The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-09-04
KANSAS CITY DEATH TRAP.
Methods for Abol.shing Ninth Street
Incline at Last Being Discussed

Mr. Frank A Faxon, member of the
big drug firm of Woodward, FaXon &
passengers on the grip car that broke
loose on the Ninth street incline at
Kansas City, Wednesday evening:
THE only remedy that 1 can see to
prevent these accidents on the incline %
said Mr. Faxon, in the Evening Star,
is to run the trains through the Eighth
street tunnel TO the depot and abandon
the incline altogether. The public safe
ty demands a different system and at
the same time a change would benefit
the Metropolitan company as well, as
accidents like this cost it money, as
well as iujuring its passengers Even
though a person is not bodily injured,
the experience is an extremely unpIesS-
ant one. The danger in the winter
time is even greater than in summer
Persons cannot get out of the closed
coaches and those who are on the rear
platform and cannot move, as is often
the case, are almost sure of serious in
jury when the car strikes at the bot
1.-THE accident was caused by the
breaking at the slot of the shank, upon
which the grip lever acts and Which
holds the rope. AS soon as the shank
broke the grip let loose OF the rope Inc
shank is q. piece of steel about six IN
ches wide and one-half of an inch
thick. 1t extends through the slot and
receives constant wear. The shank
which broke had worn down to one
half its original thickness
General superintendent Conway F.
H Dimes said this morning that in six
weeks the shank would have been re-
placed by a new one. An accident oc-
CURED on the incline about a month
ago and shortly before an empty car
broke loose and went down at mid
night Mr. Holmes was asked what
steps, if any, the company expected to
take to prevent similar casualties in
the future.
THE only solution that know Of"
~, to
through the Eighth street tunnel We
had an ordinance introduced in the city
council for q Viaduct from Walnut to
Wall street on Eighth street, which
would have taken the travel from Ninth
street and the incline But the Ordi-
nance is not yet disposed of, and until
we know what is to become of it we
can take no steps to remedy the evil of
the incline. Although the cost would
be great to build the viaduct, it is my
opinion that in the end the company
would save money, and certainly the
public would be benefited. Each one
of these accidents costs the company a
good round sum. Besides the repairs
on the road, the claims made for 1nJur-
les are usually settled out of court.
"A great many Inherent klndS or
brakes have been tried by US, cOntin-
ued the superintendent, but the best
we have found is used on the cars right
now. The ups and downs of the Ninth
street road make it difficult to find a
brake to suit all purposes
Mr. Holmes says that the rules to
conductors and gripmen on the incline
are very strict, and that every precau-
ton is used by the company and its
men, The conductor and gripman who
stood at their posts when the accident
on the incline a month ago occurred
were each given $50 for their faithful
ness.
A number of schemes have been sug-
gested to remedy the danger Of the in
cline One was to build the station at
the foot Of the incline two stories high
er But in that case elevators would
have to be used to take passengers
from the street. and these would be in
convenient and likely to cause acct
dents. Someone proposes a separate
rope on the incline to which cars for
that purpose only could be securely
fastened. But the objection is raised
that the public would object to chang
ing cars at that point. especially as
many are often in a hurry to reach
the depot to catch a train The only
safe scheme, Mr.. Holmes says, is the
Eighth street viaduct and tunnel route.