New-York tribune., 1903-01-17
LOADED CAR RUNS AWAY.
PASSENGERS IN PANIC.
Hits Carriage and Hmks D,iUer
T5oenty.fUe Feet against Pillar.

A Third-ave. surface car full of passengers
late yesterday afternoon ran away amid great
excitement.
The motor Of the car began to act queerly
and when it reached the switch at One-hundred-
and-fourth-st- and Third-ave the motorman
climbed down and went to the side to adjust
some Of the apparatus. The instant he left the
car 1T shot ahead at full speed.
Full of passengers, who were unable to leave
it on account of the speed at which the car was
going, the struck a beer truck, heavily load
ed with empty kegs at One-hundred- and-frst
St, belonging to the James Everard Brewery,
at 1883 Third-ave.. and driven by Anton Null
Ter, who, with his helper, Charles Carlson
on the seat The force of the impact threw the
kegs all over the street, sent the driver and his
helper on their faces to the pavement, and
buckled the rear wheels of the truck, besides
causing the horses to away. They were
caught before they got under headway
Pursuing its way. the car, now shooting out
blue flame from its sides, sped ahead with it's
passengers shouting for help it darted along
Two blocks further, at Ninety -ninth-st., a
wagon driven by John Butler, of No 139 Wash
ington-st. and belonging to the American Cir
cular Loom Company, at No. 100 Greenwich
St, was attempting to get across the track
ahead.
The runaway then burst into sheets of
flame and bore down on the light wagon. 1t
struck the vehicle, tossed it in fragments
against elevated road pillar twenty-five feet
away. and cast the driver his horse to the
street Still flaming, the car suddenly sprang
from its track, and with shrill Shrek of
grinding steel, tore along at increased speed
At Ninety-eighth-st Policeman Moffatt of
the East One-hundred-and-fo -fourth-st. police
station, standing with employe of the
ale afea yailr how
the flying The policeman's companion
gained the front platform, seized the controller
and turned off the power. Every light in the
went out and the halted. Through the
flames that shot up from the sides of the ca-
could be seen the passengers, struggling to get
out.
Mrs. Minnie Johansen of No. 1850 First-ave.,
nearest the door and tried to get out first
with her baby in her arms. She tainted as she
reached the rear platform, and dropped the
child. Over her a burly passenger tried to
climb. He had fought his way to the door with
210 East Ninety -ninth-st, another passenger,
attempting to assist the woman, when the
burly passenger endeavored to force his way
past O'Donnell ordered him to desiSt, and a
fight arose. ODonnell drove the man back into
the car and would not permit him to leave it
until he had taken care of Mrs. Johansen.
Although every window in the car had been,
shattered, and the fragments of glass had flown
about them. the passengers escaped severe in
jurfes. ODonneli had scalp wound, and Mrs.
Johansen overcome by shock Both re-
fused to go to the hospital when an ambulance
arrived.
After the excitement over, the conductor
could not be found. 1t is not supposed that he
was on the car at the time of the runaway. The
flames were extnguished without much trouble.