The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-08-23
five PERSONS INJURED
Collision on the Rapid Transit Trolley
Line at Richm0ndale.
THE ORDERS WE'RE .MIsrAKEN
Both Conductors Thought They Had Right
Of Way-One of the Cars Was Do.
sesnding Grade st High
Rate Of Speed.

AT Rlchmondale yesterday afternoon
serious collision occurred on the
Lackawanna Valley Rapid Transit
company's trolley line in which five
persons were injured. They are:
FRANK RlNGEN. Jermyn, leg broken,
hip injured and severe bruises.
MRS. FRANK RNGEaN. Jermyn. bruises.
nerves affected.
JOHN HICKS. CarbOndale. cut about
head and face.
MRS. O'MALLEY. Archibald. hands cut
and side bruised. Suffers from shock.
man, arm broken.
The collision occurred at s p. m,
about half a mile from Richmondale.
Motorman Tallie Jenkins and Conduc-
tor Brennan were coming south from
Forest City with a closed car and were
descending q steep grade. With the
trolley tied down the car was descend
Ing the decline at q high rate Of speed.
held In check only by the brake.
Near the foot OF the grade ,Motorman
Jenkins discovered open car No. 25
In charge of Motorman Swift and Con-
ductor Kirkbride. approaching toward
Forest City on the same track. along
which his car was flying.
Accident Could Not Be Avoided.
There was no motor to reverse, but
Jenkins hurriedly applied the break,
but seeing that q collision could not be
avoided, he jumped toward the en-
bankment ON the la0t side and broke his
arm above the wrist in doing so. His
action. however. undoubtedly saved his
life. The 'motorman of the north car
also jumped, and, fortunately, escaped
all injuries.
The passengers, however, were In the
greatest danger, and four of them re-
ceived severe bruises and one q broken
leg.
Frank Ringen and wife, of Jermyn.
were seated in the front end Of the car
descending the hin and were extricated
from the debris and splinters and car
ried to sheltered spot by the roadside
and made comfortable until the arrival
of Doctors Knapp, Maguire and Taylor,
of Forest City.
After an examination by the physi-
clans they were removed in an ambu-
lance 20 the llopital at Carbondale.
Mr.. Ringen's leg was broken at the
knee, and his face badly cut. Mrs. Rim
gems injuries did not seem to be any
thing more than bruises and a severe
shock from the terrible shaking up
which she received. She complained Of
internal pains.
ROy's Unfortunate Expedition.
A boy named Hicks, Of Carbondale
city, was on his way to his brothers
house at Forest City, and carried
pail with him. 1T was his intention to
spend the night with his brother and
to go out into the woods picking black
berries today. He received a scalp
wound and bruised shoulder and was
taken to Forest City.
An elderly lady, Mrs. O'Malley. of
Archibald, was on the rear seat and
luckily escaped with a few bruises,
although she was thrown down an
embankment Of twelve feet. There Is
no reason why the cars should meet
at this place. There is no switch with
In a mile on either side. The conduc-
tor of the Carbondale car claims that
they should have passed on the branch
some distance beyond the top OF the
hill; on the other hand, the conductor
Of the Forest City car was positively
certain that they were scheduled to
pass each other at the Diamond mine
switch. Orders are given verbally and
they were misunderstood.
The escape Of all Of the Thirteen pas
sengers from fatal injuries was
miraculous. and II the cars had been
crowded. and particularly In the front
seats. there would undoubtedly have
been a great loss of life. Six feet of
the front ends Of both cars We're shat
Fixing the Responsibility.
General Manager J. w. Aitken and
superintendent d. j. Duncan and
large force Of men were soon on hand.
The closed car was literally smashed
to flinders. The open car, being high
er, was less seriously damaged. The
road was cleared SO that cars could
pass at 9.15 p. m. The damage to cars
was about s.. .OO0
The cause Of the accident was q mis-.
understanding In orders as to the
switch at which the cars were to have
met Orders are given verbally and
sent from one conductor to the other.
An eve witness says the crash was
terrible. The electric wires became
entangled and forseveral minutes there
was brilliant display. An investiga-
tion will be made tomorrow.
A large party Of excursionists missed
taking the south bound car by only a
minute or two.