New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-24
CAR HUNG OVER STREET
PECULIAR ACCIDENT ON THE BROOKLYN
ELEVATED RAILROAD.
TRAINS AND rRoLLEY-cARs DELAYED FOR
HOURS. But LOSS OF LIFE AvERTED BY
THE MEREsr cHANcE-oND MAN
SLIGHTLY BRUISED.

An sccdcnt occurred on the Brooklyn Elevated
Railroad yesterday morning which by all the rules
of chance should have occasioned large loss o,
rft but. by a singular stroke OF luck resulted
in no injury TO anybody. save one mar VINO was
slishtly bruised Engine No. 75 drawing train
OF four cars was just leaving the Vanderoilt-ave
station on its way uptown at 7:0 o'clock when the
rylinder head blew out. Arthur Thrush was inc
engineer with Samuel Halton as fireman ana
Richard Gafrncy as conductor OF the train ana
the scene OF the accident was in Myrtle-ave near
rlinton-ave The blowing out OF the cylinder head
Ia an ordinary occurrence. but this time the cyn-
der head broke and fell into the street, plunging
through the awning OF c. Hartungs furniture store
and narrowly missing mar who was standins On
the sidewalk below.
The report Of the explosion had not oied away
before the broken cylinder rod Of the engine began
pounding and tearing the woodwork OF the track.
and the portion Of the cylinder head which had
moi fallen into the street was thrown under the
wheels OF the forward truck Of the front car Inc
coupling-pin few out. and the car left the track
and bumped along for some distance before coming
20 a stop. Meanwhile the truck had been torn
away from the car and had fallen with crash TO
the street This truck weighs about two tons. and
4, fell directly on the trolley track below Myrtle
ave car had Just passed the spot. and was not ten
feet away when the Of iron struck the track
The car was crowded with people and. as the head
way is exceedingly snort. another car was only a
short distance behind. The truck fell between
them A difference Of a few feet or few seconds
would have resulted In the truck falling on one OF
the cars Thus narrowly was a terrible loss Of life
averted.
The train came 70 n stop in few seconds. with
the front car partly over the edge OF the track
The passengers Of whom almost all were in the
rear cars cambered out the platform OF the
station. having received nothing more than little
shaking up. The conductor engineer and fireman
also escaped injuries.
II was noon before the rack could be cleared and
a Ions procession Of trains was ranged behind the
block Notice OF the accident sent to stations
behind the wreck soon as possible. but many
people had boarded trains only to find that they
could not get by the Vanderbii-ave. station. The
passengers sought other means of travel and there
was much grumbling when they found that they
could not get their fares back. The ticket agents
said they were doing the best they could and kept
There vas great excitement in the street when
the truck fell Extra police were sent for and
Captain Hardy of the Fushing-ave station. and
Captain Baldwin Of the Classon-ave. station. re-
sponded and kept the crowd back from the over
hanging danger The Homeopathic Hospital am
bulance surgeon told Acting Detective Robert j:
Robinson Of the Classon-ave station. who had
been slightly bruised by flying splinters, and who
the only man injured by the accident that his
wounds needed treatment
The truck not removed from the trolley track
until 10 O'Clock and surface trafhc in Myrtle
ave was blocked until that time.
The officials OF the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Com
pany which includes the old Brooklyn Ele-
avoided, and that nobody was TO blame. They
assign the breaking Of the engines connecting roo
as the cause ,
on January TO- 1895 on the Kings County Elevated
Railroad in which the engine and smoker Of the
train fell to the street and the fireman lost MS lie