The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-17
WRECKED AUTO SHOWERS FIRE
WOMAN, STEERING, DRIVES 1T
INTO A TROLLEY POLE.


Tank Blows Up-He's Badly Hurt and
the Cop Who Came to the Rescue Is
Isurned-sevcral Horses Rum Away.
A two-soated automobile runabout, which
was spinning down Jerome avenue yester-
day afternoon, with other vehicles all
around IL, ran into a trolley pole at 1ooth
street, throwing the occupants out with
great force. Then, just after police
man had pulled the driver from the wreck.
tho gasolsne tank Of the machine exploded,
raining fire in all directions.
All this happened because young woman
who was taking her first automobile ride
had insisted upon being allowed to
steer for just minute"
The only person badly hurt was Avery
Denison of 2ss West Fifty-fourth street, an
expert driver. With him in the machine
at the time Of the accident were two young
women, whose names the police failed to
get. People who saw the accident say
that there was another man besides Deni-
son In the machine when it struck the troll
Icy pole. II they are right that man was
probably E. p. Washburn of 253 West Fifty
fourth street, the superintendent Of John
Brisben Walkers Mobile Company Of
America and the owner of the automobile.
Washburn told Sun reporter later
that he had left the machine few minutes
before the collision to 60 into a roadhouse
He said the young woman had been teasing
all the way down from Yonkers to be allowed
to run the machine. Denison, he said. had
gone on with the young women, intending
to return in five minutes for Washburn.
The young woman attempted to steer whom
the machine was about at 187th street.
The trolley poles at that point are In the
middle OF the avenue. She had hardly
put her hand on the steering lever when
the machine swerved to the left and made
straight for a pole that was about thirty
feet away.
The machine was going about sixteen
miles an hour and Denison was unable to
avert the collision The automobile struck
the pole with a crash. The two young
women shot through the air and Denison
| was thrown over against the trolley pole
and pinned down under the wrecked
machine.
Policeman Fred vanderpool Of the High
| Bridge station was on a bicycle not far
away, and when he heard the crash he
raced to the scene Of the trouble. He cast a
glance at the two young women, who had
| already got to their feet, and then ran to
| Denison's aid. The latter was unconscious
Vanderpool pulled the disabled driver
out, but he had dragged him barely ten
feet away when the gasoene tank ex-
| ploded. Burning gasolene fell on the
back Of the policeman. and on Denison's
face, injuring both OF them. The flaming
drops also spattered upon half dozen
persons in the crowd that had gathered.
The whole machine was in blaze in a
moment. and in half an hour was nothing
but a mass OF twisted metal and smouldering
wood. The flames ran up to the top of the
trolley pole, making 1t flaming torch
for five minutes.
By this time the avenue near the scene
Of the accident was crowded with automo-
| biles and other pleasure vehicles. Several
horses ran away when the explosion &C.
| cured, but no accident resulted
Somebody in the crowd summoned Dr.
! Commit from the Fordham Hospital and he
| quickly revived Denison and attended to
the policemans burns. Then he set Den
ison's right leg. which had been broken.
| and sewed up long scalp wound which
the driver had received.
! Denison was taken to the hospital. Wash
burn put the two young women. one of whom
had an injured arm and the other badly
| scratched face, into carriage and took
them to Mills's roadhouse at Nth street.
| They were taken from there in an auto
bile few minutes later
Washburn refused to say anything about
| the young women except that they came
frnu Ynnkers