Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 October 1890 — ALMOST A CATASTROPIIE [ARTICLE]

ALMOST A CATASTROPIIE

PASSENGERS HAVE A NARROW ESCAPE. A Chicago Street-Car Goes Into the Elver and Gives Its Passengers a Terrible Fright—The Bridge Was Open and the Brakes Would Not Work. [Chicago dispatch.] A Lincoln avenue street car which left the North Side terminus of tho line at midnight went into the river at the Clark street bridge early this morning carrying the horses with it. The car was filled with passengers, but almost miraculously they managed to escape, the last passenger jumping from the rear platform as tho vehicle tottered and fell with a tremendous splash into the dark waters. The bridge had been turned to allow the passage of tho barge Howard just as the car came into sight on the viaduct north of the bridge. The grade from the viaduct to tho bridge is very steep and descends without a break. As the car reached the edge of the viaduct the driver applied the brake. It refused to work, and the car began to slide down the grade, gaining velocity as it sped on toward the river. When within fifty feet of the river the driver with an almost herculean effort threw himself against the brake, snapping the chains with the force of his exertions. The car could not be stopped, and with great presence of mind the driver threw open the front door, exclaiming: “I can’t stop the car. The bridge is turned. Jump for your lives.” Quick to realize the situation, the conductor joined in the cry and sprang into the car, shouting to tho passengers to jump and shaking the sleeping ones vigorously. Almost instantly the passengers seemed to appreciate their dangerous situation and with a rush sprang to doors and windows. As the car tottered on the brink it was seen that still one man remained inside. He had been asleep aud awoke as the vehicle rocked on the verge. A cry of horror went up from tho people who had gathered around, and his escape from death appeared to be impossible. As the car began to slide into the stream he made a desperate leap and gained the rear platform just in time to jump to the street as the car toppled over. His name Is George P. McAdee, and he i 9 the manager of a microbe killer company, with offices in tho Owings building. -Mr. McAdee was very much excited when interviewed a moment after the accident, and said: ‘T was asleep in the car, when I felt a strange motion, and awoke suddenly to find myself sliding toward the end of the car. I can’t tell how I ever managed to escape 4 dreadful death. I just jumped, and found myself in a*big crowd without hardly knowing how I got there. ” The other passengers were E. D. T. Townsend of 2032Calumot avenue, Frank Swift of 178 South Water street, James K. Johnson of 426 Oak street, and Thos. May. The driver is Henry Schnaten, and he lives at 38 Edson avenue. Tho conductor is an old employe of tho North Division company, and is known as “Gus. ” The car runs on Lincoln avenue, and is numbered 178. Schnaten’s story is as follows: “As my car came to tho edge of the viaduct, I saw that tho bridge was turned and tried to set the brake, but it would not work, and, seeing that wo were bound to go into the river, I yelled to the passengers to jump, and they did so, and, thank God, were saved.” Mrs. James Minick, who lives on Division street, was in a cab with her husband on tho north side of tho bridge as tho car came down tho grade. She tells abouj, tho samo story as the driver, and says that he used every effort to bring the vehicle to a standstill. Many bystanders spoke of tho seeming indifference of the people on the barge Howard. The boat was not stopped, and no effort was made on the part of Its crow to render any assistance whatever. Tho horses were carried to tho bottom with tho car and came up a moment later disengaged from the harness and from each otlter. One swam up-stream toward the LaS&lle-strect tunnel other swam east. A tug in passing tried to rescue one of the animals, but it tools fright at the boat and swam away. After swimming desperately for somo time fatigue overcame them and they went to the bottom.