Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-02-20
ONE BODY LODGES on MOVING TRAIN
Force Of Impact Shown by Scattered Human
Forms and Wreckage,
MoToRNAE WINLY STRIVES TO STOP
Puts Brakes on Hard, but Rushes "a
Doom Through Protecting Gate
Closed by viEilant watch
man at Crossing.

of the children we're killed and thirty or
more injured. The motormRn OF the car,
who stuck to his post, will die. and the
engineer Of the express was so badly hurt
that there Is little hope Of his recovery.
Both the express and the trolly were on
steep grades. going at right angles. The
express was sisnalled, and the crossing
gates were lowered while the street car
was yet only half way down the hill. The
motorman Immediately turned of the power
and applied the brakes but the car slip
ped along the icy rails. II gained tremen-
dous momentum and at the bottom OF the
hill crashed through the gates directly in
the track Of the oncoming train. The loco
motive ploughed its way through the
trolly. throwing the children in every d.
rection.
The dead. ali Of this city except enc, are:
VIOLA ILL. II years.
MAUD BAKER. IS years.
ERNEsTINE P. MUELLER, is years.
MABEL T. KARsCHNER, IL years, Tifln.
o.
ALMA LoEHNBERG, 1s years.
ROSEBUD KoHN.
ELLA wERPUEP, 10 years.
EVAN L. EASTWOOD. jr.. 1s years.
The more seriously injured:
Peter Brady. motormAn OF trolley car.
skull crushed, VIII die.
Oscar Baekliff, engineer Of train. head
crushed. probably fatally injured.
Jennie MeIelland. 16 years, skull frac-
tured; other injuries, probably fatally.
Florence Toll, ankle broken and badly
hurt about head and shoulders.
Mabel Smith, IL years; head injured.
George Smith, colored. leg fractured.
Walter Bauermann. II years. ribs broken.
Comrades watch Disaster.
The accident happened within three
blocks OF the high school building, and in
the car at the time were nearly one hundred
pupils. As many as thirty others had
managed 70 throw themselves frNm the car
before the crash came.
The trolley was one Of the specials which
every day bring the children to school. 1t
had more than its ordinary load today, ow-
ing to the cold. II contained every child
that could squeeze inside, and others stood
on the rear platform. Because this car
had been so crowded many who were wait
ing for II before the hill was reached could
not get on. although some climbed on the
front platform with the motorman.
A score OF more children were compelled
10 follow the car afoot. They say that when
the car was still less than half way down
the hill the railroad gates began to drop
Peter Brady. the motorman. promptly shut
on the power and applied the brakes. Speed
was checked. but It continued to move
slowly down the incline. There was nc
thought OF danger. Then Il began to move
faster and faster. The iee-eovered rails
afforded no hold for the wheels. and, al
though Brady iammed his brake harder ant
then swung on the reverse. the momentum
Of the car grew at every yard, and the cal
shot down toward the railroad. When 4
was right at the gates the express thun'
dered into Il.
Warned by the cries OF those afoot ant
by their own sense Of danger those on thu
platforms began to throw themselves of
into the snow. and as the car sped alonl
the few remaining feet toward the rail-
perhaps one-third escaped death or iniur!
IA this way. but there was no time fo
those within the car to do more than erusl
toward the rear door. The gates wer'
swept aside like toothpicks. and before tn
cracking Of timbers died away came tn
crash amid the frantic cries OF those VIII
saw death dashing down upon them.
The wreck Of the trolley was complete
The pilot OF the engine struck It almos
Hmidships. turned It partly around and Gu
Il in two. one-half was thrown TO on
side and lay on the tracks. the other wa
hurled some distance away.
In every direction lay the injured an
dead The engine was brought to a stand
stiIl. and from the train and nearby house
men rushed to the rescue. The spectaol
was appalling. and many who stared {
work had to give up. unnerved.
From the high school. where the eras
had been heard came pupils and teacher
10 aid in sueooring their companions.
Lad who landed safely in a snow bank thirt
feet from the crossing arose. brushed III
snow cut Of his eyes. and with a shrie
rushed up the street to a hrebox and turne
In an alarm.
Within hve minutes as many dead bod
lee had been laid side by side In the sno
alongside the track. One OF them, that
q girl. Was found e block beyond II hs
been carried there on the pilot OF the er
gine. Load after load Of injured was ser
away In patrol wagons and ambulaneei
Within a short time there was not an IN
1ured person near the scene OF the wreel
and the dead were on their way TO Il
morgue.
Conductor Makes Statement.
The conductor Of the trolley car. Geors
Gould. said:
II Is customary for trolley conductors
leave their cars at this crossing. and I
the car stops, 70 run ahead and see II n
track Il clear.
] should have done that this morning hs
l not seen that the gates were lowere
Naturally. i concluded that the car Wou
stop and the nrst thing ] knew was Whs
we went crashing through the gates.
Policeman Stuckey. who was a Witne
OF the accident. said the trolley car hl
projected about four feet over the ira,
when Il was struck. There were abo
twelve children on the front platform.
Is not known whe;her they hampered 4
motorman's movements Passengers on d
train heard the screams OF the children b
fore the train struck the car.
As an illustration Of the force Of 4
collision. the front part OF the trolley c