Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-07
MOTOR LEAVES THE II"
Car PIunges Into a Chicago
Back Yard.
EIGHT PERSONS INJURED
Fifty Passengers in the Vehicle at
the Time.
AMBULANCES HAD BUSY TIME
Accident Caused by the Motor Casing
Dropping on the Track-0ther
Cars Saved.
LMBULANCES HAD BUSY TIME

CHICAGO. April Eight persons were
seriously injured. one probably fatally,
and nearly a score others were hurt to-
day when the motor car of southbound
train on the South Side elevated railroad
jumped the track a few hundred feet
north Of the Indiana avenue station and
crashed to the ground.
The front Of the car fell into the rear
yard of a residence at 1926 Prairie ave-
nue.. but the rear end remained propped
against the structure. The car was used
as a smoker. The motorman of the car,
George Stang. was cut and bruised about
the head and body and his skull was
fractured. He was also internally in
1ured. Stang was taken to the Wesley
Hospital, where it was said he might die.
Seriously Injured.
Among those most seriously hurt were:
Joseph Darmody. Marion. Ohio: internal
injuries, head cut and leg broken; may
die.
E. o. Smith. conductor Of motor car;
skull fractured. and may die.
Thomas NJ. Moser skull fractured; may
die.
Barney Homan, Internal injuries.
James O'Hare, internal injuries.
E. c. Quinn, leg broken, internal in
juries; condition serious.
About fifty persons were in the front
car when the accident happened. and
many of them were more or less injured.
The train was moving rapidly when the
front trucks of the motor car jumped the
track. The car bumped along the rails
for short distance and then plunged
Off the elevated structure, landing in the
rear yard Of Mrs. A. T. Hayen. at 423J
nir{o o1r
into the rear Of the motor car and car
ried 1t along the tracks for several feet.
The trucks of the second car also left
the track.
Panic on the Train.
The passengers Of the front car were
thrown In heap to the floor and some
of them were dashed against the win
dows. cutting themselves badly. A panic
followed in the four rear cars and a
number of men raised windows and leaped
out upon the elevated structure. where
they were in imminent danger from the
third rail. The attendants of the rear
cars however, managed to get them back
into the train before anybody was in
jured-
.Ambulances and patrol wagons were
police stations on the south side of the
city. Lieut.. Cronin and ten officers from
the 18th street station were the first to
arrive. They found the passengers of the
motor car penned in and struggling TO
make their escape. When additional help
arrived the imprisoned passengers were
dragged through the shattered windows
and carried into nearby residences, while
the more seriously injured were hurried
off to various hospitals.
Cause Of the Crash.
G. " Weston general manager of the
company, said that the accident was
caused by the motor casing of the front
car dropping to the track and raising
the trucks above the structure.
These motor castings" said Mr.. Weston,
ARE heavy, weighing several hundred
pounds. The one on the front car dropped
down and ran into it. Naturally. 1t acted
as a lever and raised the car from the
tracks. The impetus of the moving train
showed this car off the structure and
it fell to the ground despite all that the
mOtOrman could do to check it.