The San Francisco call., 1908-10-20

Spinning on its grip attachment as
on pivot. car No. sig Of the Washing
ton street cable line. east bound, ended
g desperate down hill runaway career
yesterday morning at Powell and
Washington streets by hurting its
passengers. including many women,
from their seats to the pavement One
man, Policeman Charles T. Francis.
may die from the results Of his in
Juries.
Francis acted heroically during the
rapid fight of the car, giving up his
seat 10 George TAFT a IL year old lad
employed in the Emporium that the
hoy might have the better hold when
the final crash came. Then Francis
sought TO save himself by jumping, as
he had no way to brace himself. In
jumping he fell and was the most
severely injured Of the passengers. sus-
tanning two broken ribs and an injury to
the skull which may prove a fracture.
j. ". de Merritt, a young druggist liv-
ing at 2105 Pacific street. showed pres
ence of mind by forcibly restraining
several women on the car from jump
ing. De Nerritts spine was injured.
The accident happened at S o'clock
In the morning and the car was filled
with women and girls going TO work.
Conductor George Wallace and Grip
man James Sepnapp We're in charge Of
the car. Just after ii passed Jones
street, east bound on Washington, the
grip refused to work properly and
the car shot down the hill, which is as
steep as any traversed by car lines in
the city. Both men tried to put on
the brakes, but they could not check
the speed OF the car. Sennapp then
jumped of, injuring his wrist and knee.
The car continued, crossing Taylor
and Mason streets TO Powell. The grip
attachment stopped 1t from jumping the
track and rolling down Washington
street but acted curiously, as a pivot,
spinning the car as if it were wheel
on an axle. The car was turned COM
pleteIy around. The sudden jar of the
stop and the centrifugal force of the
gyration threw all on the outside of
the car into the street. Those inside
the car were thrown TO the floor on
top of one another and the clothing
Of the women was ruined, although
most OF them escaped with but super
fetal. injuries.
Mrs. Frances TAFT. sister in law
Of John TAFT, the cafe proprietor, who
supports herself and three children by
working as a seamstress in the En-
and was the most seriously injured OF
the women. Her head was badly cut
snd at the central emergency hospital
where she was eventually removed, ii
was thought that her skull might have
been fractured. Mrs. TAFT was first
taken to the Office of DR.. II. S. Warren
1912 Washington street, where first aid
treatment was given to her and other
victims by DR.. Warren and DR.. J. w
Mrs TAFT was removed to her home
2239 Lombard ctreet.
Others injured were Miss J.. Hill, 1716
Pacific street, a young woman ste
nographer in the employ of J. K
Armsby company. who recently came to
this city from Nevada, where she had
been employed by Governor Sparks;
Miss Ollie Christian: Miss A. Malick
2l20 Greenwich street; Miss Frances
Smith. 246s Lombard street (the last
three employees of the Emporium)
Herbert Shrek, 1916 Washington street
and Charles Kendall. a schoolboy, OF
2SO7 Baker street.
Passengers who escaped were;
Charles Shelton, 1856 Jones street; Miss
c. Miller, 210s Greenwich; Miss B.
Tejen, 3l27 Bush; Anna Bennett, 21eO
Steiner; Miss A. Boggs, 32l4 Fillmore;
Florence Ingram and Anna Matthew
--lcE NAY -OAaA4Os N@oo clIccls d
teacher in the Horace Mann school, was
a passenger on the inside Of the car
She clung to her seat and was unin-
jured.
Gripman Sennapp was arrested and
charged with battery He was released
on bail.
Agents OF the United Railroads were
on the scene of the accident and al
the emergency hospital Immediately
after the disaster, settling or endeavor-
ing to settle claims with the injured.