The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1906-05-24
BETWEEN GATES
BUGGY is CAUGHT
Occupants in Trap Await APP
pr0ach of Train.
Mrs. Charles khuOn, Thrown Out
Sustains severely Sprained Back,
Hut Is Saved.
MIR. KHUON AND GATE TENDER

A cut of freight cars struck bug
gy in which Charles Khuon and wife.
an aged couple, residing on West
broadway. just beyond Twenty-fifth
street, were riding this morning at
$3.50 O'Clock at 18th and Broad
way and Mrs. Khuon is lying at her
home with a severely sprained back.
the horse is bruised and the buggy
partly demolished.
Caught in between two automatic
railroad gates, unable to go back
ward or forward, and with a string
of freight cars bearing down on them
was the unnerving situation in which
the aged couple found themselves,
and but for their presence OF mind in
keeping their seats, both might have
been ground to death under the
wheels OF the ears.
The cause of the accident is at
tributed TO the carelessness OF both
Khuon and the gate tender. ]. F.
Wright, but both claim they eyercis-
ed due caution.
81 was riding to town with my
wife," Khuon related shortly after
the accident" and We were coming
from our home. did not hear any
warning bell ring from the gate tow
er and did not hear or see the APP
preaching cars. | come by this street
daily and have never been in danger
of an accident before. depending on
the gates for protection. When | got
under the first gate | noticed the one
on the east side of the crossing being
rapidly lowered. | looked aside hasti-
ly and saw the ears coming. | struck
my mare and she started forward at
a more rapid pace. The gate came
down struck her on top of the head
and she jumped back. My mare is
gentle and but for this fact both my
self and wife might not be living
10 tell the story.
THE rear of my buggy was on the
tracks and could not force my mare
an inch ahead on account OF the gate.
The west gate was down and | could
not back, so held the animal in this
position until struck.
Held by Gates.
The question OF getting out of the
way was not to be considered. My
wife sat with me and when the bug
gy was struck was thrown out. left
the vehicle and assisted her. She
sustained a severely sprained back
and Is now at home unable to move.
Tho buggy was partly demolished
and my mare slightly bruised but un-
hurt. Had We attempted to back. or
had the mare been wild, she might
have pulled us directly in the path
of the cars. ! consider our escape NIL
raculous. and will say that I heard
no warning bell from either gate
tower or engine"
The engine was a switch engine.
No. 1872. in charge of Foreman Hen
ry Lewis, and Engineer Tim Austin.
1t was pushing the cars west and the
engineer was unable to see the bug
KY ON account of the length of the
string, and turn in the tracks.
The gate tender, J. F.Wright, stat
ed that he did ring his bell. and did
every thing he could to warn the
aged couple.
81 rang my bell several times and
let the gates down. did not see the
driver attsmpt to cross until too late.
/ thought he knew the train was COM
ing and did not see him again until
my gates we're down. was busy with
the mechanism. IL was then too late
to avert the accident
The engine was stopped as soon as
the accident was seen by the crew.
Mrs. Khuon was resting we'll after
the accident but on account of her
age and the nature of the injury may
be seriously hurt. The result OF the
sprain can not be told for some time.
1t may be permanent.