Washington State journal and Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1906-1907, 1907-01-30
Street CAR WRECK.
FATAL ACCIDENT occurs At
SPOKANE SUNDAY night.
Motorman c. e. Nickerson Kilied-Ac-
cident Occurred in Northeastern
Part Of City-Nickerson Said Brakes
Would Not Work-Heavy Switch
Engine Struck Car Square in Center.


Would Not Work-Heavy Switch
Engine Struck Car Square in Center.
Spokane. Jan. 28.-Motornan Nick.
erson was fatally injured. every one of
the nine passengers aboard bruised
and cut, the bones of several fractured
and the street car completely demol-
ished when Great Northern engine
Sunday night struck the westbound
Minnehaha street car No. 81 of the
Washington Water Power company.
The motorman died three hours later.
The accident occurred northwest of
loss Park. Great Northern switch en-
CINE No. 4p0 was backing toward Hill
yard at the time and was going at a
speed of about IS miles an hour. &C
cording to the statement of the crew.
The street car was carried distance
of from $50 to 200 feet along the track
and was completely demolished.
AS soon as the extent of the catas-
trophe became known. dozens of peo-
rle living in nearby houses swarmed
over the tracks and began at once to
assist the injured passengers from the
wreckage. The most seriously hurt
were taken into the homes near by.
So great was the force of the cclis
ion that the street car was reduced to
kndling, the wonder being that a
single person escaped alive.
Eyirs Man Makes Statement.
G. E. Nickerson. formerly fireman
en- the Great Northern railroad and the
motorman of the illfated car, made a
statement to the crew of the car fol-
lowing his injury. He said:
Il want 10 make statement before
l die. The trouble was that the air
wouldn't work, want you men to ex-
plain that We were sliding along the
tack when I saw the engine ahead.
threw on the air and it wouldn't work.
then put on the emergency brake but
1. was too late"
Nickerson died three hours later at
st. Luke's hospital.
The Joint at which the wreck &C.
Cured is unobstructed for distance
of many hundred feet from both
tracks. The snow and the moonlight
made the crossing visible to the crews
of both cars.
John Lee Of Is Ferry avenue, the en-
gineer on the switch engine, declared
that he blew his whistle according to
regulation before coming to the cross
ing. Said he:
WhistIed at Crossing.
II didn't see the street car until We
struck 1t, as l was not looking that
way. We were going about 10 or Is
miles an hour. whistled at the cross
ing"
Lee was not injured, nor was the
fireman OF the engine, Frank Manni-
gan. of Hillyard. Both men. after the
collision, assisted the injured.
AribuIances at Wreck.
Three ambulances arrived about an
hour following the accident, In which
gers were taken to the hospital.
That the accident may have been
jue to The slipping Of The trolley pole
instead of the failure of tho air is the
explanation made by ]. r. Yarrow Of
SAPPHIRE avenue and F street. Mr. Yar-
row was outside of his house at The
time Of the accident and witnessed the
collision from a distance.
Pole May Have Slipped.
II was standing in my yard" said
he. when I saw the street car come
down the track. 1t seemed to be Sill
ding some before it struck the cross
ing, although l cant be sure OF that.
As the Great Northern engine came
along l saw the fash of the trolley
wire, as if the pole had slid of, and
then the crash came. l started off at
once for the place."
The railroad sent several score of
men out to clear away the wreckage.
So badly broken up was the street car
that the remains Of it were not re-
moved from the tracks until over three
hours after the wreck.
The switch engine. one of the heavy
type, was scarcely damaged by the I'M
pact, except for the fact that the
trucks of the tender were torn from
its body.
The Dead.
c. f. Nickerson of 062S Monroe
street, motorman, aged %.
The injured passengers are:
Mrs. J. R. Hegburg, aged so, OF
Mead, Wash, badly injured about the
head and body.
Miss Fern Hegburg. aged %. dtug'
ter of Mrs. Hegburg. hands and arms
cut.
Miss Leila Long. aged II, Emerald
avenue and c street, compound frac
ture of the right leg and internal in
juries.
Julia Long, sister of Leila, aged 20