The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-10
CRASH WAS AWFUL
OAK STREET ELECTRIC CAR RUN
DOWN BY A GREAT WEST
ERN TRAIN.
SEVEN PASSENGERS INJURED.
CAR HURLED FORTY-FIVE FEET
AND GROUND AND BAT
TERED.
CareIessneSs Regarding the New
Block Signals Given as a Cause
of the Accident.

With degree of good fortune bord-
erlng on the miraculous, nearly a dozen
persons escaped a horrible death be-
ncath the wheels of a Chicago Great
/ western passenger train at Oak street
and University avenue last evening
The electric car upon which they were
passengers was struck by the train Of
coaches running at 30-mile gait, car
ried 45 feet along the tracks, battered
and ground. and hurled aside with
crushing force. Inmates screamed in
terror at the shock, and the noise COM
plned with the breaking of glass and
crashing of iron bars to create a pande-
monlum. Spectators standing near
turned their heads away unable to
witness the tradgedy. The following
Famed persons were injured:
W w. Riddle. professor of mathematics
stdte university, sustained serious injuries
ABOUT the head a probable fracture Of the
shI u ana two deep scalp wounds. May die.
=. s. Oakley, student at the University of
Minnesota, and living at us Fourth street
southeast, seriously cut about the face and
mead and received severe shock VIII re-
MISS Helen H. Austin, student at University
Oh minnesota, and living at SIS Eighth street
southeast, superficial cuts about the scalp and
seriously affected by shock. viii recover.
MISS Erickson, address unknown, received
injuries about the head and body. Will re-
cover.
F. w stevers. motorman. residing at 14
olXth avenue northeast, cut about the head
and face, right arm fractured and extent of
internal injuries undecided. Recovery uncer-
tain.
Daniel Johnson, motorman. residing at 704
Madison street northeast, seriously cut about
the head and badly shaken up. Result un-
certain.
An unknown woman. who refused to give
her name and about to be confined, slight in
juries and severe nervous shock.
The accident arose through a mis-
understanding on the part of the men
in charge Of the car Their stories as
told after the accident confirm this
view and harmonic with the state
ments Of those who witnessed the &C.
currence
Car No. $50 went bowling south on
the Oak Street line. 1t consisted of a
motor and trailer and was in charge of
Motorman Daniel Johnson and Con-
ductor Peterson. On the trailer was
Motorman F. w. Stevers, but he was
not on duty. AS is the usual custom
with street railway employees engaged
in operating cars, he stood on the front
steps of the trailer and operated the
brake to effect a more speedy stop on
the slippery rails when such was de-
sired.
The number of passengers was not
large, and probably fortunately So
The length and location of the line
especially that part from Central ave-
nue. by way Of Fourth street southeast
and Oak street to the intersection with
the interurban, is generously patron
lied as a rule, for a greater portion
Of the distance, but not over the few
blocks from the Interurban to Univer-
sity avenue. The patrons. with the ex-
ceptiOn of the transient passengers, so
to speak, are residents of the south
eastern portion Of the city, and after
leaving the business districts alight
from the car before it reaches the turn
to Oak street. The slight variance to
this is seen at times during the even
ings when a party of university
students or small social delegation go
| on a trip to st. Paul. An instance of
this nature was seen last evening.
After the car leaves the South-bound
! course it crosses the double tracks of
the Chicago Great Western road.
! Heretofore it has been the custom for
trains to come to a full stop on reach
| ing each Of the crossings to ascertain
that the road was clear but after stop
| ping it was with great difficulty that
sufficient Roadway of steam could be
had to climb the grade to the Oak
street crossing. Early last week the
! block signal system was introduced.
In it's nature this is a colored signal
operated from the flag tower of the
Waterman, about $50 or 300 feet away.
No gates are used, and the warning is
by the means indicated alone
1t was thought that the change
would be a saving in many ways and
productive Of satisfaction and insuring
safety if a careful observance Of the
signals was maintained Throughout
| the week 1t had given satisfaction. No
4 misunderstanding or narrow escapes
from collision had occurred. The &C
cident of last night took place through
no misunderstanding either. Merely an
J objectionable carelessness, yet of that
nature which the most wide awake and
most careful person might at a time
! commit.