Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-11-17
Serious Accident Narrowly
Averted on Bridge.
CONDUCTOR BADLY HURT
Score or More Passengers Including
Many Women, Aboard Trolley That
Almost Takes Plunge Into c. & o.
Yard-Shaken-up and Scared.

A score or more of passengers, in
Guiding many women. had narrow es-
,apcs from serious injury and pos
si1.- death few minutes before )
n"lock yesterday afternoon when cas
Nh ), OF the Newport News & cs
J., Int Railway & Electric Company,
r.aJ &. the track on Inc westerly APP
pticl. of the Twcnt fifth street
bridge, tore across the. flooring of the
JiIter and smashed tn. uugh ;he heavy
gee. guard rail ON the north side Of
TO- structure WheI the car nnh'ly
stopped. the front end projected over
IA h,iage and but TO- t." Strength
# T.. guard rail the ca: Wound have
O.Or. ed from the briJse ~ the Car>a
rrske v Ohio railWa val a DIS
a - Of some forty Feet he!Gw
That some of the passengers in the
car were not seriously injured Is al
most miracle. Conductor Lame, OF
the railway company, who was riding
in the smoking compartment at the
front eng of the car was the only
person injured AS the car swerved he
was thrown against window and had
his right arm badly gashed. He was
moved to the St. Francis hospital IN
DR. ]. Kennedy Corss' automobile and
his wounds were dressed at the hos
pital by the physician.
Passengers Shaken Up.
All Of the passengers in the car
were more or less badly shaken up
and several OF them sustained minor
bruises. Many of the women and men
were hurled from their seats and some
of the women are suffering from ner-
vous shocks. One woman passenger
is in delicate health and she was so
shocked by the accident that Chief
Reynolds had to have her removed to
her home in the patrol wagon.
When the passengers picked them
selves mp after the car stopped there
was a wild scramble for the rear
UOCI. SOlflt tue IdSStu6Cio "hC
were hound for Hampton, were so
nervous as the result Of their eXper-
fence that they gave up all idea of
making the trip. Several women on
the car were returning to Norfolk
after attending the Methodist con-
ference here and they transferred to
nj IN Old
Point
Wheel Fiange Broke.
The accident was caused by the
breaking CT a flange on the front
wheel of the forward truck of the car.
il is supposed that the fiange broke
when the car was first approaching
the bridge and when it struck the
spread rails just where the flooring
starts, the wheels left the track. but
rot enough for the car crew to notice
it. The car was taking the steep
bridge at a fast clip and suddenly
the forward truck left the track and
the car shot over toward the side
of the bridge Mctorman C. c. Har-
per. VINO was just being broken in
under the direction of Motorman
Price and Conductor McAllister, VINO
were in charge OF the car. shut of
the current and applied the breaks
This had little effect, however, and
the wheels smashed down the heavy
oak pieces separating the flooring on
the drive way and that on the foot
path of the bridge.
These oak pieces checked the car
TO some extent and then when the
car brought up against the guard rail
il stopped after badly tearing and
bending the rail
Immediately after the accident. the
railway force was summoned and a
supply car was soon on hand. By
the use of heavy jacks the force had
the car back on the track in less than
a half hour and it was taken tc the
car barns for repairs The car es-
and headlight alone being smashed. q,