SERIOUS TRAMCAR COLLISION

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 144, 19 June 1906, Page 5

SERIOUS TRAMCAR COLLISION

ACCIDENT ON THORNDON-QUAY. ONE CAR TELESCOPED. A PASSENGER INJURED. Last night the'fir&t serious collision that has taken place on the Wellington tramways since the electric service was installed occurred. Car No. 22, of the box type,' driven by motorman T. Parker, and conducted by 11. Bowe, was proceeding from Wallace-street to the Manawatu Station, and when opposite Moore-street swung db to a loop to allow car 36, a double-decker, driven by Motorman Barnes, and conducted by G. Thomas, to pass. Eye-witnesses state that car 22 instead of halting midway on the loop, continued on its way, and had almost leached the single track when the decker crashed into it. The smaller car received the full force of the impact on one corner, and was smashed into match-wood along the side nearest the line — in fact the whole of the "woodwork was badly ■wrecked, and left hanging in a limp ' angular position on the transport. '' The decker had no passengers, but car 22 had two ladies aboard — Mrs. Dick, residing at 60, Thorndon-quay, and her daughter, Miss N. S. Dick. Mr. Frank Innes was also a passenger. Glass and ■wood were sent flying in showers when the cars came in contact, and Mrs. Dick, who was sitting at the end of the car •which first collided, received the full force of the impact. Her forehead was bifdly cut, and besides receiving a very severe shock, she was also bruised. Her daughter, however, escaped injury beyond chock. The motormau was^ protected by the woodwork in front of the apron or tl»e car, and he luckily escaped with a cut on the head, caused by a piece of flying glass. The conductor, who was on the rear of the car, was not so fortunate. His right hand was crushed in the breaking woodwork, but it was not broken. Mr. Innes had one of his hands cut by flying glass. Neither the couductor.nor the motorman on car 36 were injured. Mrs.- Dick was removed in a fainting condition to a house close by, and there attended by Dr. Henry. Afterwards she was removed- to her home on Thorndonquay. The force of the collision was plainly evident after the accident ; the smaller car being lifted half a dozen yards off the track. The decker, the windows of •which wßre cracked, and the ironwork damaged in front, also left th© rails. After the wreckage had been cleared away the derailed cars were hauled -.on to the running track, and trailed to the repairingsheds. . The cause "of tho accident is not quite clear. Porker, the motorman of car 22, refused to -say anything, while the motorman of the other car claimed that the right of way yrss his, and the rule of the service was that he was to go straight on. Miss Dick stated that car 22 was moving when the collision took place. She was aware of the impending danger, but it was too late to warn her mother. Mr. Innes, questioned by a Post reporter, .stated that car 22 was moving at a fair speed when it crashed into car 36. He felt the brakes put on, but in his opinion they were 'applied too late. It was noticed after the accident that the brakes were hard down. Meantime, an enquiry into the cause of the accident is being held by the tramway manager.