The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-06-04

InoSe poor people, tnose poor peoplc.
cannot help crying; Il is all that / have
done since got home"
PITCH DARK IN THE ROAD.
Henry Curtis OF Appleton street, Olney-
vile. who was on the rear platform with
John Schneider when the crash came,
said;
Il was hurled into the air fully 20 feet
and came down against sign post, which
injured my head. My nose was skinned
when | struck the ground. where | must
have lain stunned for some time. but l
was aroused by the screams of the In
jured
1T was almost pitch dark In the road
and though | felt very queerly tried TO
help pull the dead and the dying out from
under the car. which had been turned
| over on Its side. don't want To ever see
such n sight again"
Asked whether the car was going fast
or slow he said: II thought we were
making pretty good time. 1t was on a
down grade"
| OCONNOR'S NARROW ESCAPE.
| Edward O'Connor, one OF the managers
! Thornton. He wore bandages on his
| head. right elbow and left wrist, and
! limped painfully from bruised legs.
| II don't know how IL happened" he
! said. 81 was standing on the running
board on the right side OF the car. talk
| ing with McQuade. the conductor. and
holding on TO one OF the stanchions, when
we hit the curve at a rapid clip and Nc
| Quade pushed me back
This push probably saved my life, az
the car fell over on It's side the next in
stant and ] found myself struggling
under half dozen people who had been
sitting In the seat beside me.
t-iif-theaght i must have been under
them 20 minutes before | managed 10 get
4 n i
was bearing up the weight OF the entire
car on my shoulders. II was dark people
were crying, and yelling and struggling.
When got out and could see around,
the electric light was about out, only a
little fire being visible. Some OF us ran
TO the electric light pole and pounded II
and the light started up but went out
again. This pounding had 10 be repeated
a number OF times before the light be-
came steady and we could see well.
Five or six bodies lay In the road.
their clothing covered with dirt. Some
people. were still under the. car. being
pinned under stanchions at the side. and
others were trying TO raise the car OFF
| them.
SECOND CAR STOPPED IN TIME
| The other car had been warned and was
| stopped before II could run into the
| wreckage, and willing hands soon raised
the car sufficiently TO pull out those under
| within a very few minutes after the
! accident. corps OF IL physicians sum
moned by the Rhode Island company and
| crew or wreckers were on the scene.
The Wood and Hall residences nearby
were converted into improvised hospitals
where many Of the wounded were taken
| and cared for. and ambulances hacks
and cars were summoned from this city
| In which the dangerously injured were
! hurried 10 the St Joseph's and Rhode
| Island hospitals. where two OF the VIC
| tins George Atchison and a man sup
| posed 10 be John Gavin. died without re-
| gaining consciousness.
Il Ina L..
| accident bringing the death list UP TO
II and there were fully 20 others more or
less injured
| Some OF these were suffering from
shock. many were bruised or scratched.
| while about 10 received injuries then
| thought 10 be serious.
RACES WRECK QUICKLY RE
| The Rhode Island company's employees.
| directed by Capt. Alonzo Williams show
ed the greatest energy In clearing up all
| evidences OF the accident and before
| daylight had the wrecked car raised and
back on it's trucks. Within n few minutes
the car had been replaced on the track
and was being towed TO the repair shop
I'm this city.
A half dozen men with rakes and hoes
and brooms were quickly set at work
clearing the road and sanding II. so that
before the sun was half an hour high
hardly visible trace OF the accident
was left
! The sign post that had been knocked
down was replaced and photographers
who arrived before 8 o'clock found only
material which had been there before the
accident.
No photographs that could be taken
after the roads employees got through
even before daylight. would be OF any
value 10 surviving victims OF the accident
Bertha Kelley Of Thornton. whose es-
cort Edward F. Brennan. was killed, was
badly mangled and for a time could not
| be Identified. Several hours later. James
| IA. McGair. a boarder at her home. posi-
| lively identified her. Mrs. Kelley was so
affected by her daughters death that yes
terday fears were felt for her reason
| when the body was taken home.
| INQUEST ORDERED.
Coroner Harmon s. Babcock and Med
ical Examiner DIR. George F. Allison Of
East Providence decided yesterday after
| noon TO hold an inquest and MIR. Bah
cock Will begin to summon witnesses at
once.
The medical examiner decided that II
was not necessary to conduct autopsies
as there We're so many victims; and the
cause of death was so apparent
| DIR. Allison was early al the undertake
I'm groons and made a careful examina-
tion OF each OF the bodies. i'm accordance
| with the law, taking notes as 10 the
| apparent Injuries. In most cases they
were of multiple character. In several
cases the skulls being crushed probably
when the bodies were pinned beneath
! the
r. /. COMPANY INVESTIGATING.
| A. T. Potter. vice president OF the Rhode
Island company. said today that the Of
| fcials OF the company are conducting an
investigation OF the disaster. Employees OF
| the company. including the motorman
and conductor OF the wrecked car, were
| interviewed by the officials.
Mr.. Potter explained that while no ac-
| tion had been taken toward laying the
motorman Off duty pending an inquiry. IN
| all probability he would not resume work
until the investigation was concluded
The vice president understood that the
motorman claims that the light at the
| foot OF the hill was burning but dimly
and failed TO illumine the track or TO
point out the curve; and to that circum-
| stance and the unusually slippery con-