others Who
Are Missing VIII Probably be Found
Under the Car.

tS"ehhtoJ nfsnt, sfi,n uAoPPcNA AoA WV st.'o
the river below. Patrick Looney Is the
only survivor OF those who went down
with the car. He IL at tho hospital In a
critical condition He says that his recoi-
lection OF the accident Is not very clear
The first intimation he had that an acci-
dent was to occur was when he felt the car
falling. Before he knew what had hap
pened he became unconscious and remem-
bered nothing more until he came 70 at
tho hospital.
On the rear platform Of the car before 1t
made the terrible plunge were G. A. Fer
guson, Of Parma, o.; John SeFiger, OF
Dover, o.; Andy Radke and Jake Heller.
All jumped and were saved. Heller says
the car was going slowly, and that he
heard some one cry out "Stop the car,
stop the car" He also says there was
woman on tho platform, and that she
jumped safely away, but Immediately cried
out that her daughter was In the car.
The Central Viaduct Is huge silt
bridge 5000 feet long, made of iron. 1t
connects the heights and the prosperous
residence section ON the South Side with
the business center of the city. Directly
over the river is a drawbritics Of the pivot
swinging pattern, and this N 1Ol feet above
the surface of the water. The South Side
HlItcG fuliFOHu puS3eS over tnB DElu4t, Huu
on either side Of the draw there IL a safety
switch, which. unless the conductor aliahts
and holds IN a handle, will send a car
into the gutter instead OF allowing it to
no on the draw.
All reports seem 20 agree that the III
fateti motor car approached the draw lust
as a vessel was nearing IL, and the bridge
attendauta had CLOSED the big iron pntes
and were preparing 10 swing the draw. As
is the rule. the car stopped and the con-
duetor went forward to release the switch
in case the way WINS clear. An eve witness
declares that though the rates were closed
and the draw was already in motion the
conductor raised the switch handle.
The motorman applied tho current and
the car shot forward and struck the pates
with crash There was only a moments
pause. and then the heavy car ground its
way through the wreckare and plunged
over the brink into the black ABYSS amid
the screams and frantic STRUGGLES of the
passengers, who Mt the flrst intimation Of
danger rushed for the rear door. The car
atrnch with n great smash and then there
yyas silcnce
All Of the dead have been identified Init
four nersons who were supnosed TO have
been on the IN fated car as il made the NV
fnl nlnnge are still missing and thera
seems m he no doubt that their bodies will
he taken frnm the bottom Of the yiver
when tho heavy iro, t,icks Of the yvrecked
motor arc raised
Ono az the hodiea found Yesterday was
that of little Gertie Uoffman agea Az
yoars who was go,rg home FROM tbe atore
yvbere ha,. father xras emnloved with her
motber and brother The other bodv was
chat If T.ouis Uulatz a mail carrior a,.d
on yeara who live6 with bia vito at "a
Rrevier street His bead vvns sniff onen
fro,,, tha forahoad down to tha nbin ~
there is No dnubt tbat ba WINS ki,led besora
the car settled in the yyater
Tho tlrJing NJ tho bodv ~ Iitt,a Gort,a
Hartman fIied tho cun Of sorroxy IA A
w Uoffman a s,rooo.v s,Ios,n.r Sba,ras
tbe last aen,bsr Of his family His wife
and con Harvev ,y.rr. taire,, FROM, tha river
Satur5ay nioht when HofF,nan rcaiivo5
,vhot hay,none,i 10 Mn, M hecay,a hereft N
his reason Rushing Ia the river be
ninnged In and tried m drown bimseif
but ,Soa rescued NV fr,ends who tool rim
ayvay and tr;ed to con,fort bi,n
The work Of rescnino, tbe hodiea xvos I,e.
sun iuemediatalv after tbe accident ,rd
r. stiIl in nrograss Tb,rteen ho,iios wore,
,.,,,nvora5 dnrina s,atnr5av ,,io,ht a,,1 .his
,vns ,nereosed ~ fiftacn ysst.r5,.y
f{r;s5,as Cnntain f,barIos Rr.nr.r said
vestprdav. t.hu The regrIar dancer siss
naIs wore mt ont and tbe o,atea closa5
T,he bridye bad sxvnnp clear aroupd and
the hoat had annroaehed almost under II
xvbe, xras dumfouu,ied IN zoe tho ca,. an.
nroacbing 7 cried ont with Mi INV might.
tSto,, ston. Cor Cnd,. sale a.o, th,t nar,,
The notor,pan was endeavorino RI ston
tbe chr hut II seemei that his efforts WERE
N M ,,sa For the ear al mo zteadily ~, a,,a
erasbed info the iron gntes which ,,avo
way. and in n second the car had rome o,,e,.
the nrecinios. inst as the car struet tbs
oates tbe frIohtcped motorman ;u,,ned
and fall on the briage saw the ,notor,
man ahont fen minutes after tho occ,aa,,t
INF be ,iisanpearefl sbortlv after1varyis ),
Last NIGHT Augnst Rogers the ,,,o+,--
,non of the I'M fated ear was cbarf,a., ,yith
manslonybter This action wac talro,, Nv,
chief az Police Uoshn aftor he bad i,,,o:
tigated the .oc,dent Rogera gives This M.
count of tbe accident.
,iVhap INV motor reacbed the e,v,t,b ot
the annroacb Of the draw in the yiadnct
sbut Of INV current and annlie5 the hrato
The car came 10 a full ston and Tho con.
ductor ran ahead md tbrsvy tho sritch
He motioned me ahead with a wave ~ h,s
arm mt INV lever AT the first motel