The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1895-11-23
STREET CAR DROPS 100 FEET
Fifteen Went Down to Death "a,
Cleveland Saturday.
Motor Car Runs Through an Open
Observation-Disclosures Gave
the Word to Go Ahead
--Iist of Killed. g

Cleveland, o., Nov. 1S.-An electric
motor car containing between twenty
and thirty passengers went through
the draw OF the Central viaduct al
7:45 O'clock Saturday evening and
dropped 10I feet to the river below. 1t ID
a horror the like of which has never oc,
CURED before here. The central via-
duct Is u huge asilt bridge 5000 feet
long, made OF iron. 1t connects the
heights and the prosperous section on
the south side with the business Gems
ter of the city. Directly over the river
Is a draw bridge of the pivot swinging
pattern and this is 101 feet above tho
surface of the water. The South Side
street railway passes owe the bridge,
and on either side of the draw there is1
a safety switch, which. unless the con-
ductor alights and holds up a handles
Will send a. car into the gutter instead of
allowing 1t to go on the draw.
The Ill fated motor ear, containing
between twenty AID thirty people, ap-
preached the draw just as the vessel
was nearing it and the bridge attend
had closed the big iron gates and
We're preparing to swing the draw. AS
is the rule, the car stopped and the
conductor went forward to release the
switch in case the way was clear. He
must have been blinded by the electric
lights, for an eye witness declares that
although the gates We're closed II no
draw was already in motion, the cons
ductor raised the switch handle. The
motorman applied the current and the
car shot forward and struck the gates
with a crash. There was only a mos
ment's pause, and then the heavy car
ground Its way through the W feckage and
plunged over the brink into the black
abyss. amid the screams and frantic
struggles of the passengers, who at the
first intimation of danger rushed for the
rear door. The car struck the water
with a great splash and there was ST.
lence. soon men began to rush about,
shouting, and police patrol wagons and
ambulances We're soo flying in re-
Spouse to the telephone calls. In an in
credibly short a of time the work
Of rescue was begun.
All the occupants of the ear, with the
exception of a few who had managed to
jump as 1t toppled over went down to
certain death. The car disappeared from
sight as soon as it struck the water.
and every one of the passengers was
drowned.
Thealarm which was sent out brought
to the scene half a dozen ambulances,
the tireboats and the members of the
life saving crew with graphing irons.
Within five minutes after the accident
the surface of the river revealed Moth
ing Of the terrible tragedy which had
Just occurred. The waters had closed
over the car and its passengers and the
work of rescuing the bodies in the un-
certain light was slow indeed.
At 9 o'clock half a dozen bodies that
had evidently hoated out of the car and
risen to the surface were taken from
the river and carried to the various
morgues.
The news of the terrible accident
spread like wildfire through the city
and a large crowd soon collected on the
bridge and the banks of the river were
crowded. They could do nothing, how
ever, but watch the slow work OF Crap
ping for the bodies.
The list of the killed and missing is as
follows.
Killed
James Mclaughlin. base ball player.
Henry w. Mecklenberg, tailor.
Edward Hoffman, conductor.
Mrs. John A. Sauerheimer.
Miss Bessie Davis, school teacher in
Sackest school.
Harry W.. Foster, clerk for Root & Nc.
Bride company.
Mrs. Mimi c.. Brown.
Curt Lephene.
Mrs. A. W. Hoffman. 80 years old.
Harvey Hoffman,, Z years old.
GerEe Hoffman, Az years Did.
Mrs. Martha Palmer.
Marie M.tchen,. q years old. domestic.
Augusta Sar.nski.
Louis F. Huletz, mail carrier.
Missing
Mss Martha sauerhe:mer
- Looney. 9 years old.
3. c. Page.
Matthew Callahan.
Arrangements have been made for
the funerals of the victims. nearly all
of which will occur on Tuesday.
Rogers. the motorman. who has been
held as witness, was charged with man
slaughter. This action was taken by
Chief of Police Hoehn, after he had in
vestigated the accident.
After the charge had beer placed
against him. nobody was permitted to
see Rogers.