The San Francisco call., 1906-04-07
.PALO ALTO
TRAIN HITS
STREET CAR
Motorman Loses
Hand, Others
Are Hurt.
Locomotive Crushes an
Electric Car Because
Two Blundered.
Carelessness Of Gateman and
Carelessness Of Gateman and
Trolley Conductor Cause
the Wreck.
THE INJURED.


J. K. Buska, moforman, right hand
severed Lives ON Seventeenth street.
Treated at Southern Pacific Hospital.
J. j. Kelley, 1859 Alabama street; cut
above right eye, contusions ON head
and face and badly shaken up. Treat
ed mt Southern Pacific Hospital.
William f. SchilIfng, 5I9 Seventh ave-
nue.; badly bruised and shaken UP, with
contusions on head and face. Went
home.
sIrs. William F. SehiIling, SO Seventh
avenue; bruised about the-head and
body. Went home.
The Pa1o Alto train which left the
Third and Townsend street depot at
1885 o'clock last night crashed into the
Sixteenth-street car at Sixteenth and
Harrison streets, throwing the car from
the track and severing the right hand
from the arm of Motorman ]. E. Buska
and fn5uring the three passengers.
The car had just crossed the first
track when the outbound train struck
It and threw It completely around The
gates were UP and the accident was
caused through pure negligence.
The occupants Of the car were hurled
forward with violence. but fortunately
none Of them were thrown in front Of
the train.
The Coast Line Limited was late and
gates at the corner OF Sixteenth and
Harrison streets were lowered
The Sixteenth street car was coming
down the Sixteenth street grade. and ].
E Buska, the motorman in charge,
brought his car 10 halt, as the gates
were down, and the coaster passed on. A
watchman is stationed in a tower-house
at this point. His duty is to raise and
lower the gates. The conductor of the
car. H. NJ. Ross. left his car and gave the
signal to his motorman that the road was
clear.
The vehicle had just crossed the first
track when the outbound Palo Alto train
loomed in sight Motorman Buska could
not stop his car before the train reached
him, and he was forced to take a chance
Of crossing the track before the train got
TO the crossing. He let on all power, but
he was too late. The train was too close,
and it was also impossible for Engineer
r. A Bush to bring his train to a stop to
avert the accident.
With great force the train struck the
car aud threw It from the track. Pas
sengers were hurled from the vehicle, and
many OF them were pinfoned under the
wreckage and extracted by train passen-
gers. Motorman Buska's hand was cut
OF and the other passengers were badly
injured.
There was great turmoil on the train.
It was loaded with passengers and they
were given great scare. People clamored
for the doors IN an effort to reach
safety.
Mr.. and Mrs. w schilling of SIS Sew
enth avenue, Richmond district, were
picked up seriously hurt. The extent Of
their injuries Is not exactly known, but
It is feared that they may have sustained
internal injuries. The husband had a deem
cut over his eye
J. ]. Kelley OF 1853 Alabama street
had cash over the right eye and other
injuries He was treated at the South
ern Pacific Hospital. His wounds are
not serious.
lie with Watchman Lyser Marfotti of
the tower which operates the gates at
the crossings and Conductor Ross of
the streetcar. Marfotti had Just received
his midnight luncheon from the hands
of his wife when the coast line limited
whistled for the crossing. He heard II
and lowered the gates on time. He did
not watch the tracks closely. and when
he saw the limited pass by he raised
the gates. He did not once look up the
track to see whether the Palo Alto local
was near, although this train passes by
every evening His desire to eat his
midnight meal seems to have overshad-
owed his usual caution
Conductor Ross OF the street car merely
walked up to the inbound track, accord
ing to the reports of the three passen-
gers, and then waved his car to proceed
without looking up the outbound track
for the Palo Alto local He was iust
swinging on the back of the car when the
crash came and he was uninjured
The white gates at the Harrison-street
crossing are mute evidences Of the watch
mans guilt. They stand straight up-
right not broken nor even scratched.
proof that they were raised before the
street car started
Early this morning it was learned that
Buska win recover from his injuries. 1t
was feared at first that the amputation
and the following shock would prove IA
tai. but the surgeons at the Railroad Hos
pitaI say he viii soon be able to walk
about