New-York tribune., 1906-06-25
WRECK ON TEST TRIP.
CAR DASHES DOWN HILL.
Emergency Brake Fails on Orange
N0untain-One Nan Dead.

West Orange, n. J.. June "A tSpeciaD.-The
new line of the Orange Mountain Traction Com
pany, running from Valley Road UP the Orange
Mountain. on one of the steepest points of the
mountain as put to a test this morning and the
first car Ian away, resulting in the death of one
man. the probable fatal injury of another and
slight injuries to eleven more Only one man
stayed on the in its mad descent of the
mountain and he escaped with the loss of two
of his teeth
The line is not yet open TO the public. and at
best would not have been for a week at least
as ii proposed to test the cars and the safety
appliances, and negotiations were under way to
pass the control of the road TO Edward W. Cur
tls' who is interested in developing Orange
Mountain real estate Frank Brewer, presi-
dent of the Orange Mountain Traction Company
said to-day that the lease was to have been ne
gotated Tomorrow
The list of casualties follows:
THE DEAD.
BURNS S Patrick S No ll5 Bergen Newark,
Corporation; died IN Orange Memorial Hospital and
THE INJURED.
BERNIUS. George. Valley Road West Orange
division superintendent OF the Public Service Cor
DowD Henri. No. 4ol Washington Newark,
sy 6at. with RsRE %R Il. car ra eaapsa Of patent
GREENwAY, Herbert No 1O1 South 9th Newark
NAFF Egiir Psts5 6raa Ao@%y az y employed by United
PETERSON. Edward A. 134 Hudson street Newark
PRESTON. Harry, Newark
PUSE. Albert. No 54s Valley Road. West Orange.
sbai5crsd ana internal INJURIES IN orange Memorial @
Hospital may die
sIvERs, Thomas, Albany. y Y, employed by United
Electric Company Of Albany.
Unidentified Negro. after the accident.
JUMPED FROM THE CAR
All of those injured jumped from the car as it
dashed down the steep mile of track leading
down the mountain. and with the exception Of
Quayle, who is I'm the hospital, and Bernius. who
is being treated at his home by DR. William NJ.
Brien, all were treated on the spot by physicians
and were able TO go about. Edward A. Peterson,
of No. 134 Hudson street. Newark, the man
who stayed on the car to the end of the mad ride.
and escaped with two broken teeth.
The line was formerly a cable road, with two
cars 1t runs directly up the Orange Mountain,
a distance of little over mile in an absolutely
straight line. The grade varies from IL to %
per cent. The cable road was abandoned be-
cause it was too expensive. and when 1t pro-
posed to use electricity there was considerable
adverse comment because it insisted that
there brake strong enough hold
heavily loaded car on such steep grade. Frank
Brewer, president OF the traction company, in
sisted that accident almost impossible,
and he said to-day that safety appliances had
been provided which would have been used had
the line been open 10 the public. Flood was en-
gagged to equip the cars with his brakes. which
said to work efficiently in other cities. a
safety cable was also provided. running over
drums at the head OF the mountain and arranged
so to cOunterbalance the cars as they went
up and down. This not in use to-day.
Flood took charge of the work and Sivers and
Marth brought down with him from AL
bany to break in the men who were TO be en-
ployed the line Two cars reached West
Orange this morning, and men employed by the
Public Service Corporation shunted them from
the tracks of the South Orange & Maplewood
Traction Company across a field and over Valley
Road to the foot of the hill Soon after O'Clock
the were placed on the Orange Mountain
tracks and IL decided to make a test trip
and try the brakes. Quayle decided TO run the
first car. He is inspector in the trolley de-
partment of the Public Service Corporation and
experienced in handling The members Of
the construction gang got aboard. Bernius and
sfnt.-