Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 July 1900 — SIXTY HURLED TO DEATH. [ARTICLE]

SIXTY HURLED TO DEATH.

Crowded Street Car Goes Down Steep Em bank went at Tacoma, Wash. A street car, heavily loaded with pa»sengers from surrounding towns and running at a high rate of speed, left the tracks while rounding a sharp curve at 20th and C streets, Tacoma, Wash., polled 100 feet down an embankment, killing sixty people and injuring as many inffre* It was a most appalling accident, and strong Tnen whose humane instincts told them to lend aid hdd to turn away from the sickening sight utterly helpless. As the car shot from the tracks it turned over aud over ns it descended nn almost perpendicular incline. Tacoma citizens, old and young, hastened to the scene of the catastrophe to give their aid. Victims of the wreck were extricated with the greatest difficulty. They were strewn along on the grass and later drawn to the top of the gulch with the aid of lowered ropes. Hacks, express wagons and even private carriages were pressed into service to convey the dead and wounded to morgues or hospitals, as the cases indicated. When at last all had been removed from the debris the places where bodies had been taken for temporary eare were besieged by thousands of i»eople in search of dear ones who were on the ill-fated car. In some cases countenances were so badly mutilated that other means of identification had to be resorted to. The car which dashed into the ravine was No. 116 of the Union Traction Company’s system, operating on the Edison line, which serves a largo patronage in near-by towns. The car is a box-like affair and was so crowded that men were hanging to the railings. All went well until Apexa Hill, just beyond Tacoma avenue, was reached. At this point it is said that the motorman, instead of shutting off the current before attempting to descend the hill, turned the current on. When the car with its unusually heavy load reached a high momentum and threatened to get away from his control he quickly turned off the current, but it was too late. As the curve was struck the car leaped from the rails and went to destruction. I’aseugers on the front platform who saw danger in the curve ahead jumped with only a bare chance of saving their lives; Some were badly injured, while some reached the ground in safety.