The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1901-08-21
FELL FROM FERRIS WHEEL
Lew S. Connolly Badly Injured al
Cabin John Bridge.
Plunged From the TopmOst Car to
the GrOund-A Defect in the Ma
chinery Said to Have Caused the
Accident - Condition Not Serious.

ACCIDENT - CONDITION NOT serious
Lew S. Connolly. an empioye of the
Chesapeake anc Potomac Telephone Com
pany. who lives at as Eleventh Street
northeast. plunged head foremost from
the top car of the Ferris wheel at Cabin
John Bridge. shortly after 10 Ociock last
night. and fell distance of nearly forty
feet, stgINing his back. He was I'M
conscious for twenty minutes, and suffer
ed intense pain. but no bones were
broken. His conditions is not regarded
as serious at the Georgetown University
Hospital, where he was Immediately hur-
ried the electric cars.
In his flight downward Connelly's body
struck the axle, which threw him to one
side, and brought the entire force OF the
fall on his back. He plunged from the
wheel head downward. and. but for the
fact that the direction of his body was
changed by striking the axle. he would
undoubtedly have broken his neck. As II
is his escape is regarded wonderful.
W. S. Ward, who was In the car at the
time the accident occurred, grasped the
side bar above his head when the car was
overturned. He cIutched the first object
which came to hand, which happened to
be the electric conduit used in connection
nelly lay stunned on the ground below,
Ward. forty feet in the air. hung sus-
pended. the electric current effectualiy
preventing him from releasing his hold.
and climbing to a place of safety. In adj
dition. the switch was turned of, and the
ponderous machine stopped. which also
shut off the electric lights, and the en-
tire place was in darkness. 1t was sup
posed by the crowds of horror-stricken
pleasure seekers that Connolly had been
killed.
When the current was turned of at
length Mr. Ward was able to climb down
the sides of the wheel. In the meantime
the other members of the party, which
had been spending the evening at Cabin
John. who had been witnesses to the
scene, had reached the side of the in
jured man. and did everything possible
for him.
In the party were E. A. and A. w Fer
ris and J. J. Pillow. C. L. Yaeger, of the
hospital corps, stationed at the Washing
ton Barracks, witnessed the accident. He
made examination of Mr.. Connolly,
and treated him well possible under
the circumstances. In twenty minutes the
injured man had regained consciousness.
and he was carried to an electric car.
which was held In waiting, and brought
to the city.
The friends of the suffering man held
him in their laps the entire distance to
the city. The car was met at Thirty
sixth Street and Prospect Avenue by the
patrol wagon from the Seventh precinct,
which had been telephoned for. and Mr..
Connolly was taken Immediately to the
Georgetown University Hospital d..
Story made careful examination, but
could discover no internal injuries. Mr..
Connolly was suffering intense pain. but
the physician said that bad bruises were
probably the extent of his injuries A tooth
was broken by the fall, and Mr.. Connelly's
mouth and tongue were cut He COM
planned considerably of his neck and back,
and begged not TO be turned on his back
when the physician made his examination.
DIR. Story thought that his condition
would be much improved by today.
W S. Ward, who was in the car a. the
time of the accident, said last night that
the car overturned when at the highest
point on the circle. He called TO Connolly
20 hold on. and grasped a support to save
himself. He said the support of the car
was broken. and that the accident was
due to this fact. His own escape was
narrow one. The trip was the first which
either had taken on wheel of this sort
During the evening they had joked about
the fact that there were two Ferrises in
the party. and that trial should be given
the machine on that account. The wheel
had made only one-half a revolution and
the ear had reached the very highest
point when, according to Mr.. Ward, the
car overturned.
The bar became unfastened" said
Mr.. Ward. In describing the accident,
and the ear was completely overturned
During the ascent the car swung consid-
erably, but there was no thought of an
accident until suddenly We were thrown
out
The accident was witnessed by many
people and considerable excitement fol-
lowed The report was circulated that
Mr.. Connolly had been killed and the Gu
rious crowd pushed and jostled in an en-
deavor to satisfy its curiosity. A number
OF women tainted. The car which brought
Mr.. Connolly back to the city made the
trip in several minutes under the sched-
ule time.