New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-08
heath ON THE GRADE.
w.ssAu TROLLEY-CAR RUNS AWAY
DOWNFALL.

FROM THE WIRE AND THE BRAKE
FAILED TO wORK-PREsIDENT
JOHNSON BLAMEs THE MOTOR
MAN. WHO. WITH THE CON-
pUcToR. WAS ARRESTED.
a, the worst accidents that has happened
.-.. the introduction Of the trolley system in
,..ov,vn occurred yesterday on Nassau Elec-
~. Railway Companys car. on the steep hill at
r,,r.ynint h-st. between the ferry and the top
.,he incline at Sixth-ave.
c.- No 10. with every available space filled
ID, human freight, bound for Coney Island, got
ND the control OF Weiss the motorman, and
800 Of terrific rate Of speed down the hill,
1, left the tracks at Third-ave. and jolted
49, the rough cobblestone pavement for fully
on ,.s, until II was stopped with a crash at the
wv IN front of No. 10 Thirty -ninth-st. loose
..~I.,.nole and a brake whose chain parted at
~. critical moment caused the accident.
=" o.o ,arson was killed in the cars wild flight.
49,, usre perhapes fatally hurt and nearly a score
..o,. or less injured the unfortunate ones being
Uttered along in the wake of the The list
a, those injured is as follows:
DEAD
Unknown boy. about twelve years Old hye teet
IN wore black riped shirt. black knickeroockers
a5 ~ 's,ocklngs and canvas shoes. No means OF
nns,tacaton Top Of head taken off and brains
l,shei ou;.
DIT. A. c. No. 2s Myrtle-ave.; abrasions.
my John. No. l57 Forsyth-st.. New-fork arm
md knee fractured
sop. John. No. l2s I,eonard-.t.. New-York; knee
and shoulder injured
ooHN. Abraham No. 81 Park-ave;. Brooklyn; COM
81 lag
rvavs ". No IS Centre-st New-York scalp
wounds.
EVANS, Mrs. Mary. No. IS Centre,st. New.Y I9
rghi arm broken and head cut Norwegian HOS
pltal May die
,rSEIJs. Nicholas No % Roosevelt st.. New;
York; bruises on head and body; WOUNDS aresseu
q, Seney Hospital. Sent home
GAIANOS. X No. Il Rooseyel',st, NeW 0sA;
severely bruised about the body. W ouTus uresscu
at Seney Hospital. Sent nome
NORTIE Leonard. No. 226 York-st.. Brooklyn; two
Tbs broken and internal injuries ""''
seney Hospital
LEVY Bernard. No PIG East One-hundred- and sec.
ond-st New-York; shoulder dislocated' Se'ey
Hospital. Sent home.
REID. James No. ll5 North Portand-ave'. BrooK-
Ign: contusons OF body
NATHAN. A. No. 10 Henry-st.. New-York' bruised
on body
EVANS. A.. No. IS centre-st.. New-YOrk; cut in
PIANO Charles No. Is Rooseveit-st' e"-iorK'
elbow broken
BROWN. Lewis No l31 West Nneteenth-st. New
York; scalp wounds.
FREEMAN Samuel. No. It Elizabeth-st. New
York: bruised wrist and arm
pERRARI. George No. 472 Pearl-st., New-York;
left hand broken.
HAsEBROCK. Charles, No. e2 Franklin-ave; HAND
injured
lxAyrrT. Nathan. No. 81 Madson-st.. New-York;
sprsined arm
GuNsHoRE George. No. iss Ludlow-st.. New
York; slightly bruised about the body
Nfd
Essex-st New York: confused shoulder and euf-
fering from shock ST. Johns Hospital
The scene which followed was Of the widest de-
scripton. The shouts Of the panic-stricken pas
cengsrs and the people in the streets as the car
swept pas, them brought people from their homes
and oiterers from blocks around, 80 that In an
incredibly short space OF time the street was
blocked with people so that the reserves or the
Eighteenth Precinct and a number OF mounted
police were called TO allay excitement and to keep
the crowd In check.
Although it was late in the afternoon. most OF
the cars for Coney Island were still crowded.
Weiss the motorman, and Cochran, the conduc-
tor. had stopped at 4:45 o'clock at Thrty-ninth-
st. ferry to take on additional passengers. When
the car left Thirty-ninth-st and Second-ave the
register showed III passengers, in space where
properly only sixty could be accommodated. Al
Third-ave. fourteen more passengers got on
hanging on the steps and on the projecting parts
Of the running gear back Of the platform Thir-
ty-ninth-st, from Third-ave. TO Fourth, Is on an
easy incline From Fourth-ave to Sixth. where
the hill properly ends. the slope Is steep, Win a
grade Of perhaps, eighteen feet In hundred.
The car proceeded nearly two-thirds OF the way
between Fifth and Sixth ayes. without mishap>
The conductor was in the middle Of the car COL
Letting the few remaining fares
HOW THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED.
Within two hundred feet OF the Sixth-ave. In
ersection the trolley-pole swung loose from the
wire. Just how this happened is not known. but
the conductor and others who were on the rear
platform declare that some skylarking boys
grabbed the rope and pulled the pole from It's
nioonngs out Of pure mischief. The power once
smut Oh there was nothing to prevent the car
rolling downhiN Weiss suddenly felt the car
so"lng up In second the car had started
BACKWARD. Weiss. with a shout Of. THE troll
'''-poles loose john" put the forward brake
y" win all his strength. But the frail chain.
WHICH was never meant TO stand the combined
''rain OF heavy load on a hillside. snapped like
: piece Of string. with blanched face. the motor
man yelled:
Look out. we're going! Somebody put on the
back brake"
cochran started to obey. but in his effort to
''h the platform fell from the car. but. luckily.
y" unintured. In the mean time the horror OF
"e situation dawned upon the crowd wedged In
ae car The men. women and children who. an
~Sant before had been laughing and Joking as
IN sunday crowds do, became horror-stricken.
.'nash the danger apparent to them. and
ssne Of terror followed among those on board
"st impossible TO describe. Men yelled and
Anen and children shrieked some becoming
'uost unconscious from their fright
'"e chorus Of yells and screams as the car
~ u'e It's human load toward the river. attracted
~ attention OF people in the houses and OF
Use IN the street. and speedily the thoroughfare
r s.a'ne one Of excitement. Between Sixth and
-. -" ayes. several people in their fright Jumped
=. oniy TO be bruised on the pavement
's' Mary Evan, was one OF these. She is a
80 80 woman. and no sooner did she realize that
>'oioiy death he'll