New-York tribune., 1921-02-23
,Iany Slightly Injured
Near Shelton, Conn, as
TroIIeys Meet Head On;
Fipht for Exits Follows
psssengers, Afre,
Roll Into River
Gasoline Tank ON Plat
form Said To Be Re-
,ponsible for Explosion

81 ayS0NIA. Conn.,, Feb. 22.--Eight
a ..sis, we're taken from the wreckage
II / tvo trolley cars tonight as the re-
a II of 8 kead-on collision near Shell
sz
Txslvs severely injured are in the
4 crsn Hospital and there are many
h 40 suffered minor injuries.
4 The crash came when a Bridgeport
4 >, met a Shelton car 100 feet south
4 ninety-foot trestle. One of the
sr slid when an effort was made TO
,,,v the brakes and they came to-
4 ,.ssr With terrific force. Immediately
4 btb cars were enveloped in flames and
4 nssngsrs fought for the exits.
windows were smashed by the i'm
a.., but rugged pieces of glass pro-
.s.ei from the frames and on these
rsny Of the injuries were sustained
e frantic men and women struggled
trough the openings.
List of the Dead
The dead are:
Milton Cheritree, OF Shelton. motor
un Of the Bridgeport-bound car.
Edith wilkinson, four years old, of
sisltor.
Nancy wilkinson. three years old.
hsr sister.
Frieda Goldberg, fifteen years old, of
Darby.
Harry Goldberg, thirteen, her
brother.
Peter Kock, twentv-six. of Sheaton.
An unidentified girl and an unidanti-
led woman.
The collision occurred 500 feet south
II switch, when both cars were
dwelling at fair rate of speed. Wit
ssses said there was a loud report i'm
Esdiately following the crash and
lines burst out in the wreckage.
Men and women who succeeded in
stting out of the burn ng cars rolled
down the steep embankment 10 the
river, in some instances with their
clothing on fire. A can of gasoline
which is said to have been On the
front Of the Bridgeport-tound car is
blamed for the fire. It exploded as
the ears came together, it is said.
Milton Cheritree, motorman Of the
Bridgeport car, was burned beyond rec
ignition. George Robinson, conductor
Of the same car, assisted the pas
hngers to escape, though himself SO
lady burned that he collapsed and
yas removed to the hospital, where
49etofs say he cannot recover.
Children Burn to Death
Ngs. William Wilkinson, of Shelton,
sho also is in/the hospital, is said to
sdying. Mrs. Wilkinson's two daugh-
ars, three and four years old, wege
'nrnsd TO death, as also were the two
iaildren of Henry Goldberg, Frieda
md Harry. The last two were on their
say to visit their father, who is in
ss Shelton Sanitarium. The Goldbergs
liys at Derby.
Two men who were seen to roll down
ils snow-covered embankment toward
as housatonic River are believed to
nave been drowned.
snere were but nvc persons In the
Rotthbound car and all these succeed
% in escaping. The southbound car
aaa aoout thirty-fve passengers. The
i've aoldberg children were seated in
!ae mont of the car and were caught in
lle drst burst of flame.
!, Many of those injured otherwise
sasn being burned sustained their
sufts in the struggle for egress from
,as burning cars. The head-ends of
We srolieys wer- telescoped by the
iSfce 10 OF the collision and Motorman
s.saeritree was pinned in the debris so
vat MS escape was impossible. He
vas vas sui cons :ious and trying to extri-
@@ himself after the crash, but an in
'ssaS y later became enveloped in flames.
Two women passengers displayed
Iest sst heroiam in caring for the dying
Sao Ss mad been dragged from the wreck.
!!nsy tore up their clothing for ban
ISIS ana bound UP injuries though
4'aselVes painfully burned.
Children Cling to Mother
Mrs, Wilkinson and her two young
ssusaIers were in the middle of the
sf' ss When the crash came men tried
force the two children through
s&sSaed si.s windows, but they, frantic
n".l r.a lear, resisted and clung to their
,SssSsaer, whose dress was on fire and
ru S,a,, was hghting to keep the chill
Sa W. Clothes from becoming ignited.
NJ ~ ,eRorts were useless, because the
IisS,o lig;s spread of burning gasoline made
lug Tlg torches of the three.
ae spread Of the fire was so rapid
'.a 'ss' even those who succeeded in leav-
bs bHss ene bridgeport car suffered sel ere
isashs. Women, with their hair burn
e1s;u!ed AZ; iol!ed in the snow in an effort to
s.Sssalnguish the flames that were CON
ernIns them, but vainly. When the
sprsSSs prsvSiSA came burning gasoline was
B,lSeu all over the interior of the
!Re sport slS car 1t ignited the cloth
sessaaaa @ ssla hair Of many women pas
tispis. tfiaS Men removed their coats and
aps5,, 70 smother the fire, but were
vas 20 make any headway, as it
loswa~Sa ny q blazing caldron in the
s'Tsafd Tsafd yestibule.
Grst Two trolley cars were on their
soato 'tip over the Bridgeport Derby
lipe ~ since the snowstorm tied the
tcmnapseA on sunday. AT the Connecticut
tAst ty ofnces in Derby it was said
southS Spleers had been given to the
pirhhoognd car 20 pass the other near
is usuusimIge, where the northbound car
ssnt t1o.s o waiting. The southbound car
briSsa0 0Sef the switch and crossed the
dges ~ had travelled but a few hun.
shsa ~. w. oa the far side of the bridge
''e collision took place.
o.. olgnai Lights Working
nal liissse'cut officials say that the sig
order ass s at the switch were in good
veil sS,a Snu were found to be working
elear VIC. tne accident. There is a
saq fee, VI the track for more than
oceerre5 .. r,e Sae point where the wreck
psssenoss. 1ne crash was witnessed by
HAVEN t-nS On Waterbury to New
and ealIaS car, who gave the alarm
's''sa for doctors.
rksAyzf -,
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& rn',s ~ 81. daily. No extra fare.