The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1907-02-01
STREET CAR WRECK
FATAL ACCIDENT OCCURS AT
SPOKANE SUNDAY night.

Part Of city-Nickerson Said Brakes
Would Not Work-Heavy Switch
Engine Struck Car Square in Center.
Spokane, Jan. 28.-MotOrman 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 a Great Northern engine
Sunday night struck the westbound
Minnchaha street car No. 81 of the
Washington Water Power company. |
The motorman died three hours later. |
The accident occurred northwest of
Toss Park. Great Northern switch en- |
CINE No. 400 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 O0OA as thC CAIOAI III InO NoCeAo-
trophe became known, dozens of peo-
PIE 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 coils
ion that the street car was reduced to
kindling, the wonder being that a
single person escaped alive.
Cyirg Man Makes Statement.
c. E. Nickerscn, formerly fireman
en- the Great Northern railroad and the
motorman Of the Inflated car. made a
statement to the crew of the car fol-
lowing his injury. He said:
II want TO make statement before
I die. The trouble was that the air
wouldn't work. I want you men to ex-
plain that. We were sliding along the
tack when l saw the engine ahead. l
threw on the air and it wouldn't work
then put on the emergency brake but
1t was too late"
Nickerson died three hours later at
st. Luke's hospital.
The point at which the wreck &C.
Cured is unobstructed for a 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:
Whistled at Crossing.
81 didn't see the street car until We
struck it, as l was not looking that
way. We were going about 10 or II
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.
AmbuIances at Wreck.
Three ambulances arrived about al
hour. following the accident, IN which
the most seriously hurt of the passen
gers were taken to the hospital.
That the accident may have beel
due to The slipping Of the trolley pol
instead of the failure of the air is tn
explanation made by ]. r. Yacrow @
SAPPHIRE avenue and F street. Mr.. Yal
row was outside of his house at III
time of the accident and witnessed tn
collision from distance.
Pole May Have Slipped.
81 was standing in my yard" sal
he, when l saw the street car com
down the track. 1t seemed to be 81
ding some before it struck the eros
ing, although I cant be sure OF tina
As the Great Northern engine can
along I saw the flash of the trOlle
wire, as if the pole had slid off, an
then the crash came. l started off {
once for the place"
The railroad sent several score
men out to clear away the wreckag
So badly broken up was the street CT
that the remains of it were not r
moved from the tracks until over thr'
hours after the wreck.
The switch engine. one of the hea'
type, was scarcely damaged by the il
DdCt, oXC0pI lOI IlC IaSI IhoI u
trucks of the tender were torn fro
its body.
The Dead.
c. E.$Nickerson of o62S Monr
street, nAtorlnan. aged 25.
The mildred passengers are:
Mrs. ]. r. Hegburg, aged SO,
Mead, Wash, badly injured about
head and body.
Miss Fern Hegburg.bf Fed %. dari
ter of Mrs. ftegcurg. ~ S and ar
cut.
Miss Leila Long, aged II, Emer.
avenue and C street, compound fr
ture of the right leg and internal
juries.
Julia Long, sister of Leila, aged
back injured and arms cut.
Lester Long. aged II, brother
the young women named above, he
slightly injured.
Lucille Dean, aged IL, living
Emerald avenue and D street,
broken and back injured.