Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-02-01
ELECTRIC-WRECkED.
The Maranacook Leaves Rails
at State Street Junction,
Motorman Loses Coatrol--SeveraI Of
the Party Injured.
One Has CoIIarbone Fractured-The
Others Have Narrow Escapes.

| tho car MaranocOok, of the Augusta,
Winthrop & Gardiner Electric Rail-
way. which had been run out to East
Winthrop, Saturday night, as a special
and was returning to the city at about
$50 A. NJ, Sunday. with a party Of
zine young men belonging in town on
board. The car left the iron at the
junction of State and Grove streets.
and was overturned in H. l..
Bowditch's front yard.
The occupants of the car We're L. L.
Cooper, f. y. Crissman, c. f. Down
ing. Horace Garter, L. NJ. Mower, d.
L. Nash, r. b. Folsom, H. L. Weber
and Lester Partridge, they being
members of party of Is who went out
to Applewood Tavern, Saturday even
ing. where they enjoyed shore dinner.
They had chartered the car, Mariana
cook, to run out and bring them home,
and as nearly as can be ascertained,
the car started on the return trip to
the city at about 12.45. Five
of the party decided not to return
OH the car, and remained at
one of the cottages at CObbOsseecontee
for the night.
The car was in charge of Con-
ductor F. c. Stevens and Motor
man C. Il. Robbins. and from what can
be learned there was no trouble until
the car reached and began to come
down the hill near the residence of w.
II. Gannett, on Western avenue, al
though the car is said to have come
along at Il good rate of speed from the
time it started.
AS it came down the hill. it was con-
stantly gaining speed, and soon was
running ut a terrific rate. Realizing
that something must be wrong with
the brakes, the passengers, with the
exception of Mr.. Cooper and Mr..
CriSSman, who We're in the forward
vestibule sought the rear platform,
with the intention Of jumping from the
car. Conductor Stevens went forward
to the assistance Of the motOrman, but
his act had no effect as far as checking
, the speed Of the car was concerned.
AS the car struck the turn at SeWall
street, where the track crosses from
the north side of the road to the mid
Gle it lurched so that all expected that
il would leave the irons, but it hung
to them, and raced down Western
avenue at express train speed. until it
reached the junction, where the tracks
from state and Grove streets, and
Western avenue unite, and where the
latter line makes Ii short curve to the
north as il turns on to Grove street.
But no rail was ever laid that would
hold the flange of a wheel on car
which was going at the rate of speed
at which the car mentioned above was
nd whom it StrIlrk
the junction it never swerved a par
ticle from it's course, but kept on as If
the rails were still under it, and were
laid straight ahead.
AS far as has been heard. no one
saw the car when it left the irons, but
the burrows in the snow told the story.
Nearly opposite. but a little northeast
of the junction. is the residence of II.
Z. Bowditch, and toward this the car
rushed, and it is thought that as the
forward wheels struck the outer edge
of the sidewalk, the shock lifted the
car from them, and they ran forward
until they collided with a tree by the
front walk. and stopped.
The force of the wheels striking the
sidewalk threw the forward end of
the car upward and some of those in
it were of the opinion that it must
have been lifted about six feet. AS it
still went forward, it careened, and the
rear end struck a nearby post glanc-
ing blow, breaking in a part of the
roof OF the car. and swerving it from
its course. 1t then fell heavily on one
side, within 90 feet of Mr.. Bowditch'S
front door.
Those in the car who escaped injury
hurredly climbed out. and while some
went to the assistance of the less for
t'unate. others went for surgica) aid.
, Luckily. several physicians livefn the
immediate vicinity of the scenS of the
accident, and Drs. Hill, Tuell and
Thompson were soon at hand. Mr..
! Mower was taken out of the rear end
of the car, and it was found that his
collar bone was broken in two places,
and that he was slightly cut on the
face by broken glass. He was attend
ed by DR.. Thompson, after which he
was taken to his home on Spring street.
Mr.. Partridge was unconscious when
taken from the car. He was bleeding
from cut across the forehead. and
was ut once taken to the residence of
DIR. Tuell, nearby. and upon eXamina-
ton it was feared that he was suffer-
ing from conclusion of the brain.
Later. he was taken to his home on
Court street. In the morning, however,
! he rallied, and later in the day was re-
ported to be much improved.
Harry Weber received a blow on
the head. but not of serious nature.
and Mr.. Carter had one hand slightly
cut by broken glass, and some small
scratches on the face from the same
source. but the rest of the party were
! uninjured.
The car itself sustained far less in
jury than might have been expected.
1t is thought that $500 will repair
: damages. The glass was broken in
number of the windows of the under
side. and the corners of that side were
broken and splintered. The Mariana
cook is one of the finest cars owned by
the road. being u companion car to the
Cobbosseecontee the two having been
built expressly for the travel on the
Winthrop line at cost of over $4,000
each. 1t weighs % tons.
! The noise of the car, as it rushed
down the ayen,le aroused DeOple in