Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-07-05
JUMPED THE TRACK.
An Appalling Accident to a Stree
Car at Tacoma, Wash.
The DEAD NUMBER ABOUT SIXTY.
A Large Number Of the Passsngsra In the
Hospital or Under the Care Of Their
Own Physicians - AgonIzing Cries
Of Wounded Heard for Blocks

people, passengers on car bound
for this city, were plunged down a
gulch at Twenty-sixth and C streets
shortly after eight o'clock yesterday
morning. Those who were standing
on the platforms dropped off only to
be bruised and wounded by the heavy
body of the coach, while others inside
were killed and manned before they
knew what had happened. The car
jumped the track and was smashed to
kindling wood in the bottom of the
chasm over 100 feet below. The dead
will number nearly three score, for
there are many OF the injured who
will never recover and who are ex-.
pected to die at any moment and
there are at least SO of the passen-
gers of the car now in the various
hospitals and under the care of their
own physicians.
It was one Of the most appalling
accidents that has ever occurred in
this city, and it came at time when
it was least expected Here were
happy people, residents of the nearby
owns-Edison, Lakeview, Falkland,
Lake Park and other places-coming
to Tacoma full OF joy and patriotism
to spend the Fourth of July. Their
journey was nearly at an end when
death interfered and claimed them
as his own In most frightful man
ner. He gave no quarter. Neither
man, woman nor child was spared.
Crushed, manned and mangled the UNI
fortunates were dragged from be-
meath the wreck of the car and ten
der hands ministered to them until
conveyances could be had to carry
TEN to hospitals and to the homes of
their friends.
The car which carried its human
freight into deep ravine instead Of
to the city was No. 116, Of the United
Traction company's cars, and was on
the Edison line. It left Edison at
about eight o'clock in charge Of F,
L. Boehm, motorman, and j. D. Col
houn, conductor. The car, which is
one Of the big box-like affairs, was
crowded to the doors and every inch
Of space on the platforms was taken.
Men hung on to the railing and were
glad to be able to get ride to the
city, for like those inside, they were
anxious to arrive early, so as not to
miss any Of the Independence day
exercises.
The car ran merrily along, the pas
sengers chatting with each other,
for they were nearly all acquainted,
and everything was pleasant until it
reached the apex of the hill just be-
yond Tacoma avenue. From this
point the stories differ. One is that the
motorman, after starting down the
hill, turned on his current instead
of shutting it off and when the car
had gained such a momentum as to
threaten to get away from him he
turned off the current, but it was
then too late, for the car was going
at lightning speed and there was
nothing to bring it to a standstill, for
the incline is steep. Passengers on the
front platform who saw the sharp
curve on the bridge as it leaves Delin
street endeavored to jump. Several of
them succeeded and reached the
ground in safety, but Others were as
badly injured as they might have
been had they remained on the car
to the bottom of the chasm,