The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-06
CAR SERVICE OVERTURNED.
Broad Ripple Line SwamPed by the
Rush of Curious People.

HuSn Oh curious PeOpIe.
Thousands of people went from the city
to Broad Ripple yesterday to visit the
scene of the casualty which occurred Sat
urday, and as a result the street-car line
to the suburb was taxed beyond it's ca
pacity. Although a motor hauling two
trailers left the Union Station every fifteen
minutes for the Ripple, each train was
damned with human freight, and every
inch of the steps. bumpers and even the
roofs were covered with passengers. Some
of the old trailers belonging to the Citi-
zens' Street-car Company were used, and
these constantly gave trouble by jumping
from the track along the line between
TWenty-sixth street and Broad Ripple. The
motor and two trailers which left the Union
Station at $3.50 o'clock yesterday afternoon
presented the same overcrowded condition.
and before the suburb was reached one of
the traliers was so wrecked as to be no
longer serviceable. The cars were just
pulling around the second curve, about one
and one-half miles from Broad Ripple,
when the last trailer, No. 25O belonging to
the Citizens Company began to bump over
the ties and give evidence of a crippled
condition. The women in the car began to
scream, the passengers on the step jump
off, and many of the women in the car at
tempted TO do likewise, but the most of
them We're restrained by their gentlemen
escorts. The car was finally stopped, and,
fortunately, no one was hurt. On eXamin-
ing the troublesome trucks it was found
that the rear axle had snapped off about
one inch from the hub of each wheel, and
the wheels were only kept from collapsing
by the outside portion of the axle which
was Fastened in the journal boxes. 1t was
a small-sized car. and the cash register
showed that SeVenty-three passengers were
aboard at the time of the accident. The car
was turned over on its side in an adjoining
cornfeld and the passengers told to wait
until another car could be sent from the
barn for them. They were obliged to wait
in the field from 4:25 o'clock until sos
o'clock before the relief car came. When
Broad Ripple station was reached all were
told to pile Off and when a remonstrance
was made and the motorman told he ought
to haul passengers to the park as their
fare entitled them to be- he said that he
had hauled them as far as he was going
to. and that his bringing them up even
that far was only an act of accommodation
Those who held to their point were finally
transferred to the next train that went to
the park.
dren of No. 213 East McCarty street, We're
aboard one trailer that jumped the track
before the second fare was collected, and
every one was Obliged to get out of the
car until it was replaced upon the rails.
He managed to get his Wife and children
aboard after the car had been replaced, but
before he could get a fooJhold on the step
the cars pulled away and left him standing
alone. When the conductor came to collect
the fares, Mrs. Osborn. who was not pre-
pared for such an emergency, was unable
to pay the fares for herself and children.
and the conductor made it very unpleasant
for her by attempting to put her and the
two children off the car in a cornfield.
When the family were once again reunited
at Broad Ripple the husband was very in
dignant over the treatment his wife had re-
ceived and declared his intention of making
the company pay for it, The same over
CT DIVIDED condition marked the cars on the
return trip and the train that reached
Thirteenth street at 1880 O'Clock last even
ing switched off toward the barns at that
point and the passengers We're ordered 70
get off The cars were turned on the ''Y''
and started for the suburb 10 bring in an
other load. while the passengers to the
number of about 240 were left TO get into
the heart of the city the best way they
could. Owing to the crowded conditions of
all the cars that passed at that hour, some
of them had a good long wait before they
were able to get even standing room upon
a step. Nearly every passenger who pat
ronized the Broad Ripple line yesterday
registered vigorous kick against the poor
accommodations.