The Washington times., 1921-01-22
AS
CARRUNSW|LD
Gets Out of Control, Dashes
Down Incline, Smashes
Into Car Ahead.

Completely out of control, Car
No 720 of the Washington Rail
way and Electric Company, carry
ing about seventy passengers, at
$3.50 o'clock this morning sped down
Connecticut avenue from California
street, struck Ford automobile.
and q few seconds later crashed
into the rear Of Car No. 759, with
eighty passengers, waiting at s
street to take on more riders.
LIST OF INJURED.
Three men and two women were
injured. They are:
G. K. COIburn. 32OS Seventeenth
street northwest. At Emergency
Hospital 1t was found his right
arm was broken and two nn1ers
ON his left hand no badly crushed
that the physicians amputated them.
Mrs. George w. Perry. 1919 Cal
vert street northwest. cuts On face
and contusion On right hand. Treat-
ed at Energency Hospital.
Burt w. Pierce, forty, 2SO7
Eighteenth street northwest, left
wrist broken. Treated at the Gov.
ernment dispensary on Connecticut
avenue. .-F
Mrs. Frank Smith. 2el1 Adans
Mill read. ankle sprained. Takes
to Emergency Hospital.
=. w. Johnson. -0Oferman ef the
runaway car, cut On face.
PRAISE lGOTORMAE.
But for the presence Of mind Of
Motorman Johnson, of the runaway
car, q much more serious accident
probably would have resulted. John
son realized his car could not be
stopped. To prevent a panic he quietly
warned several passengers on the
front platform to step back a few
feet and prepare for crash. He eau
toned them not to let the other pas
sengers know Of the situation. The
passengers on the front platform
braced for the crash, while more than
nifty others In the rear were unaware
of the danger as the carcontinued on
its wild course.
The accident held up traffic on this
line for more than an hour. Several
thousand persons had to walk part
of the way to their work.
AUTO KNOCKED TWENTY FEET.
Lieut.. Col. J. P. Barney, driver of
the Ford car. and Maj. Gen. w. j.
Snow and Col. w. s. Wood, the other
occupants, narrowly escaped serious
injury. The car was knocked more
than twenty feet, and probably would
have turned over had not Col. Barney
manipulated the steering gear in such
manner to prevent 1t.
When the car left California street
1t was travelling at a speed between
ten and twenty miles an hour. The
motorman had gone but a few yards
when he realized the car was out Of
control. As the car reached Florida
avenue the Ford automobile attempt
ed to cross in front of it The car
struck the machine in the rear and
knocked 1t in such q way that 1t slid
to the pavement.
Continuing for about twenty yards,
the car struck the rear of car 75s.
Prepared for the crash, Motorman
johnson was able to prevent himself
from being seriously injured. Flying
glass cut several passengers. Pierce
was on the runaway car when his
wrist was broken.
DOOR DROPS OFF.
Thrown out Of their seats by the
crash and stunned by the suddenness
Of 1t. passengers were quiet for the
next few seconds. AS II nothing un-
usual had happened, Motorman John
son calmly walked out Of the car.
The front door had dropped off.
The accident was so quick, and
John son so calm, passengers did not
realize until they had filed out of the
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