The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-10-25
Western Av. PassengersHave
Thrilling Experience.
CAR JUMPS THE TRACK
Then Plunged to the Edge of the
Viaduct.
AN AWFUL DEATH SEEMED NEAR
When Checked the Car Was Nearly
Balancing at tbs Edeg of
the Structure.

Car 465 Of the Western and Second
street line, down-bound, with seventeen
pass engers, jumped the track at the west
end of the Twelfth street viaduct at 1850
p. m. to-day, Slowing obliquely across the
rails, crushed through the foot walk, com
ing to a standstill with its length one
third over the brink.
The fact that the rear trucks sank deep
in the crushed planks combined with Mo-
torman John f. Youngman's remarkable
presence of mind, prevented an appalling
disaster. AS it was, the passengers, with
one exception, escaped injury. Mrs. S. E.
Reynolds, 816 Western avenue, aged so
years, was thrown across the car and
trampled beneath the feet of the men and
women in the wild stampede for the rear
platform. She was badly bruised and was
with difficulty assisted to her residence,
near at hand.
! Among the other passengers In the car
besides the motorman and Conductor V. E.
Johnson, were:
Fireman c. Henry, englne-house No Is;
! J. 8. Coughlin, 200 Fremont avenue n; Dr..
E. j. Clark, 81 Third street s; Frank Morton,
Rose Gagnon, Thomas Hallen, w. Pattee J.
d. Byrnes, "A Cedar avenue; Miss Matte
Mortimer. 6S Lyndale avenue n; Miss B. Nc
Dermott, 800 Humboldt avenue N; Miss A.
Gallon S13 Humboldt avenue NJ Frank Ack-
erman, ~ Cedar avenue
The only explanation for the accident
is that the uneven ballast of the track at
the western approach to the bridge
caused the rails to spring The car was
going at a fair rate Of speed-no faster
than usual, according to Conductor John
son. The track curves slightly as it
strikes the bridge and the car was lurch-
ing violently in the manner peculiar to
small "trolleys'' on an uneven track.
The weight being thrown suddenly to one
side may have caused the accident.
A Motor Mans Nerve.
The passengers were loud in their praise
of Motorman Youngman. His Action in
the moment when he saw almost certain
death staring him in the face was little
short Of heroic. The instant the car
jumped the track, he threw himself on the
VI dh6S anu STOuuu IH6Iu close TO rapidly
moving wheels. Such was the momentum
of the car that it ran some distance along
the bridge and then crushed its way
through the sidewalk, breaking the big
planks like tooth picks. With his end of
the car far over the edge of the Great
Northern tracks below, Youngman was
still cool enough to turn the crank which
opens the rear gate and allow the panic
stricken passengers, who had not al
ready jumped over therail, to leave the
car. Said Youngman:
l thought it was all off with me, at the rate
the car was going when she headed for the
edge oftheb ridge, but 1 felt that with the
brakes on hard and the trolley off there might
be room to stop her. 1 said goodbye when
my end smashed free of the bridge and 1
could see the railroad tracks below. thought
I was all in SO I shut my eyes and waited
for the crash. When ! opened my eyes we
were still on the bridge and maybe you think
wasn't surprised. The car was trembling
SO that l expected she'd topple over any mo-
ment
takhandH oTT-uhergr shdrul cmfwyph
A wrecking crew had hard time get
ting the car back on the track. Traffic
was obstructed.