The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-17
STREET CARS IN collision
FRONT STREET CABLE ROAD A
VICTIM OF ACCIDENTS.
One Of Its Cars Dashes Into North
seattle Electric Car and II DAM
axed-Another Jumps the Track
ut Pioneer pIace-Third Accident.

TIE operation Of the Fr5n. street cable
railway was attended yesterday by se-
ries OF annoying Inlshaps that eliminated
about 40 O'clock an q rear-end collision
between eaois car No i. and North Sc
atrle electric car No. IS al the corner Of
FRS: avenue south and Yesler way. The
e.ec:rie car escaped with hardly a scratch,
~aiie the cable ears front end was de-
noEi<hed and TIE roof badly splintered.
First avenue south between Iesier way
and Washington street is being replanked.
The city is doing portion OF The work.
bat, according 10 law, the cable company
Is compelled 70 repiank between the tracks
and foot or SO 3. the side. Under ordi-
nary conditions the read would be smut
down during this work. which is OF some
magnitude, ensailing an expenditure or
s. co. General Mana ger ColVia, however.
effected an arrangement with the contrac-
tors SO that the cable could be operated
during regular hours. While the replank-
ing has been going on the cars have been
run ever the torn-up portion a. slower
rate OF speed thar the schedule time or
the cable. Aholt 40 o'clock car No. J.
left the Jackson street tura-table. As luck
had l.. there were no passengers on tho
North Seattle electric car No. Is turned
On 10 First avenue south not more than
twenty-five feet ahead. Between Main
street and Yeser way cable and electric
cars run on a common track. Al YeSier
there is a switch where the electric cars
turn east and proceed up James street to
Second avenue while the cable cars con-
tinue north along First avenue. IN law
cable cars haze the Yisht-ef-way over cleo
trio cars because Of the possibility or
strands. etc.
When cable car No. Il reached the point
where IL was 20 slow down, the griprnan
discovered that a strand had come along
suddenly and caught the grip. lie tried 20
SHAKE. the grip loose. but could not accom-
pisa his purpose. Realizing the danger
OF collision al the switch. where the
electric car would OF necessity slow up.
lie commenced signaling.
The cable car shot along a. the fall
speed OF the rope, and the electric car did
no, have time to make any decided Increase
in the separating distance before the
switch WIS reached. In slowing up slightly
10 make the switch there was monetary
loss OF time. and IN 5ffy the cable car
went smash bang into the rear end or the
electric car. showing it north on Inc c2b!s
cars Track.
The collision was ATTENDED with pyro-
technics 50 far as the cable car was con-
cerned The glass front WAS demolished
and glass flew around in glitierlng show
ers of tiny pieces, while the front end OF
the roof was sI}intersd three t"et back
from the front The dashTr and fender
were knocked into a cooked ha.. The
sriprnan escaped wiih0u: a scratch. The
crowd which assembled rapidly made re-
marks about The way ''scasss xun the
cars"
The cable car was soon renewed out OF
the way OF the electric car. which pro-
ceeded on 80 way, Not one out OF q thou
sand pcop.e would have observed any
thing 10 indicate that l. had been sub
j~cJed 10 Il severe but;lng.
After a delay Of about 9lalf hour I'll
evidences OF the collision had been re-
moved and the crowd had dispers ii.
ofIy a few minutes before the accident
cable car No. Is was III trouble az the
corner or Cherry street and Pioneer place.
Teams were hauling dirt down Cherry
street. II crossing the tracks the jar
sprinkiea dirt into the ilange 20 such an
extent that when car No. f6 took the curve
the rear trucks left the track. No dam
aga was done, and it required only a short
time 10 get the trucks again in place.
Early in the afternoon one OF the cable
cars got OF the traCk on First avenue
south, between Yesler way ana Washing
ton street, parks having been removed
'frora tbs sides of the track the trucks
dropped down. making the work Of re-
.ns1atirg thtm IN pace more than or,il-
naf!ly difficult. Some time was occupied
IN straigatening, ont the trouble but Il
WAS finally accomplished by hard work
on ;hs part Ct the mechanical force.
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