The sun., 1897-11-07
TROLLEY ROAD DISABLED.
TWO MILES AND A HALF OF WIRE
FALLS LIKE A ROW OF BLOCKS.

The Ninth Avenue Dirisiep sr the Prospect
Park and Coney Island Road Crippied Tor
Nearly Thrco Hours by an Unususl Accident
-wire Down from ParkyiIie 70 Park Circle
Two miles and half Of the trolley wire on
the Ninth avenue division of the Prospest PARK
and Concy Island street car line came down last
night, and tho residents along the Ocean
Parkway from the Park Circle almost
to Parkville had q display of fireworks that
was as beautiful as II was alarming. Several per
sons were shocked by the electric current which
was distributed promiscuously. but no one was
seriously hurt. Traffio on the road. however,
was delayed for three hours
Tho accident happened about 7:30 o'clock.
Car No. 118 was being switched at the Park
Circle from the east-bound to the west-bound
track. preparatory to returning to Fulton Ferry.
In jolting over the switches tho trolley pole
slipped from the wire. 1t few up in tho air,
and tho conductor seized the rope. giving 1t an
excited jerk. He pulled harder than he meant
to. and tho pole becoming ontanRled In tho net
work Of sustaining wires tore several Of them
loose.
ing flash, and then shower Of molten
metal began falling all over the roadway.
Tho heavy trolley wire, loft unsupported
by the supporting wire, sagged low. The strain
on the next supporting wire became too heavy
to bear, and 1t broke. Then the one beyond 1t
snapped and another and another. Lower and
lower sagged the trolley wire the supports
kept swapping faster than you could count.
In another minute the trolley wire was on
the ground. A trail OF blue fire showed
where 1t kept running on and on down
toward Parkvlle like fiery serpent, Kissing
and sputtering and soaring tho scores of wheel
.l1 ~ .
stretched as far as one could sec. the supporting
wires falling steadily one after tho other.
There was much excitement on the car while
this was going on. The trolley pole seemed to
be alive. 1t swung about the conductor
vainly tried to free 1t from the wires. These
were all heavily charged, and the steel pole be-
came aa hot as though it had been in a furnace
When at last 1t was freed it swung around
and struck the dashboard of car No. l47, which
stood on the adjacent track. 1t missed Motor
man Cunningham by an inch. and before 1t could
be pulled from the dashboard had burned q hole
In the metal.
On the car at the time were Capt Collins of
the Coney Island police station, Louis Stauch.
the proprietor of dancing pavilion at Coney
Island, + red Bader proprietor of Bader's Hotel
at the Park Circle and a number OF other per-
! sons. They were all shocked by the electricity
and sprang from tho car in great ALARM
James Meagher starter for the street car
company. was standing near by. He telephoned
the power house for the wrccking car. This was
sent out Immediately. The current was not
| shut OFT, however. as this would have stopped
tho whole road, which was not damaged from
the Circle to the Fulton Ferry.
! While waiting for the wrecker the crowds
aleng the line watched the sizzling wire lying on
! the ground, but were careful to keep out of its
way. After three hours tho trolley wire which
was not broken was lifted up and temporarily
repaired SO that traffic was resumed
| It was said at the Circle that number OF
| whcelmen had ridden across the wire unavoid-
ably when 1t first fell. and that the rubber
| tires on their wheels prevented them from being
shocked to death.