The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-16
RUNAWAY ORE CARS
The First Test Of the Montana Street
Line Was Exciting.
FROM GAGNON TO THE FLAT
II CollIded with a Passenger Car
Motorman Nelson's Leg crush
ed-Narrow Is cape for Lit
tie Cirl-TerritiC speed.


with a loaded car Of ore was made yes
terday afternoon, and the result was
the most exciting runaway acciden
that Butte has ever had and one ii
which several fatalities were avertet
by such a narrow margin that the cs-
capes from death bordcred closely OF
the miraculous. Two ore cars darted
down the long. steep grade with the
speed of lightning, and after running
half dozen blocks of the steepest part
OF the grade and gaining a terrific mo-
mentum they cOllided with "A passenger
car which was coming up the hill and
carried il down with them. In the col
lision Supt. j. 5. Wathey was severely
bruised and Joe Nelson. the motorman.
had his right leg so badly bruised that
amputation will be necessary. They
were the only men on the cars when
they came together ana were the only
ones badly injured, although several
Others were quite badly bruised up IL
jumping from the flying cars. \ little
girl who was in the passenger car at
the time of the collision escaped death
through the GOODNESS and bravery OF
superintendent Wathey.
The Montana street line was built
last fall for the special purpose of
hauling ore from the GaEnOn mine to
the Butte Reduction Works. The track
IS two and one-half miles long. and the
first mile Of il is 'on steep and con-
tnuous grade. The grade is about 10
per cent. above Park street. and be-
tween Park street and the electric
light station, nearly a mile and n half
away, where the runaway cars
jumped the track, the grade Is nearly
6 per cent. Although the line was
completed about three months ago, the
ore cars which were built especially for
this line did not arrive until two or
three weeks ago. The cars have a ca
pacity Of about 10 tons. and are very
heavy and solidly built. They are much
on the principal Of the ore cars i'm use
on the railroad, but are shorter and
higher There is a small cab for the
mOtorman on one end Of each car and
the cars are supplied with both wheel
and track brakes, besides the reversing
of the current which throws the wheels
In the backward motion.
Since their arrival the cars have been
tested frequently, empty, and always
worked perfectly They were turned
loose on a wet track and were stopped
in less than 10 feet. and the street Trail
road officials were greatly pleased with
the result Of these preliminary tests
About $3.50 o'clock yesterday the first
test was made with loaded car. In
order to make everything perfectly
safe. however. as was the intention
about half of n load. or five tons, was
put on and an empty car was run in |
front of the loaded one so as to furnish |
four sets of brakes for the partly load |
ed car. superintendent Wathey and |
Motorman Joe Nelson were in the cab |
Of the forward car Motorman NcGU- |
lick and w. +. Kett. the agent for the
cars, were in the cab of the loaded car.
and Ed Law and &. -. Bates. employees |
OF the street railroad company. were
on top of IT,
The instant that the ears started
nown the hill after leaving the tunnel
at the mine, just above Quartz street
they commenced to run away. Tho
brakes either refused To work or were |
not strong enough 10 hold the load |
ana by the time the cars reached !
Broadway, two blocks below. they were
The motormen might
nave been able TO check them with the
reverse current up To that time. but at
iranite street both trolleys flew off and
there was nothing left hut the brakes
and they, II seemed. were practically
useless. After setting both brakes
lightly Motorman NcGillick followed
Nett and Law, who had jumped of nj
Iranite street and took a header into
ne mud. Three or four boys who were
hanging on 10 the sides of the cars
Jumped of at the first sign of danger
ma escaped with shaking mn Rates
stayed with the ears short distance
urther than the others aud drapga nff
ust below Park street He was rolled
'Ner IN the mud for some distance bur
ustalned no more serious injury than a
CIV bruises. superintendent Wathcy /
M Molornan Nelson remained I'm the I
Iont cab anu the latter. who retained
lis ooolness TO surprising aa,.,.ac
made the most desperate hut ineffec- .
nal efforts TO secure some service from
he brakes.
Gaining speed with every foo, y,
round That was covered. the runaway
ram Shot across Park street like a .
,hIIINind ana raced on towards South
suite IKE shot out of a gun \
fowd OF people who were paralyzed
'lth Tear saw the cars shoot past Park
feet. and II seemed to them that the
Wo men on Il would surely be killed
,eople who did not see the ears heard
ne terribl" roar as they rolled down
ne NH, and the word that there was "A
uha"aN TRAIN on the Montana street
ne spread rapidly through the city.
The panic-strickCn spectators on
iotana street saw a boulevard pas
eAStr car coming up the hin. and an
WIul disaster seemed imminent The
assrngef car was ia charge OF Con
uctor Charles Wathey. son of tho su-
erlntendent. and Evan Davies was the
$3.50 A-4tA4AF Nv A'illN occupant OF the
ar was LITTLE girl named Decker.
no lives AT Williamsburg The motor
ian and conductor discovered tho run
Way at Park street and the trolley was
IlchIS reversed and the car was start .
down the hin iu the hop. Of ayoidirss |
collision. This hope was futile. now j
yer, and at the corner Of COLD street !
le flying cars dashed into the pasSrug- u
coach with a crash that could b.. !
card FOR blocks q
When the conductor and motorman q
the passenger car saw that a COLI
On was unavoidable they jumped and
capped without injury. but iu their -v- a
tement they forgot all about tho little
RI aIfi left her in the car. Although =
e passenger car was going down mo -
II AT 2 pretty fast gait the uuaWlys
I IL 50 hard that its platform was de- g.
0Ushed and the cab on tLe ore car -
as crushed In. M1tnrmau Nelson's
sht leg was caught between tho =.
mIer on the platform Of tine uasspur- !,