The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-11-17
STREET.CAR JUMPS 100 FEET
4 Load Of Fourteen PASSENGERS Hurled
Down Into Dark Waters.
MOTORMGN WILDLY DESERTS HIS POST
Falling Upon Some Piles the Car 10
Smashed. and Topples Into the Cuys- \
hoga kiver-The Work Of Sc
curing the Bodies-Heart-
rcnding scenes.

CLEVELAND O. Nov. ia frightfui
accident by which thirteen people lost
their lives. occurred in the heart Of the
city this afternoon. owing 70 the crimi-
nal negligence. and unexplariable care
lessess OF street-car conductor car
well filled with people. took an AWFUL
plunge OF IN feet from the draw over
the Central Viaduct into the dark waters
of Cuyahoga river. The accident oc-
CURED at 1855 o'clock.
The draw was open for a tug darwins d
schooner. which was about 70 pass be-
meath the bridge. As usual the gates
were closed on both sides OF the draw.
and danger lights were displayed 90
guard against accidents. An electric ear
was seen coming along from the east to-
wards the southside but Captain charles
Brennan. who has charge OF the bridge.
had not thought of danger, as the usual
precautions had been Observed. The
car was one of the Cedar and Jennings
avenue branch Of the big consolidated
line and had fourteen passengers, con-
ductor and mOtorman aboard. At what Is
known as the "derailng switch. some
two hundred feet from the draw, the con-
ductor mechanically alghted. as Is the
wont Of all conductors at this point, 10
see II al was right The car came 10
standstill ana the motorman waited FOR
orders.
FAILED TO SEE THE SIGNAL.
The conductor. for some unccountable
reason. failed TO see the red signal OF
danger. or the closed gates. or, pcf~
haps custom made him careless ana ms
signalled TO the motOrn,an, John Rogers.
TO come ahead. The motorman turned on
the electric current. the conductor jump
ed aboard the car. and at consiuelaoie
speed the vehicle neared the death trap.
Why the motormn did not see the danger
lights or the closed gates sooner IMAM ne
did will always remain mystery, nut
the fact remains that he did not. A rev
feet from the draw 10 dawned upon the
motorman that IL was open. with
speed born of desperation. he threw the
handle and applied the brakes The bridge
CAPTAIN. seeing the approaching car,
shouted like a mad man. but 1t awaited
nothing. The car was already on tho
down grade 10 the draw and the brakes
would not hold the car on the slippery
rails.
The motorman. realizing hi danger,
forsook the precious cargo he was maui
ing, and with wild cry leaped on the
front platform. ran down the viaduct
I'm the direction OF Central avenue ana
disappeared in the darkness.
At the same instant two male passei-
gers jumped OF the rear platform ana
escaped death as by miracle. Inc car
reached the closed iron gates, and IN an
instant the crash OF swapping iron and
breaking glass was heard. This alarmed
the conductor who had stepped inside.
and ne was seen TO make dash for tho
rear door. but he was too late.
THE AWFUL PLUNGE.
A second later the ear swayed on tho
edge OF the awful space steadiod for an
instant. as though in frantic endeavor
to maintain its equilibrium, and toppled
over. There was an agOnlzing chorus
OF screams, and in an instant all was
quiet The car struck upon a projection
OF piles ina the abutment beneath tho
draw. then turning and collapsing. 10 fell
into the dark river below. scattering its
passengers In all directions. and break
ing the tow-lne between the tug and
schooner that were passing. few sup
pressed gr0ans were heard by the men
who happened 10 be on the docks below.
Men from the bridge above and from
The docks. who had witnessed the acct-
dent. called TO the men on the tug to
pick up the people. but only two pas
sengers. one man and one woman, were
rescued
The news of the accident spread rapid
w. and I'm a few minutes. a fire-boat. six
ambuances. six dead wagons. and
squad OF policemen were on hand. The
injured man and woman were taken To
a hospital, and the work OF rescuing the
bodies was taken up. one by one they
were found and taken 10 undertaking es-.
adjustments in differelS parts OF the
city. as Cleveland has no morgue. The
work pr Identification was extremely
slow. Late at night. when the SOUTH
side residents heard OF the catastrophe,
and when they began 10 realize that
their loved ones had not yet returned
home, the undertaking establishments
were telephoned and visited. several OF
the bodies being Identified before mid
night
The police are on the lookout for the
motorman, and extra officers I'm every
part Of the city are searching for him,
but thus far he has not been appre-
hcnded