New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-03-11
HURTS A CAREFUL
HALF A HUNDRED PASSEN-
GERS BURNED AND CUT.
MADISON-AVE. CAR SHAVED OFF SAFETY
VALVE ON BOILER OF STATIONARY
ENGINE-PANIC ENSUES.

MadIson-ave. electric car No. 1921 crowded
by men and women inside and outside. was
rounding Forty -fourth-st. into Madison-ave. at
30 p. yesterday, when il shaved off the
safety valve of a portable hosting engine in use
on building, and the escaping steam smashed
every window in that side OF the car. The
steam and dying glass injured more than half
the passengers, and the rush to the street
caused q number more to be bruised. over
fifty persons had their injuries dressed on the
spot, in the homes of neighbOring physicians or
in the drug store at Forty-second-st and Van
derbilt-ave. No one was seriously hurt.
Daniel Griffin, Of No. 163 East One-hundred-
and-second-st. was the motorman. and John
O'Connor. Of No 2,267 Third-ave. the con-
ductor. J. J. Butler, a contractor, Of No 317
West Sxty-fourth-st is doing the work on the
building on the northeast corner. James Ma
honey. Of No 80 Columbus ave, was in charge
Of the engine.
Mahoney knew the engine was close to the
car track and wanted 20 move it in. He besk-
oned 10 the motornan 70 stop. Griffin did so.
but the conductor IL is alleged, thought there
was room enough and his car was filed
with passengers and ne did not want TO lose
time, rang two bells 20 go ahead. Griffin start
ed. The safety valve Of the engine happened
to be the only part far enough over the track
to get nit, and the car knocked it on.
BURNED BY sCALDING STEAM
Instantly the steam escaped with a roar al
most like that caused by an explosion. Every
window in that side Of the car was broken into
bits and the filled with steam. Every
passenger sitting on that side was scalded by
the steam. and many of those on the opposite
side as well Few seated on that side escaped
being cut by the glass, which flew in all di-
rections.
The majority of the people in the car, nearly
a hundred in number, women, and they
shreked in terror. All were on their feet at
The steam continued escape and as
egress from the was necessarily slow
number of persons were scalded by the steam as
it poured out Of the boiler into the car. Many
women were thrown down or crushed against
the sides and dooTways in the wild JAM and
for some minutes the excitement was intense,
with the rush of the steam. the shrieks and
cries OF the women, and much shouting on the
part Of men in and out Of the car.
Women sank exhausted in the cutters and on
the sidewalks when they got out of the car
Those Of the passengers not injured aided the
others by leading them TO stoops or places
where they could rest Men and women rushed
out Of nearby houses and tried TO aid the dis
tracted women who had rushed from the car.
Men and women stood and sat here and there.
with gashes in their faces with features and
hands burned.
Policemen Cooley and Rasky. of the East
Fifty-frst-st station stood at the corner when
Hospital for ambulance, while a doctor on
the car, who was not hurt, and a number Of
physicians from the neighborhood began treat
ing the injured.
CUT BY FLYING GLASS.
The chief injuries gashes made by the
flying glass Miss Fanny Gilmore. twenty-three
years old of No. 32S West Nineteenth-st.. a
stenographer. had a lacerated wound of the
right cheek which DR. Forbes, of Flower Hos
pital treated. She refused to go to the hos
pital and friends took her home.
James Carter ffty-two years old, chief in
spector Of the Metropolitan Street Railway sys-
tem had a cash in his left cheek. from the ear
TO the throat 1t was sewed up by DR. Forbes
and he went home William Cummings. of No.
2l7 West Sixty -siXth-st and Thomas SCarbrOok
Of No $40 Bergen BeaCh-aVe., were bruised
about the body and cut in several places.
Several women, who seemed to be badly cut
about the face and hands and who were sCalded
as well got into cabs and were driven away
to physicians offices. More than a score of
women and men were led to the drug store al
Forty-second-st. and Vanderbilt-aVe. and treat
ed there. They were then taken TO their homes
by friends.
The police made no arrests regarding the
aft n accident.