Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-22

and Old Dominion electric line collided
on the Auueduct bridge this morning
about go o'clock. the motormen each re-
ceiving injuries. Several other persons
who were on the cars al the time were
also hurt. Six Of the injured parties
were taken to the Georgetown University
Hospital for treatment but the condition
of only one of them. Motorman Samuel
Redmond. was serious. Both his legs
were almost severed and had to be ampu-
tated. Motorman Herbert Groves, who
was on the other car. sustained n fracture
OF one leg, but 1t may not have to be
amputated. Others who were injured
were Conductor NJ. F. Patterson, Engineer
James A. Brashear, employees of the COM
pany. and Robert Alexander. Charles H.
Held and John Quackenbush The sur.
geons at the hospital have some hope of
Redmonds recovery.
An incoming car that had left the barn
across the river shortly after o'clock to
come to the city terminus of the line and
bridge car No. o. which was crossing
the bridge on its way to Rosslyn, were
the two which came together. When the
cars reached point about halfway across
the bridge they came together with SUM-
cient force to put both vehicles out Of
commission.
1t was claimed by some of the en-
ployes Of the road that there was a dense
fog on the bridge at the time the acci-
dent occurred, which prevented the motor.
men from seeing ahead. This claim,
however was disputed by witnesses who
were upon the bridge when the collision
occurred.
Former Accident Cited.
"A similar accident occurred on the
bridge about o'clock in the morning two
months ago." said one of the patrons Of
the road this morning." and why motor
men Will do such things seems hard to
understand. They simply take their lives
9H- their own hands. The bridge is not
more than 400 feet long and there seems
to be no reason why accidents there
should not be avoided"
Mr.. I. j. King. superintendent of the
railway, said he could not account for
the accident. So far as he had been ad-
'vised there had been a claim made that
the fog caused the accident. but whether
it was due to the fog. slippery tracks or
negligence on part OF the mo.ormen he
was unable to say. He deplored the acci-
dent and said there would b. a full in
vestigation made by the officials OF the
company with view to preventing a
repetition of it.
THE law he said permits a speed Of
not more than six miles an hour on the
bridge. and the rules of the company pro-
vide that only one car shall be upon the
bridge at time"
Amount of the Damage.
The damage to the two cars. the SUPER
intendent stated. was about $500 Traffic
on the bridge was suspended for only
short time. the telescoped cars not hav-
ing left the tracks. They were taken
across the bridge to Rosslyn and Will be
taken TO the shops later II is conceded
20 have been fortunate thing that the
accident occurred at so earlv an hour in
the morning and that the incoming car
had only come from the barn instead Of
from up the road with a number of pas
sengers aboard.
The bridge car left this end Of the
bridge with several pa sssengers aboard to
go to Rosslyn. where passengers take the
cars for Falls Church and other points It
IS, stated that this car is understood to
reach Rosslyn in time to hermit the pas
snneers to board the Falls Church cars,
which leave on the quarter hour. This
morning the bridge car did net start until
two three minutes after the quarter
hour. 1t is stated and when the motorman
on the Great Falls car did not see it at
Rosslyn. it is supposed he thought 1t had
returned to the north side of the bridge
Cars Come Together
Whatever the motormen thought, they
did not stop their cars when thay reached
the bridge. but continued across until the
fronts of the heavy vehicles came togeth-
er. They made strenuous forts TO stop
their cars when 1t was too late. w. c.
Gessford and a man named Ball. residents
of Ballston. Va. were on the bridge when
the accid mt occurred. being on their way
to the CITY. 1t had been their intention
to cross the bridge on A car hut it was so
long coming that they concluded they
would walk
I'VE the sparks flying from under
the cars" said Gessford. Indicating that
the motormen were trying - stop them,
hut thy came together with a crash
When I saw that Redmond was pinned
beneath a big pieca of shaetiron I ran
across to the end of the briiea and asked
two policemen to summon "A patrol wagon
but thev insisted upon running to the
scene of the accident. returning before
they summoned assistance"
Gessford said he and Mr. Pail picked up
the motorman whose legs had been al
most cut off and carried him to a point
near the north end of thu bridge where
they met the patrol wagon. The wagon
returned To the scene of the accident and
other injured men werA put in il. They
were then hurried to the hospital. One
man who had received only Il slight injury
refused to give his name or address and
walked away.
Track Cleared of Debris.
When all the injured ones had been
cared for and taken to the hospital. en-
poyes of the railway company picked up
the Fragments of a car and som bad