The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-02-24

-NffeSS ifofN NtN NfON9n GFOW0cQ
Trolley car-Osaa and Injured Lay
In Every Cireetion-Caused BY Slip
perry Rails.
Newark. y. J.. Feb. Pa fast ex-
press on the Lackawanna Railroad cut
through 4 trolley car. crowded with
school children. IT the Clifton avenue
crossing yesterday. Eight of the chill
dren were KILLED and n score or more
OF them injured. The motorman Of
the car. who stuck 10 his post will
die. aud the engineer of the express
was SO badly hurt that there is little
hope of his recovery.
Both the express and the trolley car
were on steep grades. going at right
angles The express was sigualled.
and the crossing gates were lowered.
while the trolley car was yet only half
way down the hin. The motorman
shut or the power and applied the
brakes. bur almost Immediately the
car began 10 slip along the icy rails.
10 gained tremendous momentum. and
at the bottom of the hill crashed
throuch the GATES. directly in the track
Of the oncoming train. The locomotive
ploughed its way through the trolley.
throwing the children in every direc-
ton
The dead are. Viola m. L years:
Maude Baker. Is years: Ernestine p.
Mueller. Is years; Mabel Z. Karsch-
ner. II years; Alma Loehnberg. 16
years; Rosebud Kohn Ella Werpupp.
10 years: Evan l.. Eastwood Jr.. l6
years.
The accident happened within three
blocks Of the high school building. and
in the car at the time were nearly 100
pupils As many rs 80 others mad
managed to throw themselves from
the car before the crash came. The
trolley was one OF the specials which
every day bring the children TO school.
IL had more than its ordinary load
yesterday. owing 10 the cold. n con
tanned every child that could squeeze
inside. and others stood on the rear
platform. Because this car had been
so crowded. many who were waiting
for IL before the hill was reached
could not set on. although some
climbed on the front platform with the
motorman. 4 score or more children
were compelled TO walk, and they fol-
lowed the car afoot. They say that
when the car was stin less than half
way down the hill the railroad sStes
began 20 drop. Peter Grady. the mo-
torman. promptly shut off tho power
and applied the brakes Tho sneof ~
the car was checked. but II continued
~ move slowly down tho incline.
There was no thought ~ danger. Then
II began TO move faster and faster.
The Recovered rails afforded no hold
Tor the wheels, and although Brady
jammcd his brake harder and then
swung on the reverse. the momentum
az the car grew at every ward. and
the car shot down toward the rail-
road. When it was right az the gates
the express Numbered into view.
Warned by the cries Of those afoot and
by their own sense OF danger. those
on the platform BEGAN 70 throw them
selves of into the snow, and as the
car sped along the few remaining feet
toward the rails, perhaps one-third es-
capped death or injury in this way. but
there was no time for those within the
car to do more than crush toward the
rear door The gates were swept
aside Ike toohpicks. and before the
cracking of the gates died out came
the crash. For so seconds before the
air was filed with frantic cries of
those who saw death dashing down
upon them.
The wreck OF the trolley car was
complete. The pilot of the engine
struck 1t almost amidships. and turned
It partly around, and then the ponder
Gus engine cut il in two The upper
rart Of the trolley car was reduced
to fragments under the drivers of the
locomotive. One-half Of the car was
thrown to one side and Law on the
tracks. The other section was hurled
some distance away. In every direc-
ton lay the injured and dead. The
engine was brought to a standstil.
and from the train and from nearby
houses men rushed to the rescue. The
spectacle was appalling. and many
who started TO work had to give up.
unnerved.
Over from the high school. where
the crash had been heard, and from
the windows of which some had wit
messed the accident, came pupils and
teachers to aid in succoring their com.
panions. a lad who had been hurled
to safety in q snow bank 80 feet from
the crossing, arose, brushed the snow
out of his eyes. and With o Shrek
rushed up the street TO & fire boy and
turned in an alarm.