The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-09-03
K. C. MURDER
FACTORY.
The Death Dealing Ninth Street
Cable Incline,
By Which Most of Kansas sCity's
Visitors
GET INTO THAT CITY,
Breaks Again Causing Serious
Injury to Many.
Dispatches as Usual Say Ono
body to Blame"
NO EFFORT is MADE
To Hold the Neglectful and
Careless Managers
Of This Modern MUrderOuS Jug
gernaut Responsible.
Accidents Now a Regular Occur
renee Every Few Weeks.
NO EFFORT is MADE
To Hold the Neglectful and
Careless Managers
Of This Modern MurderOus Jug
gernaut Responsible.
Accidents Now Regular Occur
renee Every Few Weeks.

Kansas City, Sept. 9.-Death stared
so persons in the face yesterday even
ing when the grip hook on Ninth
street cable train half way up the in
cine broke and the cars started back
ward.
Four persons were injured. One of
them may be fatally hurt Their names
and injuries are:
JIG. Lowe, leg broken and several in
ternal injuries.
W H. Sherman, sr, slight scalp
wound.
w H. Sherman, Jr., leg bruised
L. Windle, slight cut over the eye.
The accident seems to have been an
unavoidable one. The hook on the grip
broke in two and the gripman, who
was badly scared, did not have suffi-
cient presence of mind to apply the
brakes Immediately. The train was in
charge of Jerry Martin, conductor, and
w. H Shannon, gripman.
There were many women and chill
dren aboard. The accident happened
shortly before 6 o'clock and the cars
were heavily loaded. The passengers
were laughing and chatting when the
train stopped, and for a moment it
seemed TO stand still. Then it started
backward Fifteen or twenty men
jumped. Then the rest of the paSSen-
gers began to realize they were in per
il and a panic prevailed.
The cars by this time were rushing
down the incline at a rapid pace. Wo-
men We're standing UP screaming and
waving their parasols. Children cried
and the white faces of the men added
to the terror of the women and chill
dren- Persons who live in the houses
at the top Of the incline heard the
screams and rushed to the windows.
They saw the cable train going back
ward and people jumping from it.
There is OnlW haf
the railing on the bridge and the track.
Many who jumped off the train after it
had acquired some speed in its back
ward flight were hit by the fOOtbOard
and handles. On the north side of the
car there was a clear track and none
OF those who jumped off at that side re-
ceived more than a severe shaking up.
In the excitement of the moment, how
ever, everyone thought that all on
board were going to be killed and most
of them screamed at the top of their
voices Railroad men in the yards be
low imagined that at least a dozen per-
sons had been killed and they lost no
time spreading the report in the bot
toms that an awful disaster had taken
place
JIG. Lowe.chief clerk at the general
freight office of the Union Pacific rail-
road, was sitting on a seat about the
middle of the trailer In the same seat
was big heavy man who hesitated a
long time before he jumped and thus
prevented Lowe and several others from
getting off the car when it first started
down the incline.
When Lowe got a chance to Jump the
train had acquired considerable head
way He tried to get off between the
railing and the car. but he was thrown
off his feet and the foOtboard struck
him. breaking his leg. He was pushed
against the railing of the incline with
considerable force and received inter
nal injuries which are severe but not
thought to be fatal
All the rest of the persons who re-
n nj
uained on the car until it reached the
bottom of the incline where it cOllfded
with another car that was waiting to
go up The ends of both cars were
smashed into kindling wood and part
of the track was torn up The train
was running at least 20 miles an hour
when it was brought to a sudden stOD
by the collision. EMPLOYEES of the rOa
were all badly scared. There was plen-
fy Of room in the waiting room or
some persons might have been hurt in
the panic. AS it was several of those
present were upset by those who ran
about, not knowing what they were do
ing or where they were going. One wo-
man sank down on her knees and offer
ed thanks for her escape. Another. af
ter finding her children were not ini11r-
ed, took one of them under each arm.
unmindful of the protests of the ju-
veniles, and ran down the steps lead
ing to the entrance.
The cOmpany's physicians. Drs. Will
liam and Frank Iuen. arrived within a
rev minutes after the accident. They
found that Lowe was the only one who
mad received serious injuries He and
tne oChers who were hurt were put on
another cable train and taken to the
eompany's offices at Washington and
Ninth streets
The Shermans are cigar makers and
Windle is a travelling man.
Lathrop karnes. claim agent for the
Metropolitan Street Railway company.
salo tne accident was an unavoidable
one. He thought that with the eC-csT1-
ton Of Lowe, those on the car had been
more scared than hurt. Mr. Karnes
aooeo tnaI a tul investigation of the
and every precaution taken to prevent
1tsoccurring again.
Both Gr1pman Shannon and Conduc-
tor Murphy were too badly scared fo
be able to describe the accident. They
stayed on the train until it struck the
ear at the bottom OF the incline.