Chicago, IL Train - Trolley Accident, Jan 1893

DASHED INTO A CAR.

Carelessness in Chicago Leads to a Terrible Accident.

Four persons were killed and eight injured a few mornings ago by the collision of a street car and locomotive at Forty-seventh street and Stewart avenue, Chicago, Ill. The street car was crowded and was passing the Fort Wayne Railway tracks when a Fort Wayne train crashed into it so suddenly that the occupants had no time to escape. The dead are GEORGE BLAKE, ARCHIBALD McANDREWS, unknown man found under the tender of the engine. Unknown woman died in a patrol wagon on the way to Mercy Hospital, supposed to be MRS. CARSON, as a card bearing that name was found in her pocket.

The accident happened when the street car traffic was at its heaviest and the cars were crowded to the doorways with people standing and sitting. The car was going east on Forty-seventh street to State street, where it was to be hitched to a grip car, which was to bring it to the business centre of the city. As it approached the tracks of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago, at Forty-seventh street and Stewart avenue, an engine came backing down the tracks at a rate of about fifteen miles an hour, the railroad people say. For some reason the occupants of the cab did not see the car approaching, and, on account of the heavy coating of frost on the windows of the car, the passengers did not see the engine bearing down upon them. In an instant the engine struck the car and passed on.

The car was dragged for 150 yards, and at every foot of the distance fresh injury was added to those inflicted. The horses became detached from the car and ran away uninjured.

The wildest confusion reigned for the first few minutes. Those who had come to the work of rescue could hear the pitiful cries of the wounded and see the body of, one dead man. GEORGE BLAKE was the first one taken from the wreckage. He was carried to a saloon but died almost as soon as he reached there. The other wounded were then picked up and carried into houses near the crossing.

Five police patrol wagons soon arrived. The most severely injured person, the woman supposed to be MRS. CARSON, was at once put into one of the wagons and started for Mercy Hospital. Before the wagon had gone far Conductor O'CONNOR and Driver STANLEY, who were on the street car, and Engineer ROSECUP and Fireman MEAGER of the train were arrested. That the accident was due to the grossest carelessness cannot be doubted. By their own statements the two crossing men, ALBRIGHT and SCHWARTZZ, were not attending to their duty, and neither of them knew of the danger until after the crash.

The Cranbury Press New Jersey 1893-01-06
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!