New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-17
THIRTEEN PEOPLE KILLED.
A STREETCAR GOES THROUGH A DRAW
INTO cUYAHOGA RIVER.
THE MOTORMAN FAILED TO SEE THE DANGER
sIGNAL-THE CAR WITH IT'S HUMAN
FREIGHT PLUNGED 100 FEET
INTO THE WATER BELOW.

INTO THE WATER BELOW.
Cleveland, Nov ia frightful accident by
which thirteen people lost their lives occurred IN
the heart Of the city this evening. Owing to the
criminal and still unexpainable careessness or
streetcar conductor IA well filled with people
took awful plunge Of 12O feet from the centFai
street draw Of the Central Viaduct into the dark
waters of Cuyahoga River.
The accident occurred at 7:35 o'clock Tne
Central Viaduct Is a long stone and iron structure
which crosses the Valley Railroad and the Cuya-
hoga River and connects Jennings-ave. on the
south side with Central-ave on the east i"e
bridge Is 12O feet above the river.
The draw was oren for q tug drawing a schoon-
er which was about To pass beneath the Dridse.
AS usual the gates were closed on both sides OF
the draw and danger lights were displayed 10
guard against accidents. An electric car was
seen coming along from the east toward the
south side but Captain Charles Brennan VINO
has charge Of the bridge, had no though Oh
danger as the usual precautions had been op-
served The car was one Of the Cedar ana Jeh-
nings ave branch Of the big Consolidated Line
and had fifteen passengers. conductor ana mo-
torman aboard.
At what Is known the "derailing switch
some 200 feet from the draw, the conductor me
chancally alighted as is the wont OF all COIL
ductors this point, to see II all was rish''
The car came to a standstlll and the motOrman
waited for orders. The conductor, for some un-
accountable reason, failed to see the req sigma!
OF danger or the closed gates, or perhaps Gus
tom made him careless, and he signalled to the
motorman. John Rogers to come ahead
The motorman turned on the electric current
the conductor jumped aboard the car ana at
considerable speed the vehicle ncared the death
trap. Why the motorman did not see the Ganser
lights or the closed gates sooner than ne ala VIII
always remain mystery.
Nearer and nearer came the car to the awful
abvss A few feet from the draw it dawned upon
the motorman that it was open. with a sPeeu
born of desperation he threw the handle ana
applied the brakes. The bridge captain, seeing
the approaching car, shouted like madman' Dut
it availed nothing The car was already on the
down grade to the draw. and the brakes would
not hold the ear on the slippery rails
The motorman realizing his danger. forsook
the precious cargo he was hauling, ana win
wild cry leapcd off the front platform. ran down
the viaduct in the direction O: Central-aye. and
disappeared in the darkness At TIE same instant
two male passengers Jumped off the rear plat
form and escaped death as by miracle. The
car reached tho closed iron gates and in an in
glass WAS heard This alarmed the conductor
who had stepped inside. and he was seen to
ma . dash for the door, but he was too
latc \ second later the car swayed on the edge
Of tn awful space. steadied itself for an in
slant 80 though in frantic endeavor TO main
,sln its equilibrium and toppled over.
There was an agonizng chorus Of screams and
in an ms ant all was quiet The car struck upon
projection Of piles in the abutment beneath
the draw hen turning and colapsing 1t fell into
the dark .er below. scattering ts passengers
I'm all drec Ions and breaking the towline be-
tween the tug ana schooner that were passing.
A few suppressed groans were heard by the
men who happened to he on the docks below
Men from the sridge above. and from the docks
who had Witnessed the accident, called to the
men on the tug to 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 freooat. six ambulances. SIN
dead.waaons and a squad of policemen wer" on
hand The injured men and women were taken
10 a hospital and the work Of rescuing the bodies
was take, M. one by one they were found and
taken to undertaking establishments in different
parts Of the city. as Cleveland has no morgue.
The work Of identification was extremely slow.
Late nj night. when the South Slde t'slue"tS
heard of the catas rophe several OF the bodies
were Identified r. police are on the lookout
for the rnotorman a, extra officers in every part
of the city are searcs ing for him.
Among the dead Ia, tifed up TO midnight are:
Miss Martha Ssuetnheimer and Mrs. John
Sauernhemer. her sistcr-n-law, OF No. l54 Mer-
chant-ave
Ressie Davies of Noyes-st., Is missing; she was
traced 10 the car. and is supposed to oe among
the dead.
Iohn Hoffman. she conductor. and Curt Le-
nhehne a sixteen year-0ld boy who had ticket
j., bts rocket from London Canada. to Victoria