Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-03-31
JUMPED FROM A TROLLEY CAR.
THAT HAD BROKEN LOOSE on A
MOUNTAIN SIDE.
THREE PERSONS WERE KILLED.
TWO PROBABLY FATALLY IN
JuRap AND TEN OTHERS HURT
sLldHTLY-How THE ACCIDENT
OCCURRED.

e@h-NtoN iA<l<1-, tA.t Mhrcn ~.
Three persons were instantly killed,
two probably fatally injured and ten
others slightly hurt on the Lehigh
Traction company by jumping from
runaway trolley car on the mountain
side near this place. The dead are,
MRS. NJ. WILLIAMS Of Hazleton
MRS. JOHN r, EARLY. Beaver
Meadow.
A son of Mrs. Early. aged J.
The fatally injured are:
MRS. JAMES EVANS. side torn
open and otherwise injured.
MRS. JOHN WEIR, wife OF superln-
tendent Weir Of Beaver Meadow, back
hurt. She was an Invalid and the
chances for her recovery are very re-
mote.
Three persons were seriously hurt;
WATK1N l.. WILLIAMS. husband OF
the woman who was killed: legs and
side bruised.
Three children of Mrs. Evans-James.
aged 10, fractured skull; Hannah. body
and head cut, Morris, badly bruised
about the body
All of the other persons who sus-
tained Injuries were able to walk 10
their homes. The accident was the
worst In the history of the trolley roads
In this region and was due in part to a
panic among the passengers, who
crowded about the conductor and grip
man Of the Interchangeable car. The
disaster occurred on car No. 20. As
the car passed out of the grade lead
ing down the mountain Grlpman seitz
applied the brake, but the chain
snapped. He then threw the safety
lever. To his terror this refused 10
WORK, and the terrified motormnn
sprang 10 the reverse brake. hoping to
control the car by the current The
actions OF tho motorman and the speed
OF the car had by this time alarmed
the passengers. Failing to control the
car, Seltz shouted to Conductor Socks
TO apply the rear brake. The motor
mans shouts caused panic Ia the
car, and the passengers made a rush
for the platform. The car was going
down the mountain at mile a minute.
Conductor Socks appealed to the pas
sengers TO go back into the car so that
he might apply the rear brake, but his
appeals wer not needed David Back
man OF Hazleton and two other men
endeavored to keep the women from
throwing themselves from the car on
the rocks, but try as they would, they
could not prevent the frightened wo-
men from crowding around the con-
ductor until the car was entirely be-
yond control.
Mrs. Williams was the first to Jump.
Her body struck against a post, break
ing her back and causing instant death.
Mrs. Early next iung herself into
the rocks and was dashed to death.
She tried TO save her boy, but he shared
the same fate as his mother. The re-
naming passengers. with one eXcep-
tion, then jumped.
Mr., Evans was the only person TO
remain 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 reach
ed. Here II jumped the track and
crashed into a telegraph pole The
front OF car was stove in and q piece
of board penetrated Mrs, Evans side.
The screams of the frantic passengers
as the car rushed down the mountain
could be heard for half a mile. The
residents OF this place fastened to the
scene OF the accident, and did all
they could TO relieve the suffering
people. A short time after the acci-
dent. corps OF physicians arrived from
Hazleton on special car and rem
dered assistance to the injured. 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 light
ly against the dasher by the panic
stricken women that he was unable
10 move his arms until the car had
gotten beyond control. The motorman
and conductor were but slightly In
jured.