Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-07-10
A DAY OF DISASTER.
Car Plunges Over a High Bridge in
Tacoma, Wash.
THlRTY-FlyE PERSONS ARE KILLED.
Six Men Perish and Many Injured by
bursting of an Oil Tank at Par
sersburs, w. Vn.-EXploxion of
Fireworks Kills Four.

Tacoma, Wash. July 5.-The most
appalling accident ever known in the
history of Tacoma occurred Wednes-
day morning when the $3.50 Edison car,
loaded with excursionists to see the pa
rade. was dashed down 60 feet over the
bridge at the gulch where the track
runs from Delin street. hurying t he pas
sengerS. among whom were many wom-
en- and children, under the wreck of the
car. The car turned completely over
and mangled the unfortunate victims
into unrecognizable shapes as the de-
bris crashed down the steep side of the
gulch.
BY correct count IS men, women
and children were killed in the accident
and is were injured. Of these latter
fully one-half will die.
Where the car went off there is a
sharp curve, at the foot of steep
grade. Just how the accident occurred
will never be known. but as the car
struck the curve. instead of following
| the rails, it whirled completely over
and pitched from the bridge. striking
on its top. the heavy trucks and body
of the car crashing the frail upper
works to splinters and smashing down
| upon the mass of men, women and chill
| dren with which the car was loaded.
Telephone messages for doctors from
the ST. Joseph hospital to the Central
! station brought quick response. Po-
| licemen and civilians were sent in haste
and every physician in the city was no
| titled AS the bodies of the victims
We're brought up out of the gulch, some
| of them mangled out of all recogniza-
| BILE shape, heartrending scenes were ev-
| erywhere seen as mothers found the
dead and mangled bodies of their chill
dren. Others were wildly rushing
around looking for friends that had
been on the fatal car. and everywhere
scattered about on the ground at the
edge of the gulch We're bodies of men,
| women and children. some of them still
alive and some of them just gasping
| their last breath. often with nobody to
| give them the least attention, so busy
| was the crowd in the work of rescue or
| in hunting for friends who might be in
the wreck.
like affairs, was crowded to the doors.
and every inch of space on the plat
forms was taken. Men hung on to
the ratings and We're glad to be able
to get a ride to the city. Tor. like those
inside, they We're anxious to arrive
early so as not to miss any of the In
dependence day exercises. The car
ran merrily along. the passengers
chatting with each other. for they
We're nearly all acquainted, and every
thing was pleasant until the car
reached the ApeNa Hill, just beyond
Tacoma avenue. From this point the
stories differ. One is that the motor
man. after starting down the hill
turned on his current instead of shut
ting 1t off. and when the car had
gained such momentum as to threat
en- to get away from him, he turned
off the current, but it was then too
late. for the car was going at light
| ming speed, and there was nothing to
bring it to a standstill. for the incline
is steep. Passengers on the front plat.
form who saw the sharp curve on the
bridge as it leaves Delin street. en-
deavored to jump. Several of then
succeeded, and reached the GROUND
in safety but others We're as badly
injured as they might have been hac
they remained in the car to the bot
tom Of the chasm.