The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-13
THE MOTOR ms NERVE
1T PREVENTED A FRIGHTFUL CAS-
UALTY AT A RAILROAD CROSSING.
Gov. Mount Was on the Crowded
Street Car Struck by u
chip Engine.

Indiana's chief executive, James A.
Mount, and street car full of men and
women, half the passengers hanging to the
straps, had a very close call at 5:15 o'clock
last night, and it was only a matter of
second of time or the matter of few feet.
to measure it by distance, that makes the
newspaper types this morning record a most
fortunate escape. instead of a frightful
casualty. Engine No. 1873, on the Cleve-
land division of the Big Four, without head
light backed down from Brightwood at the
rate of thirty miles an hour, and Numbered
on to the Observation-Disclosures crossing so
swiftly that the street-car motorman did
not see its approach till his car was with
in a few feet of the railroad track. To
check his car suddenly meant a slide to the
crossing, directly in front of the engine
and list of deaths. His nerve did not de-
sert him at this moment Of extreme peril
He quickly whirled his switch lever around
to the full limit of the electric current. The
car shot under the dark shadow of the en-
CINE tender. and bounded over the crossing
so roughly that the passengers were thrown
about the interior in confusion. The body
of the car cleared the railroad tracks, but
the hood over the rear platform was severed
as cleanly as if cut by some huge knife.
after the danger was over.
The motorman who displayed so much
nerve was Allen Abrams, of North Indian
apois. He has been in the employ of the
company several years.
The railroad fiagman, on whom devolves
the duty of protecting life at this dangerous
crossing, was nowhere about. 1t is claimed
that the street-car conductor is not required
to run ahead to see that the way is clear,
reliance being placed on the flagman main
tanned by the railroad company. The day
flagman is not relieved from duty tell
o'clock in the evening. The unlawful speed
at which switch engines rush down the hill
from Brightwood Is a matter of so COM
mon occurrence that 1t has ceased TO excite
comment in that end of town, except now
and then, when pedestrian is manned or
killed.
The Massachusetts and East Tenth-street
car that so narrowly escaped demolition
was east-bound a number of the passen-
gers being Woodruff Place ladies who had
been down to the Flower Mission fair. The
traffic at that hour is usually heavy on this
line. Darkness had come and the lights of
the car were on. There was no light on the
rear Of the engine as 1t backed down.
AS THE GOVERNOR SAW 1T.
Governor Mount, who was on the car, was
seen last night He said: IT do not know
where the blame for the accident rests. but
there was certainly gross negligence some
where. did not hear the engine bell ring
and think the engine had no headlight on
the end which approached us. However the
affair happened the motorman deserves
credit for pulling the car out of danger. A
more timid man might have jumped and
saved himself at the cost of probably
dozen lives. The car was full of passengers
men, women and children-and If struck
broadside several must have been crushed.
This should serve as a warning to street.
car men who approach railroad crossings
with their cars
The Big Four people say that the engine
which struck the street car was No. 1873 in
charge of Engineer Howard and Fireman
Miller. Howard has been in the employ of
the company for thirty years, and is con
sidered one of the most reliable men on the
road The engine had been in the Bright
wood shops for repairs and Howard was
taking it to the Shelby-street roundhouse.
The shop men say the engine had lantern
burning and hanging over the tender when
it reached the roundhouse.