Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-11-05
CABLE CARS MEET.
One Killed and 81 Injured at
Kansas City.
Slippery Rails Said to Be Cause, Al
lowing Cars to Meet.
Aeonizing Scenes Among Passengers
and Friends at Wreck.

Kansas City. Mo-, Nov. 4-One pers on
was killed, and 81 others injured, four
perhaps fatally in a collision of two
cable cars in a fog on the 18th street
incline near the Union depot, Wednes-
day morning.
Most of the injured were working
girls, clerks in the big retail stores up
town, who were on their way to work
from home in Argentine, Arnourdale
and Kansas City, Kan, across the riv-
or from Kansas City, Mo.
The dead girl, Nellie Luscombe, aged
90, q clerk, was instantly killed. Carrie
Mooney, q clerk, who had both legs
broken, and Herman Watkins, also a
clerk, whose Jaw was broken and who
was otherwise hurt, will die, it is be-
loved.
Seventeen others were more or less
seriously hurt. All the injured lived
in Kansas City. Kan. or it's suburbs.
The accident was due to slippery
tracks. One train, heavily laden with
passengers had reached Summit street,
four blocks east of the top Of the 1tllo
street Viaduct, 4 structure four blocks
in length that spans the railway tracks
in the Union depot yards. For the en-
tire distance of eight blocks there is a
descent Of about 60 degrees.
At Summit street, the first car had
stopped to let of a passenger when the
grpman lost his grip on the cable. I'm
mediately the train started back, gain
ing great speed. A heavy fog made it
impossible to see in any direction and
indescrible confusion ensued among
the passengers who were too closely
packed inside the car to make q move
to save themselves.
Several on the grip and many among
those on the platforms Of the rear car
jumped and escaped with but slight
injuries.
When the train had reached the tor
of the viaduct, it was going at q rate
Of perhaps 81 miles an hour. TWO blocks
away, midway down the incline, anoth-
er heavily laden train was making its
wev upwards. ;rhe fog was too dense
fol either crew to see the other and not
until the runaW way train was within 9
few feet of the second train did those
on the latter realize any danger. The
cars came together with terrific force
throwing tie passengers in every direc-
ton and partially wreclling the viaduct
The scenes that followed We're agon-
iZing. BcWiidered. crushed and unable
to see clearly in the dense fog it was
some moments before the situation
could be realized and an effort could ht
made by the passengers to eXtricate
themselves or others to remove then
from their perilous position. Several Of
the injured had been thrown clear OF
the viaduct railing and falling 20 feeI
to the railway yards below. sustained
injuries more or less serious. Ambl,-
lanceS We're sent from all parts OF the
city and when order was restored anC
the injured removed it was found that
one, Miss Emma Oyer a clerk from
Kansas City, Kans.. had been killed ant
19 others more or less seriously hurt
four perhaps fatally.
1t is considered miraculous that two.
score We're not killed outright. The
grip car of the second train telescoped
the rear coach of the descending trair
and was spintered, while both coaches
were badly damaged. A board struck
one man seated in the rear of the sec
ond grip car in the throat. renderino
that will cause his DEATH Half a dozen
others sustained broken legs and arms
while many others We're badly bruised
ana crt. In the descent of the runaway
Ger the lives of many girls were I'M
doubtedly saved by the men passing
them from the car to the pavement
These escaped with minor bruises.
Almost all of the injured were clerks.
The injured We're carried tenderly to a
house at the top of the incline which
was thrown open to receive them and
here they We're laid out on beds and on
tho floor and given temporary attention
until they could be removed to the hos
Dital. Several were unconscious when
first taken from the wreck and when
that they revived they did not even
know that there had been collision.
so suddenly had the accident occurred.
Harmon Watkins, who is an employe
of til" Methodist Book Concern. was
probably fatally hurt.