The Savannah morning news., 1903-04-03
BELT CARS COLLIDE.
COLLISION CAUSED BY BREAKING
CONTROLLER CHAIN.
GEORGE ANCKER INJURED.
SIXTEEN PASSENGERS GOT OFF
WITH A SCARE.

Accident Occurred on Duffy street
Near DraytOn at 1910 O'clock
Last Night-MOtOrman w. w. Og-
den Escaped Injury by Jumping
from Car No. s When He Saw
Car No. 20 Was Coming at Him.
All Passengers Got Lively Bump
ing-Mr. Ancl<er Was ON the Rear
Platform and Was Cut About
Head and Face.
Two east and west belt cars of the
Savannah Electric Company's line
went together near the switch on
Duffy street at 1O:4O o'clock last night.
The collision was caused by the break
ing of the controller chain on car No.
20, east bound. One passenger was
painfully injured and all of the pas
sengers and the crews on the two cars
were given a shaking up. The injured
man is George Ancker, of 209 West
Gordon street. His wounds are in the
face, lips, nose and possibly internally
Motorman Ogden, who was on car No
probably escaped serious injury by
jumping when he saw that the cars
were bound to come together.
The trouble occurred just a little east
of the switch, which is on Duffy street,
between Drayton and Bull streets. Car
No 20 bound east, in charge of Con-
ductor Z. E. Neidlinger and Motorman
j. w. Boykin, was approaching the
switch and just when on the switch
the controller chain broke. Car No. s
Westbound, in charge of Conductor w.
A. Shelton and Motorman w. w. Og-
den, was coming at a fair rate of
speed, and each being on time, the
crews expected they would pass with
out stopping more than a few seconds.
AS soon as the motorman of car No.
8 realized that car 20 had crossed the
swith and was bearing down upon him
ne set his brake and jumped. Some of
the passengers realized that there was
trouble and started to get up, but be-
fore any one got out of the seats the
cars came together. There was a crash,
and then the cars rebounded to about
ten feet apart.
There were ten passengers in car s
and seven in car 20, and all were given
a shock as the cars collided. OF the
number about half were white, in
Guiding several ladies. Mr. George
Ancker of Gordon street was riding on
tllC rear platform Oh car ana was
thrown violently against the back of
the car. His nose and lip were cut and
bruised, and it was said last night that
there might be other injuries
In the jolt against the car Frank Van
G1esen, who was on the rear platform,
lost a valuable diamond pin.
The other occupants of the two cars
were quickly on the ground, and were
carefully examining themselves to find
out the extent of their injuries 1t
was generally discovered that all were
badly shaken up and some had bruises
from contact with the seats in front
There were some cases of Mysteries
among the colored women passengers.
and one man is said to have had two
or three teeth knocked out. The pas
sengers were all able however to get
out of the cars by themselves and soon
made for their homes. The cars COM
ing up on either side of the blockade
started a transfer, and there was 70
real delay in the service.
The damage to car s is not very
heavy but means the refitting of new
front platform. The car that lost the
controller chain was not otherwise In
jured Nearly all the glass was up,
the night being cool, but not a pane
was broken.
Neighboring residents, hearing the
noise of the collision, came out and
offered assistance and shelter for the
injured, but there was very little for
them to do.