Evening journal., 1902-03-08
Break ia the Machinery
Caused MOtOrman TO
Lose Control Of Car

Rushing down Market street with
the speed of an express train, car No.
4, OF the Delaware avenue line of theI
Wilmington City railway, shortly after
II o'clock this morning, scattered
teams and pedestrians right and left
and before the rush was stopped in
jured four persons, demolished fyeI
wagons and crippled six horses.
The following shows the result oil
the runaway:
JOSEPH CHAMBERS, colored, coal
dealer, No. 1886 East thirteenth
street. cut and bruised.
WILLIAM JEFFERSON, colored,
driver for G. w. Bush and Sons
Company, leg broken in two places.
THOMAS NJ. CULBERT, passenger
finger hurt.
]. II. MORRIS, driver for Adams Ex-
press Company, hip hurt. Internally
injured
The passengers started on their aw-
full ride at Sixth and Market streets,
when some part Of the mechanism gave
away. Released from the brakes, the
car seemed to shoot forward like ball
OF fire from a cannon. John Jones, the
motorman, tugged frantically at the
brakes. but could do nothing. He sig
nailed TO the conductor, David Craw-
ford. and he tried to work the rear
brakes, but it was without avail. The
car seemed TO gain speed at every foot,
and by The time it reached Fifth street
the passengers knew that it was run
ming away.
Faster and faster it went, the build
ings on both sides of the street seem
ing to be rushing in the other direc-
tiOn with lighting-like velocity. People
on the street looked after it with open
mouths, fearing to see the heavy car
leave the tracks and crash into the
buildings on either side of the street
But the car kept the track. The clang-
ing Of the bell almost kept time with
the rapidly revolving wheels. This
brought hundreds of people running
from the stores and the intersecting
streets Drivers of teams hurriedly
pulled their horses out of the way
There were many narrow escape.
At Fourth and Market streets the
first team was met, a coal wagon
driven by Joseph Chambers, of No. 335
East Thirteenth street. There was q
crash, the man, wagon and horses were
thrown aside as If they were so many
chips. Chambers was struck on hi.
head. and for a few seconds lay OF
the pavement like one dead. He wa,
carried into Bringhurst's drug store
at the corner. where his injuries wer'
dressed The wagon was reduced tC
kindling wood.
In the meantime the car was con
tinuing its mad run. 1t was swinging
from side TO side, every second threat
ening to leave the wet rails, BY thi
time the passengers were thorough.
alarmed. The women sat still will
pale faces, not knowing but that th
next minute they would be crushed Il
death under the heavy timbers Of tn
car.
Finding THAT they could not stop TIL
car, the mOtorman and conductor
Thomas NJ. Culbert Francis d. Baldwin
and some other men who were on tn
car devoted their time TO quieting tn
women passengers. They recognizes
that the greatest danger was in jump
ing from the car The doors wer
locked. and no one allowed to get Out
To what seemed an hour to thos
on THE car, but which was really hard
lY a minute, the car reached the squaT
between Front and Second streets. o
the track were two wagons one Owne
by G. w. Bush and Sons Company
driven by William Davidson, aud an
other owned by tine Adams EXPIRES
Company and driven by j. II. Morri
With a crash heard for squares, th
heavy coal wagon was struck. 1t wa
badly damaged, and the driver wa
thrown out. How he escaped death
not known. He was pushed along b
THE car for a few feet, and then role
out of the way Of the wheels. His le
was broken in two places, and his ia,
and hands were covered with blood.
Almost Immediately the Adams E.
press wagon was struck, and Morr
thorwn out on his back. He was alb
Ito pick himself up, and managed
walk to the corner, where he sat dow
until assistance arrived. A two-hor
team, owned by the Francis Kell'
Company, was standing in front
that place of business. The car stru,
Il, knocking down the horses and dar
aging the wagon.
William RittenIhouse had just jun
ed from the seat TO the ground, al
thereby escaped injury. Two sho
were torn from one of the horses fee
and have not been seen since.
The two horses attached to the Bu
coal wagon were pushed along part
under the car. They were horrih
mangled.
The car did not make the curve
Front street, but jumped across [