The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-21

Dunmore's unique railway-No. 6
branch-experienced its first serious
accident yesterday and, like the road
itself the accident was decidedly
unique.
No. branch is, possibly, the only
railway in the country which is run
free to the public. 1t is also unique in
that the rolling stock consists of onu
car and the working force of one man.
This one car and one man makes con-
stant trips from early morn till late at
night, carrying the people OF No. 8 and
Bunker Hill between the upper ter
minus of the road at the old koch's
park and the Dunmore Peoples main
line. Before starting up on the out
ward trip he learns from the passen-
gers as they come on the car at what
particular point on the line they wish
to alight, and makes his stops accord
ingly on the down trip he only stops
to take on passengers, as everyone
who gets aboard is supposed to be
bound for the junction to take a car
on the main line.
One of the pests of the life of the
working force of the road is the prac-
tice of small boys Of jumping on the
rear end of the car and stealing ride
Sometimes they throw off the trolley of
the rolling stock and at other times
cause a complete tie-up of the whole
system by putting on the brake when
the rolling stock is climbing a hill
WANTED TO SCARE THEM.
A crowd of boys jumped aboard the
rear platform as the car started on it's
downward trip yesterday afternoon,
about 430 o'clock. The motorman,
upon espying them, turned off the
power till the speed of the car was de.
creased to a very slow rate and then
jumped off, with the intention of catch
ing the boys, or at least give them a
scare and then catch the car on the fly.
His intentions were without fault,
but the sequel proved his reckonings
were very erratiC. The excitement OF
the chase enticed him beyond a prudent
| distance from the car and when he
gave up the pursuit of the boys and
! undertook to retake the car he found,
to his horror, that the task was be.
yond him.
The car in some unexplained way had
accelerated its speed bySeQme unac-
countable act of it's own, and by the
| the the motOrman had chased it
block he found that he had about as
much chance of catching up with it as
he had of escaping the extra list for at
! least a week.
Up to this point it was all very fun
ny. but here the tenor of the story
changes. Aboard the car were a wo-
man and two children, Mrs. John Nc
Hugh and her son and daughter, Of
| Butler street.
IT WAS A DOWN GRADE.
The road is down grade all the way
into the junction and the car was
| gaining speed with every revolution of
the wheels. Mrs. McHugh did not un-
derstanG the workings OF the control
Ter or possess the presence of mind to
pull down the trolley and apply the
brake, If indeed she ever thought of
such things, but she was not slow in
realizing that to remain in a car hav-
Ing no scheduled stop, was a very un-
wise thing, and seizing her children
each by an arm she carried them to
the rear platform, dropped them from
the step to the roadway and then
jumped. All three were bruised and
cut and badly shaken-up, but the doc
tors could find no broken bones OF
other serious hurts. Mrs. McHugll
suffered much from the shock, bu;
had rallied last evening sufficiently tc
be on her feet.
The car, too, escaped with compare,
lively little damage. 1t was goinG
about as fast as its wheels would turr
when It reached the foot CT Butler
street, and upon striking the curve a
that point leaped into the air, left the
tracks and ploughed across the road
and the commons opposite for sew,
eral rods, finally bringing up agains
a pile of lumber All the window.
were smashed ard the machinery wa.
badly disarranged, but all thing
considered, it Jared fairly well.
a new rolling stock and anothci
, working force was hurriedly secure
. and the road again opened up for traf
fic