The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-09-29

The Consolidated Company had an
unfortunate day yesterday, two acct
dents being the record. n occurring
about j p. m. when a cart was smash
ed and the second one last night al
S:25. when suburban car No. 35 spli1
the switch at Ninth and Princess
streets and colllded with city car No.
%. 1t was not exactly a head on co.,
1ision. but a side swipe as far as the
suburban car was concerned. COntuc-
tor Cover Reese had his left leg
broken just above the knee and the
passengers who were on the subu, ban
car that were hurt were, George Smith,
leg hurt; George Mote, painfully in
iured; E. B. Snipes, injured on left
leg and hip; Eugene Sellers, slightly
injured; Dan Rowan, leg hurt; J. T.
Yates. thigh bruised; w. B. Savage, leg
slightly hurt; E. A. Shipp, hip IN
jured.
With the exception of Conductor
Reese no one was seriously injured
The suburban car that met with the
accident was a special bound for the
sound with Il crowd of Red Men, who
were going to the Light House after
an oyster roast. 1t vas preceded by
the regular car bound for the beach.
The city car stopped at Ninth and
Orange streets just at the end of the
switch to allow the suburban cars to
pass. Conductor Reese had got Off OF
his car to turn the switch for the
beach cars and was standing by the
track when the accident occurred. The
first car passed over the switch safely
and the front trucks of the second
passed over. but the real trucks split
the switch and took the Ninth street
track. The rear of the car swung
around and struck the city car, tear
ing off the lamp and also the fender:
It was when the car swung arounl
that Mr.. Reese was hurt.
The collision caused the trolley OF
both cars to leave the wires and all The
light furnished was by a gas lamp
on the far side of the street and that
was shaded in such a manner by a post
that it rendered but little light. For
a few minutes great excitement pre-
vailed. many men jumping off the sub
urban car through the windows.
Mr.. Reese was knocked several feet
from the track by the blow he recaiV-
ed. He was rendered unconscious for
a few minutes. The injured man was
carried to the sidewalk and every
thing possible done for him. A lady
from q nearby residence brought out
a bowl of water and tenderly bathed
the young mans face. In a few min
utes the ambulance arrived and he
was carried to the James Walker Me
mortal Hospital. He vas reported as
resting easily at a late hour last night
and advices were that he had receiV-
ed no injuries other than a broken
leg. His left leg was broken just
above the knee. He received several
: slight bruises.
Mr.. Reese is a young man about "
years of age and came here several
years ago from Boone.
1t was fortunate, perhaps, that the
O. city car was standing where it was
for the suburban car careened badly
when the real trucks took the switch
and had not the rear n Of the car
struck the city car it would, in all
probability, have turned over and had
this been the case. with such q large
crowd aboard. the number Of passen-
gers injured would have been great.
The accident was n of the kind so
dreaded by railroad men for it can
ueve be told when a switch is gong
to be split and some of the most awful
accidents on the railroads are due to
this trouble. The suburban car
was going at a fair rate OF speed
when the accident occurred. but the
city car was waiting to come on thu
Princess street line. With the excep-
ton Of the windows in the vestibule
and rear end Of car No. 80 being br1k-
en- the car was uninjured. Mr.. John
T. Sheehan was conductor on the SUI
burban car and Mr.. Ben Horne motor
man.
Suburban car No. 81 was brought
out of the shed and the Red Men p"o-
sceeded on their way to the sound.
Uotoc ond Cotton