Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1903-02-26
DUE TO icy RAILS.
A Trolley Car y Wrecked BY a
Fast Express Train.
EIGHT SCHOOL CHILDREN KILLED.
A Score or DO Of Others Is1ursd-MAny
More Saved Their Lives By Throwing
Themselves from the Trolley Car
Before the Crash Came.


Newark, N. J., Feb. 2O.--A fast ex-
press on the Lackawanna railroad
cut through a trolley car crowded
with school children at the Clifton
avenue crossing yesterday. Eight OF
the children were killed and score
or more Of them injured. The mo-
torman, 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 ex-
press and the trolley were on steep
grades, going at right angles. The
express was signaled and the cross
ing gates were lowered while the
trolley car was yet half way down
the hill. The motorman shut of the
power and applied the brakes, but
almost Immediately the car began to
slip along the icy rails. 1t gained
tremendous momentum and at the
bottom of the hill crashed through
the gates, directly in the track OF
the on-coming train. The locomotive
plowed its way through the trolley,
throwing the children in every direc-
ton.
The accident happened within three
blocks of the high school building
and in the car at the time were near
ly 100 pupils. As many as 80 others
had 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. It bad more than its ordi-
nary load yesterday, owing to the
cold. It contained 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 it before the hill
was reached could not get on, al
though some climbed on the front
platform with the motorman. A
score or more children were COM
PEELED to walk and they followed 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 of the power and ap-
Piled the brakes. The speed OF the
car was checked, but it continued to
move slowly down the incline. There
was no thought of danger. Then 1t
began to move faster and faster.
The ice-covered rails afforded no hold
for the wheels and, although Brady
damned his brake harder and then
swung on the reverse, the momentum
of the car grew at every yard and
the car shot down toward the rail-
road. When it was right at the gates
the express Numbered into view.
Warned by the cries Of those afoot
and by their own sense OF danger
those on the platforms began to
throw themselves off into the snow
and as the car sped along the few re-
naming feet toward the rails per-
haps one third escaped death or in
Jury 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
like toothpicks and before the crack
ing of the gates died out came the
crash, FOR So seconus' Dcrofe ONO
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 it almost amidships,
turned 1t partly around and the en-
gine cut It In two, the upper part
being reduced to fragments.