Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-08-18
Terrific Collision at Niagara Shat
tered Them but Neither
left the Rails.
WATER 20 FEET BELOW THEM
Parts of the Wreckage Fell into
the River-Conductor Seri-
ously Hrut-Eight Pas
sengers Also Injured.

Niagara Falls, N. Y. Aug. BIN a
hcad-on collision between Two trolley cars
on the gorge route this evening. nine
persons were Injured, ono seriously The
collision occurred at Swift Drift at the
point in the gorge where the river breaks
into the swift rapids above the whirlpool.
The ledge upon which the tracks rest Is
narrow and on the river side there is
drop of 20 feet into the churninR waters
Both cars were shattered by the terrific
force of the collision but neither LETT the
rails.
The injured are: Charles vaughn or
NIAGARA Falls. a conductor. condition
critical: Mrs. Nellie Melvin. Ohio;
Miss Elizabeth Campbell, Wtum-
wa. Iowa Mrs James Gordon. Ottulnwa'
Iowa: Samuel sadies Bowling Green,
Ky; Mrs. Alice Martindale. 4SS Manning
avenue, Toronto, Ont. Mrs. W. II. Jer-
rift. San Francisco; f.. Furman $50 Main
street, Niagara Falls; Henry Fur.nan'
motorman. Niagara Falls.
The accident was due to the failure
to work of the brakes on the down
river car Above Swift Drift there Is
IA stretch of double track where the
up and down river cars meet The
down river car which left the falls
shortly before six o'clock arrived at
the double track ahead Of schedule
time. The motorman applied the air
to stop his car but the brakes failed
to respond.
At this time Lewiston car was
coming up the sharp grade from the
whirlpool. The motorman on II saw
the down car approaching at high
speed and heard the motorman wildly
changing the gong. Realizing that
something was wrong he reversed the
power, but before he could bring his
car to n standstill. the runaway car
crashed into 1t.
Both cars were completely wrecked.
So near were they to the edge Of the
river that parts Of the wreckage fell
into the water and were carried down
to tho whirlpool. A special car
brought the injured to Niagara Falls.
| Attached to the Lewiston bound car
We're three trailers carrying about 2c0
people. There We're two trailers on the
Falls bound car filed with people who
| had landed at Lewiston from a Toronto
| steamer.
The crash came on short trestle
| Frank Liger. the motorman on the car
from the Falls, jumped and so avoided
| being seriously hurt. When the passen-
gers saw that an accident could not be
averted, there followed the widest con-
| fusion.
| Hemmed in by the fierce river on ono
side and Jagged rocks on the other, there
We're few that dared to leap. Samuel
Sadies of Bowling Green was one Of
those who jumped and he was badly
hurt, falling IL feet to the rocks Had
both cars been going at full speed the
accident would have resulted In the
| drowning Of scores The fall to the river
at that point is 20 feet and the current
runs about IL miles an hour.
Because of the position Of the mo-
tor cars 1t was impossible for the
women to get out OF the wreckage
without assistance. They had to make
their wa. assisted by the men. along
the shattered running boards of the
trailers over the ravine. Cars con-
tinued TO come down into the gorge
for some time after the accident. add
ing to the confusion. The passengers
had to leave them and ascend by the
incline railway between the two lower
river bridges.