Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-18
STREET CAR COLLISIONS
A Ninth Street Electric Car Crashes Into
Belt Horse Gar.
Scene of the Accident mt Ninth and p
jurcd-Hish Rate of Speed.

A collision between a 9th street electric
car and a horse car on the Belt line took
place at the intersection of the two roads
at 9th and 2 streets shortly after o'clock
last night. The result was the injury of
five persons and some irconsequent.al dam
age to the two cars. According to the
Metropolitan railroad officials the cause Of
the accident seems to haye been mis-
understanding on the part of c. M. Ham,
NETT, driver of Belt car No. IS. He was
driving west on street. and as he APP
preached 9th street saw the electric car
bound north coming down the grade from
o street. 1t Is said that he slackened the
speed Of his horses and then, thinking the
electric car was going to stop. urged them
abe I'D again. The Belt line officials believe
the motorman was to blame. The Belt car
was suuareiy on the 9th street tracks
when the electric car, which the motorman,
]. NJ. Walsh, was unable, despite vigorous
effort. to sOD in time, crashed into it
sixty feet on 9th street. and Driver Ham
NETT was thrown from the platform. He
struck on his head and shoulders on the
concrete, and was rendered unconscious
and badly injured. Mrs. Mile Mosby, col
ored, of "A Ridge street northwest, jumped
from the electric car and was hurt in the
back and slightly cut about the head.
Miss F. H. Gates of Chicago. guest OF
Chicago. were thrown from their seats
and cut and bruised. Joseph Lewis, col
ored, of 1915 4th street northwest, was cut
and bruised about the head and face.
Lewis and Mrs Mosby were taken 20
Frcedman's Hospital; Miss Gates and Miss
Lockwood to their hotel, and Driver Ham
NETT was removed to his home, at 902
Florida avenue. The collision caused much
excitement in the vicinity, and large
crowds gathered and discussed the occur
renee.
The opinion of those who were at the
scene of the accident seems to be prac.i-
cally unanimous that the electric car was
running at high rate of speed. 1t Is est-
mated that this rate was all the way from
twelve to fifteen miles an hour, and 1t was
due to that fact, tits claimed, that the mo-
torman was unable to check the car with
promptness. 1t Is said that the motormen
generally run at a rather high rate Of
speed over this Fart of the road in order to
make up the time which is lost on other
sections where 1t is absolutely necessary
that slow rate should be maintained. AS
an evidence that the electric car was rum
ming rapidly, the fact is mentioned that the
Belt car was pushed along some fifty or
sixty feet before the electric car was
brougt to a standstill.
Both companies Instituted inquiries into
the accident Immediately after it occurred,
and great diversity of opinion was ELECTED
on the subject from those who witnessed it.
It will probably. require some time to def
nitely fix the respon sibility. Driver Eam-
fering a great deal today but it is not
thought that his injuries are dangerous.
The other victims were doing well, and are
in no danger.
Bumped Together.
About the time that the excitement over
this accident was at its height a narrow
escape from a similar catastrophe was
made at the Garfield monument, where a
Belt car and a cable train on the w. and G.
road bumped together. Both cars had stop
ped before rounding the curve at the nonu-
ment, and then both started simulta-
neouSly. The gripman, by putting his track
and wheel brakes hard down, stopped his
train sufficiently to prevent 1t from more
than smashing the running board of the
Belt car. No one was injured.
Was on the Electric Car.
10 the Editor Of The Evening Star:
In a morning paper l see that the blame
for the accident at 9th and p streets last
night is given largely to the men on the
9th street electric car, and statements are
made by different passengers to the effect
that they heard 10 bell, and that they
thought the car was running at speed Of
about fifteen miles an hour.
I was a passenger on the 9th street car,
and sat on the motor car about two or three
seats from the motorman, and l wish to
testify that his bell did ring ard rang ire
quently through the whole block, and that
every warn ing possible was given to an
approaching car on the street tracks, and
that in my opil ion the accident would have
been avoided if the driver of the Belt line
car had been ordinarily cautious.
Further, 1 am confident the electric car
was not going over ten or eleven miles an
hour, and wish to say that if the electric
cars are allowed to go that fast that 1
think, as far as the other questions are
concerned, little or no blame should be at
tached TO the motorman or conductor on
the 9th street train.
HARRY DOUGLAS KING.