The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-11-01
NHIMS Of THE TROLLEY.
A Break at Coal and Main Streets
Causes Excitement.
PASSENGERS RAZZLE DAZZLED |
A Horse Shocked and It's Driver Had a
Narrow Bscape-Fate of Man Who
Tried to Pull a Hog From the
Wire.

For over two hours a deadly trolley wire
hung as a menace to the lives of people who
travelled past the corner of Main and Coal
streets yesterday afternoon and little short
of a miracle saved the life of one man, while
others escaped with very little more margin
The occurrence should serve as a warning to
all concerned in the operation of electric
plants, or wires through the town, to have
safeguards at hand for the earliest possible
use whenever break occurs in line. That
no lives were lost yesterday was certainly
not due to the precautions taken. To the
contrary, the people condemn two employees
Of the Traction Company for not exercising
better vigilance.
During the storm yesterday afternoon
dead wire of the Shenandoah Electric Ilu-
minatng Company became loosened from
its tastenings and fell upon the trolley wire
of the Schuylldll Traction Company at the
corner of Main and Coal streets The CON
tact escaped notice until three o'clock in the
afternoon, when the dead wire caused a
break in the trolley and the latter broke.
trailing on the ground west as far as Neis-
wenter's stables. On Main street, for about
$50 feet, the wire sagged to within five feet
of the ground.
Shortly after a car approached the place
and before any warning was given the
vehicle came in contact with short return
current. The conductor and motorman
jumped from the car after stopping it and
there was a great scramble by the passcn-
gers Fortunately all escaped injury. A
man named Maley, residing at Mahanoy
City, was among the passengers. He said
after the occurrence, II passed all through
the war; but the electrical display about that
car beat anything | ever saw" Others
described the scene as gorgeous, but awe
inspiring and they don't want to witness
another exhibition under the same condi-
tions. 1t seems that the car was run under
the saggng part of the trolley before the
motOrman discovered the break.
John Manley was the man who had
thrilling escape. He was driving bakery
wagon. As he approached the corner on Main
street he observed people throwing their arms
about in frantic manner and heard their
cries, but all was like so much Greek to him
Once he thought the Salvation Army was
having special demonstration The people
making the gestures and doing the shouting
were on the sidewalks and their noise was
considerably modified by the noise of the
whistling wind and the pattering of the rain
on the roof Of Maney's wagon While he
was intent in watching what, to his mind at
the time, were the crazy actions of the people
Manley was suddenly brought to his senses
by the rearing of his horse and the
shooting of long, brilliant and most
beautiful stream of fire through the air in
the direction of the wagon. On the impulse
of the moment Manley gave the horse a
strong ierlswith one rein and the animal fell
upon its side in the street. The driver
jumped out to ascertain the cause of the
trouble. His horse had barely touched the
sagging trolley wire and the sudden jerk of
the rein had saved the life of the animal, and
no doubt that of the driver. 1t was fully 10
minutes before the animal recovered.
The flash created by the contact of the
horse and wire was about II feet long and it
continued splitting and suffering for about
10 seconds. 1t was of beautiful light blue
color tinged with yellow. Several citizens
upbraided conductor and motorman of
disabled car at the scene for standing under
shelter from the rain on the sidewalks in
stead of remaining on the street TO warn
people away from the deadly wire.
An inquisitive hog that laughed at both
rain and electric shocks tried to root up the
broken trolley and went down like shot
An impetuous man ran from the sidewalk
and seized the hog by leg to pull it of the
wire, and he too, went down into the mud
Fortunately he fell clear of the wire and soon
recovered from the shock he received. As
he arose and walked away he Inuttered,
Lay there, III not pick you up, and it re-
mained there until the repairsmen cut off the
current, BY that time the porker was beyond
the realms Of trolleys and bloomers.
1t was near five o'clock when the Traction
Company's repairmen could begin work 1t
was necessary to keep the current on to get
the repair car to the scene and there was
some delay after that before orders were re-
ceived at the power house in Girardville TO
cut the current off. The repairs were COM
pleted at half past five and the line was put
in operation again.
For Saturday Only.
Three special lines Just received full
line of the latest STYLES of hats a line of