Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-17
TRAIN LOSES A TRAILER
Accidental Te-Up on the Metropolitan
Street Railway.
Delay of Passengers on Two Line.
Display of Electricity.

There was a big ''tie-up'' or the Metro
politan street railroad in front Of the Dis
trfct building this morning. and some pas
sengers from East Washington going west
were delayed about thirty minutes For
tunately. no great damage was done.
The early morning trains from the power
house i'm Northeast Washington take an
extra trailer TO Georgetown tn he used in
making up eastbound trains. and II was
because of the loss Of one of these extra
trailers this morning that the accident hap
pened. Motorman Droneberg who was in
charge. did not know of the loss OF the
trailer from his train. which occurred In
front of the city han. until his motor car
and one trailer had rounded the curve at
the corner Of 9Th and II streets. The con-
ductor was collecting fares at the time.
and he. too. WAS ignorant Of what had
happened. 4 bell Was rung to stop the car.
and then the loss was discoN erred. and the
trainmen made ready 10 return and pick up
the trailer. At the 9Th street curve the
lexington and Soldiers Home tracks con-
meet with those of the Metropolitan COM
Pany. and the switch was so fixed that
when the electric car was backed the one
IN ailer left its own tracks and started down
the hill on the tracks Of the horse ear road.
Presently the motor and trailer came to "A
sudden stop. and there was not electricity
enough in the wires 10 help the motoiman
cut of his dilemma
PIow Broken.
Subsequent examination showed that the
pillow had become closely wedced in the
slot and had broken Off Before the cars
could again be put in operation il was
necessary to remove this barrier and a
telephone message sent to the power house
brought out the ''hurry-up'' wagon. BY the
time the wagon reached the scene Of the
accident more thar a dozen GERS blocked
the read. Soon after the men started TO
work there was what appeared to I've an
explosion. and bright blaze coming
through the slot caused scare and forced
back The crowd of urious ones who had
gathered in the street TO see what was
going on. Men tun.blcd over each other
in their efforts tc gel away from the beau
tlful but apparently dangerous display Of
electricity, but no one was injured.
A few minutes later another fast-moNing
vehicle. with bell ringing. came from the
direction of Capitol Hill. and this caused a
cry of fire. The crowd was then ready 10
follow in the wake OF the fire department.
but il proved to be only another hurry
up wagon. The driver made no apparent
effort to essen the speed of his horse until
he was almost upon the crowd and some
of those who were in the street came near
being run down.
Horse Cars Blocked.
All this time the horse cars were being
delayed, and this caused some inconNe-
nience 10 the passengers from Brookland
and lexington, who had to wait al Florida
avenue fer the cars before they could iinish
the city end of their ride.
Finally the obstruction was removed.
and the belated passengers were able TO
continue on their way to their places OF
employment The road was cleared an
time for the office holders to reach the diff
ferent departments before y o'clock