New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-02
Controller on Eighth Avenue
Trolley Blows Out and the
Flames Brighten
Passengers.
MANY SWOON IN THE CRUSH
Central Park West Dwellers Go
to the Aid of Injured
Mrs. George Con-
sidine's Leg
Broken.

Seventy-fve persons. many of them
women. were thrown into panic last
night when the controller oox Of an
open Eighth avenue car in which they
were riding caught afre while The car
was running north in Central Park
West between S4th and S5th streets
The. lights in the car went out. but
fifteen-foot bright blue fame that shot
UP from the controller box threw
great glare for hundreds of feet
Screaming in fright, the women pas
sengers fought to get out of the car.
and many of those in front were
pushed out and then trampled upon by
those behind them. Others fell from
the running board and seats upon
which they had climbed. More than a
score were injured, two seriously.
When Patrolman Grober and others,
attracted by the flames and screams.
from Rossleigh Court and the Living
ston and Cascade apartment houses, in
Central Park West, reached the car
twenty women were senseless or groan-
irg with pain on the ground.
Two Women in Hospital.
Two women were taken to Polytechnic
Hospital They were Mrs. Mary Bride
groom, fifty-two years old, of No. 3S2
Amsterdam avenue, suffering from in
ternal injuries, a sprained left leg and
bruises. and Miss Elsie Tracy, thirty
years old, of No. 225 West 10th street,
suffering from bruises and shock.
The others injured went home after
being treated by Drs. Runyen and
Schoenberg. of Polytechnic Hospital.
Those whose names were obtained by
the police were:
AnaeIes, Miss Lea, No. 328 West 55th
street. sprained left ankle, bruises
and shock.
Considine, Mrs. George, her sister;
fractured left leg and bruises.
Nicholson, Mrs. Nellie, No. 1445
Fifth avenue; bruises.
Cohn, Mrs. Sarah, No. 81 West 18th
street; sprained lett ankle.
Brohney, Miss Margaret, No. II West
S1st street; bruises and shock.
Donedin. James, an actor, living at
the Kaiserhof Hotel; bruises.
The motorman of the car. John
Donovan, was singed on the hair and
eyes, but suffered no further injury.
Besides those whose names were OBJ
tanned, more than twelve others, the
majority women, were treated by the
ambulance surgeons. Many Of them
were carried to the benches on the
edge of Central Park by the police and
citizens and nursed there until they
were able to go home.
Save for a slight scorching on the
front, the car was not damaged. DON
ovan ran il to Seth street, where sand
was obtained with which the fire in
the controller box was quickly extin-
guished.
Women Fight to Get Out.
The car was filed TO its capacity. II
was going at a good rate Of speed
when the box burned out. owing, IL is
thought, to too strong a current on
short circuit. First there was a louo
report, and then every one in he car
was blinded by the flash Of tongue
Of blue flame that leaped and fared in
the air for several minutes.
Before Donovan could stop the car
the passengers. all screaming in fright,
began their fight to get out. Women
were pushed and fell the compare
lively few men in the crowd fought for
an exit and the chaos Of the panic was
uncomfortable until the car was empty
and nearly half Of its passengers suf-
fering or senseless on the ground.
Persons in the apartment houses for
a block in any direction heard the
screams Of the women. and saw the
glare of the flame. Many Of them ran
TO assist the police and ambulance sur
geons.