The sun., 1902-03-11
DOZENSSCALDED IN CAR CRASH
Full FORCE OF ENGINE BOILER
HAS TURNED on THEM.
stationary Engine on the Track In Mad
ison Avenue at the Rush Hour Car
hit II. Breaking the Boiler Plug
Windows shattered, Passengers Help
ss-Only About 10 out OF so Unhurt.

Windows shattered, Passengers Help
I.ss-Only About 10 out OF SO Unhurt.
Madison avenue trolley car bound
uptovn with a rtish hour crowd, which
was jammed in II beyond the rear door
ran afoul Of a stationary hosting engine
lust north OF Forty-fourth street yesterday
evening.
In a second the windows on both sides
~ the car were blown out by escaping
stsam and passengers were knocked down,
cut and scalded. The scene OF the accident
was enveloped for several minutes in
cloud OF steam which swung clear over
TO Fifth avenue.
The roar Of the escaping steam drowned
the cries of the injured, How many there
were the police didn't learn. More than a
score rushed away TO physicians or TO their
homes In a squadron Of cabs which closed
In on the car from the Grand Central Sta
tion. Others went to drug stores in the
neghborhood.
The police secured the names of only
four injured. They said that not ten of
the seventy or eighty passengers could
have escaped some sort OF injury.
The car was No. 1927 It was in charge
OF Motorrnan Daniel Griffin and Conductor
John 0'Connor 1t had just turned of
Vanderbilt avenue on the track recently
used 70 relieve the jam at Forty-second
street and Fifth avenue when an obstruc-
ton was sighted ahead. IL was the sta
tionary engine.
The engine has been In n e for some time
at that particular spot for hosting stone
for the erection Of an eight-story bachelor
apartment house which is being put up by
Charles A. Dards on the northeast corner
Of Forty-fourth street and Madison avenue.
The engine was encased in sheet iron
covering. Workmen were shifting it into
4 better place for its work.
The car, filed with an impatient crowd
and directed by q motorman and a con-
ductor who wanted to get along. had TO
wait In Forty-fourth street for few min
utes while the work Of shifting the engine
went on. Finally the workmen thought
they had it out OF the way and James Ma
honey. the foreman Of the gang, stepped
Of the track.
gave the bell strap two sharp jerks. Motor
man Griffin turned on the power almost
full 10 as TO get a good start TO make up lost
time Then the trouble happened.
Neither the motorman nor the conduc-
tor had noticed little Misunderstanding
projection, protruding about six inches
from the outside OF the shanty. II was the
safety valve plug. AS the car rolled on
the plug struck the rod which ran from the
right SIDE Of the car platform to the roof OF
kept going and the plug struck the corner
ofth car That time twas the plug which
broke.
With a roar like a steamboat letting of
steam volume OF steam rushed out the
boiler through the broken plug. The
shattered. Passengers fell right and left
covered with a shower Of glass which cut
their faces and hands.
The steam kept blowing out OF the boiler
Of the car on their hands and knees They
couldn't walk or run out, the seats Of the
car ben their only protection against
the force Of the steam.
Policeman Cooley ran over from Del
monico's and Policeman Raffsky from the
Manhattan. They couldn't help caring
The racket. Everybody in radius Of half
q mile heard it. People left the din
ing rooms in the hotels all around 10 see
what had happened.
When the policemen got there. men and
women were still crawling out of the
wrecked car. Some were jumping through
the glassless window frames. Everybody
wanted TO get away from that steam and
several were seen running away for as far
as two blocks.
The police got an ambulance from Flower
Hospital and DIR. Fobes, who came with
n, treated number OF victims. These
were the only names taken:
Miss Fannie Gilmore. stcnographer, OF
s2s West Nineteenth street: head and face
badly scalded: cheek cut by flying glass
james Parks of l0l East Eightieth street
chief Inspector OF the Metropolitan Street
RalMay Company; cut from left ear to chin
william Cummings of 2l7 West Sixty-sixth
nreet and Thomas Scarbrook OF Bergen
Beach badly scalded
TIE conductor and motorman escaped
injury.
Many Of the passengers in their rush
from the steam left wraps, umbrellas and
packages In the car. Most Of these were
claimed later. The car was pushed TO the
Eighty-sixth street harm. No arrest was
madS.