New-York tribune., 1903-06-22
PANIC ON BURNING CAR.
THREE HURT BY JUMPING
Wopaan's Dress Catches AtWe-Ne e.
gro's Leg Broken.

Tho f,,se In the controller box of a Sixth and
| Amsterdam ave ca. blew out with two loud ex-
pIosions at Columbus-ave. and Sixty-fourth-s'
late last night The was CROWDED WIN
women children and men returning from Fof'
George = panic followed as a womans dress
caught fire. and many jumped to the street WINE
the car was moving rapidly. Mrs. Robert Jor-
dan of No :':}2 West Twenty -seventh-st-. Whose
dress caught fire. jumped to the street ana
str,1ck her head against an elevated road pillar
cutting her SCALE Her husband a jeWeller'
jumped with theii eight-year-old daughter
Madeline in his arms. and his head was cut, the
child escaping injury. Charles Marbenporoush'
coored OF No $50 West Fifty-ninth-st' aiso
jumped breaking his leg, He was taken TO
Roosevelt Hospital.
The cause of the fuse burning out could not
be ascertaned, but there is a switch at tha'
point of the road and the mechanism unoer-
meath the car emitted blush lights as the car
sped across it. Then there was a flash, pun
and two loud explosions. These shook the car
and startled every one in 1t. Inc eNpiosloh
could be heard for distance.
Flames shot out of the box, which was the
one in the rear of the car Mrs JORDAN was
sitting directly in front of it and the names
shot over her, setting fire to her dress. ohe
arose and frantically tried to beat out the
flames her husband assisting. All the whlle
flames shot from the controller box people were
screaming. everybody in the car, an open one
was on his feet and panic had set in
Mrs Jordan had lost control of herself, and
while the car was moving quickly she jumped
out into the street. She rolled over and her
head struck with good deal of force against
a pillar of the elevated road near the side OF
the track She lay stunned. while people on
the street ran up to her. policemen sent Ior an
ambulance and men tried to revive her
Mr. Jordan was afraid to leave his daughter
anywhere near the box, which was stlll spll'iis
flames and sparks and he picked her UP IN MS
arms and jumped off without celebrating and
with no precaution to where he would laho'
He fell his daughter rolled away and was un-
hurt, but Jordans head struck the pavement
with such force that his scalp was severely
gashed He was quickly revived.
Mardenborough. the negro, was out Oh MS
mind from the first, and he jumped off from the
edge of the car without facing forward and
only thinking of getting away from the flames
and A possible continuance of the EXPLOSIONS ne
feared He struck the ground with such force
that his right leg fractured. and ne tainted
The car was filled with people. and the women
and children were crying and shrleklng lfo"
fear. Several other jumped from the car
and fell down, but these were not hurt only
tearing their clothing and getting slight shah-
ing I'D One woman tainted and fell in front or
several women, who fell over her. Others were
hystericaI while children clung to their parents
and Wept in the excitement
A. the time of the explosion the conductor.
Patrick Darby of No. 313 West Forty-seventh-
81 was in the front part of the car collecting
Eos when he heard the explosions he rushed
to the 1tar and tried to quiet the people. hel
ne pulled the bell for the motorman TO stop.
When the car stopped. the passengers ainlosI mos,
tumbled off in their eagerness to get away from
the