The morning times., 1895-08-14

For nearly two hours last evening
five street railway lines in this city were
tied up just as effcctuauy as though the
employees had gone off to a man ON a sue
ceSsful strike, While Ninth street and
PENNSYLVANIA avenue were blockaded for
many blocks. The tie-up resulted from
an accident TO electric car No. II on the
Ninth street branch OF the Metropolitan
street railway. As No. II was crossing
al the intersection OF the PENNSYLVANIA
avenue cable line and the Ninth street
railway at the corner of Pennsylvania
avenue and Ninth street the underground
trolley became wedged in the slot in the
very center OF the West bound track of
the Washington and Georgetown road.
II is thought that the trolley Glide under
car No u was thrown upward and be-
came wedged in the slot and torn from
the bottom OF tie electric car. The latter
had sufficient impetus To send it several
yards beyond Tue Avenue tracks after
the mechanism underneath ii had been
twisted or ripped off.
READY To ELECTROCUTE.
Immediately after the accident the bare
conductor connected with The underground
electric current and, filled with deadly
electricity, projected from the ground
about one foot, ready to electrocute any
man or beast that might Ia We come III con-
tatu with H. A passing wagon, with the
name Oakland Dairy on ITS sides. came
dashlng up the avenue One Of its wheels
Touched Uhe protFudiHg conductor with It's
iron tire
There was a spluttering sound and a
shower OF blue and green sparks.
"Golly, look at de fireworksl" yelled
lItue black urchin
A white boy started to touch the very
much alive conductor Tor curiositys sake,
bat was warned OF by one OF the railroad
men y great crowd OF curious people
assembled about the harmless looking piece
OF s.eel which was projecting from the slot,
touch OF which meant death
Acting Sergeant Byer, with Patrolmen
McCort Herndon and Schuyler, Of the
First precinct, were soon on the ground
Sergt Byer realized the danger aud the
great crowd was forced back
TEARING DOWN THE STREET.
The hurry-up wagons OF the Washington
We're sent for, and soon came tearing
down the street with Changing bells and
galioping horses In the meantime the
cars OF the Washington and Georgetown
and Fourteenth street, Ninth street, Belt
Line and Anacustia railways We're arriv-
ing OF course they could not cross the
electrified obstruction, and in 4 short
while Ninth street aud Pennsylvania ave
Due were lIueG for a long distance by
the della yed cars. The passengers in
most Instances accepted the situation phil
USophCally, and many OF them retained
their seats throughout the time IL re-
quiTed 10 repair the damage. II was
just $50 O'Clock p. ia. when the accident
occurred The long line OF cars did not
commence TO move over their respective
routes until 80.
Motorman w. r Warfield and Conductor.
Berry, 0 { No. II, the Nintl street car which
lost its grip, both say rhe affair was prob
ably due 10 the expansion of the slot at the
point where 1t crosses the cable, and 10
the intense heat OF the past few days
The electric contact rollers, at points
where the electric line crosses the cable
roads, notably at Ninth street and Penn
sylvania avenue and Seventh and b streets
northwest, is much higher than the cable
and passes over IT. At these functions the
trolley wire IS discontinued for about ten
feet, being run underground beneath the
cable
RAISED THE CABLE.
II is sand that last evening electric car
No. II passed over the cable when the grip
Of an Avenue train was but twenty feet
off The grip had the cable raised and the
electric conductor struck it,
Had itnot been for the motumanan con-
ductor of No II several persons would
have touched or kicked the queer looking
object prouudiug from the concreted road
way. Had they done so they would have
received the benefit OF a short circuit of
l 900 volts, which would have resulted in
instant death.
A corps OF electricians and workmen
crawled through the narrow and super
heated conduits under the surface OF the
avenue, and after nearly two hours hard
work the damage was repaired and the
loud Changing OF gongs told that traffic
had been resumed. Several OF the work
men in the conduits We're nearly over
come by the suffocating heat
This is the first accident of the kind since
lta