The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-08-28

Trolley car No. 10, of the Frederick
and Middletown Electric Railroad left
Braddock Heights last Sunday even
ing shortly after six o'clock on it's reg
ular trip to Frederick, carrying, it is
said. over one hundred passengers, and
when short distance from the
station became unmanageable and
started down the mountain at railroad
speed. Unable to check it by means
of the brakes in front and rear,
the mOtorman tried to reverse the
motors, hoping by that means to im-
pede the progress of the car, but the
trolley wheel had slipped the wire and
their last hope was gone. With grim
determination in the face of what
seemed to all must be terrible calam-
ity, if not the utter destruction of ev-
cry soul on board, motOrman MantZ
and George William Smith, the Presi-
DIT mt of the road, who when the danger
became apparent took hold of one of
the brakes, stood To their posts to the
last, appealing to the men to be firm
and do what they could to avert dis.
aster. But nothing could stop the car
and the only question in the minds of
those whose lives hung SO loosely in
the balance was "could it pass the tres
tle?" A long, straight stretch of road
is reached before the wooden structure
and down this the runaway sped
like a lightning bolt. Those in the
car shut their eyes expecting every
minute TO hear the crash of timbers
and to be hurled forty feet to the bot
tom of the ravine. A second, and the
Car dashed over safely, another, and
it was speeding down the incline to-
wards Frederick at the rate OF mile
minute. By this time the danger was
known to every one and it was heart
rending to hear the shrieks and lamen-
tations of the passengers. To have
iumped would have been to have
courted instant death, while chance
remained that the car could pass the
curves in safety. All the time the brakes
had been clamped SO tightly that the
wheels slid along the track. just
around to the right was MERGERS
Curve, a rather sharp turn in the track
and after that the road is comparative
Iv straight all the way to town. In
twinkliug the Car struck the curve, OUT
the momentum was so greaC InaC
track. The hind truck got of first and
plowed up the rails aud ties III 'front.',
i,eIning in this way TO check the speed.
The car went on for about fifty feet and
then tulned over on the left side with
the heavy trucks elevated at an angle
of forty-five degrees. 1t had almost
come to a standstill when it toppled
over. otherwise hardly one OF those on
board would be alive to tell the tale.
The scene following the wreck was
practically iudescrIbable and many
Stout heart melted at the sight before
them. The shadows of evening had
hardly begun to trace their gloomy out
lines on the bright face OF nature and the
sunlight still illumined the mountains
and valleys, strangely in contrast with
the VARYING phases of the sad happen
mo Men rushed here and there
wrInying their hands and weeping The
creams Of the wounded mingled with
the hysterical mutterings of women
and children, many of whom had never
been on such car before, and who IN
case like that could not be expected
to realize what had happened.
Everything was confusion ana IL
was with difficulty that. persons VINO
arrived on the scene could cohtIol cne
excited aud afflicted group struggling
from under the wrecked c0acn. NAL
edictions were hurled broadcast at Che
motorman, conductor, directors ana
everybody; fathers blamed their wives
and children for Inducing tnem 10
make the trip; the more seriously IN
iured were for time neglected. III Tue
wild scramble of the more fortunate 10
avtricate themselves from the mass Oh
dehris which strewed the ground, aud
aItovether. it was scene never TO be
f,rwottpn NV those who were prln-
n;,,sIs or who witnessed it afterwards.
Rv this time attention had been at
tracied outside by the loud screams OF
TIC excited passengers and also by the
noise of the car rushing down the
mountain and the final crash. sew
.ral narlies who were driving along
the National pike, which Is WITHIN
eo'nnsart,er.of-a-miIe of the fatal curve,
FASTENED to the spot and helped to re-
l Hev, temporarily the wants Of the
Won, womnded. Nearly all had by this time
gotten out Of the demolished car. put
an examination revealed several pm
; an fast and work was Immediately
beoun TO remove them from their per-
ilous positions. -, donoer-
Probably one Of the most aangel-
ously injured of the unforlunaCes was
Mr. Thomas r. Anderson, Drot1el "
Mr.. William Anderson, the ice u 20 ~, = /;
- the car. which had to be priced up
% 9th FIJI heavy s timbers before he could be
' w,s1 A. It was found that an iron roo
from fro one Of the brakes had penetrate 2
his thigh and he was bleeding pTg,-
fnsalv. He was made as comtortaDis9
.sss n;src,,nsfan would permit untll