The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-06
SEVERAL HURT IN
 STREET CAR PANIC
Many Jump from Windows
 When Controller Blows Out
NEGROES WILDLY ALARMED
Rush for Rear of North Ensey Car. Motorman Jumps Without Shut ting Off the Current.
 No One Blamed.

The flashing and blowing out of the con- troller on an outgoing North Ensley street car at 6:2O o'clock yesterday afternoon was the cause of the serious injury of Miss Florence Askew of West Highlands. less serious injuries to several negroes. and the frightening of a crowded car Of people. The injured were
 Miss Florence Askew, leg broken and bruised about the head.
 Johanna Pelham. negro. back badly hurt and bruised about the head.
 Minnie Farlie, Jennie Brown, Minnie Little and Barbara Gillespie slightly in- jured in jumping from the car.
 Car No. 107 on the North Ensley line street and Tenth avenue and was run ming at a lively clip down Tenth avenue, when the controller blew out, sending a flash and flame through the front part Of the car. The car was crowded to the utmost in the front end which Is re- served for negroes, and when the sudden flash came the entire crowd, motorman and all, threw themselves back toward the rear end of the car, and the blazing of the controller box threw the passen- gers into panic.
 Passengers Jump Off.
 A number of passengers who were able to get to the door jumped off, and sev- eral of the negroes aboard went through the windows. It was In this way that all of those who were hurt received their injuries. None of those who remained on board was injured.
 After the controller had blown out the blazing which followed prevented the mo- torman, who is said to have jumped from the car, from turning off the current, and the car sped on down the track for about a block. In the state of commotion which reigned, no one on the car knew of the injury of those who had jumped. After the car was stopped, however, the crowd went back and Miss Askew was carried into a residence close by. Lge Loy's am- bulance was the first to reach the scene and Miss AskeW was hurriedly carried to St. Vincent's hospital.
 The negro woman who was injured was not seen until she had reached West Highlands-by what means no one knew. oHe was Uduly ITlBnteHeu, put was ln- duced to come into Birmingham to have her injuries attended to.
 Accident Unavoidable. The men in charge of the car could hardly be blamed for the accident. Ere quently the controllers blow out on the cars, and the cause is uncertain. Crossed wires, turning on the current too sud denly, or the presence of dirt in the con troller box will frequently blow the con trollers out.
 It is understood that the motorman In his excitement jumped from the car and that the car was stopped by one of the passengers after the blazing had ceased.
 The accident attracted fully two hun dred to the spot in about ten minutes. When the men in charge of the car pro- posed to take it to the barn, there were cries of lynch 'em from some in the crowd. The two men were placed under arrest by Jack Curran, custodian of the city hall, and the car was brought to town.
 Miss Askew is employed by the Whit taker Piano company of this city. She was reported to be doing well at St. Vim cents last night. The negro woman re- mained at the hospital last night, but will be able to leave in few days. The other negroes who were injured were able to