Tram Tragedy.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume X, Issue 18, 5 January 1920, Page 5

Tram Tragedy.

BOLTING CAB LEAPS RAILS. *

THREE MEN KILLED. ? SEVERAL INJURED. j [Per Press Association.) Wellington, Jan. 4. \ 1 A shocking tram accident occurred on Saturday evening at the corner \ of Brougham and Pirie street*, re- -r suiting in three men being killed and several others injured more or lera . seriously. 1 It is assumed that the motorman, named Small, must have lost control > when the car left Kilbimie tunnel, bound citywards!, for it bolted down - the steep grade, .left'the rails shortly before reaching the bend, crashed / through a fence, burst its way half into a motor shed, turning over on the near side. ’ The crash of the impact, the shrieks of the imprisoned passengers, and the cries'of the injured could' be heard for a considerable distance. Very soon plenty of assistance was available. ' The front part of the car was badly wrecked, and the njotorman was found hanging over the switches i with his neck broken. ” A woman passenger says she * noticed the moterman leaning for- | ward over the switches as the car. rushed own the hill. The suggestion '? is made that he lost consciousness, ? The conductor says he applied the ■ hand-brake at the back of the car j when no notice was taken of the emergency bell, but this had no effect. The names of those killed ares Joseph Small (the motorman), James Alfred McEwan, 44 years of age, a carpenter by trade, recently’ irom Pahiatua (a passenger), and James ; Evans, clerk in the Base Records (* i bystander), The injured include Erica Evans,. J daughter of the last-named, a girl *' ten year* of age (cuts on the forehead), and the conductor, Frederick Quayle (cut on the back). MOTORMAN FAINTS AT WHEELW*UingE(ML. Jan. 5. The first hint that something was . amiss came when the car was about 50 or 60 yards from the tunnel? a exit. Mr James Evans, who was sitting in the front portion of the car -with, in* wife and little daughter, had hia attention drawn to the strange action of the motorman (Mr Jos, Small), who suddenly leaned forward ana hung limply; over the-switches. His cap fell off as he did so and it was afterwards recovered by Mr Boyce 60 yards from ( the tunnel. . . The car shot on with ever-increas-ing speed, and Mr Evans, now* fully aware of the motormAn’a ; perilous plight, leapt tai the wheel’. lu -'that short space the Cat' had gathered terrific momentum and was hurtling r along at an appalling pace- ; though Mr Evans was, he got to tne . motorman too late to avert tho tragedy, and the final crash came before he had time io act. ’ , Conductor Quayle, who ted>> previously rung the emergency beU -witft no response, knew that something had Happened to his comrade. He immediately and frantically endeavoured to jamb on the hand-brake at the back of the car, and Sergeant-Major Hunt, one of the occupants ot. tne rear portion of the car, tried to* help him. The car rocked and swayed down the incline with the two despairing men fighting to control her mad course, but witliouL avail.. lue last 200 yards of the terrible' journey were negotiated with frightful velocity. Edna Haig, a little girl of 12, sitting in Die centre.of the car, made a leap for safety from the C 9*J‘ veyance, and escaped with slight injuries. Her little sister endeavoured to follow her but was prevented by another passenger. F^ k male passenger, jumped tor his me just as the car leapt from the rails and shot across the road. He also escaped with bad bruises to his hands and knees- The amaang thing « that the car held to the raus so tong, but nold it did, till the corner of Brougham and Pine streets 7**® reached. Half-way round, the front wheels jumped the rails; the car shot across the narrow road, and witn a crash heard half a mile off, mingled with the terrified shrieks of the now desperate passengers, it hurled itself clean through Mr. Townsend s fence and toppled over on to its side and skidded in this manner, till it hit with another resounding crash a wooden motor-shed which smashed lute matchwood under the impact, but finally brought the runaway to rest. Huge gaps appeared in the fence on both sides where the tram had hurled its way through, and the shed was a total wreck. ■ During the flight of the car the trolley pole struck a heavy telegraph post and snapped like a match. The noise created by the roar of the car down the incline and its final crashes immediately attracted a huge < crowd of people to the scene of the tragedy, and the unfortunate victims and those who escaped were soon extricated from their awful position. Motorman Small was found hanging over his switchboard with his neck broken, and near him in the badly wrecked car were found the bodies of Messrs. Ewan and Evans. It is assumed that the accident was. caused by the motorman fainting and so losing control of the carTHE INQUEST. Wellington, Dec. 5. Ihe inquest on the bodies of tfae three victims of the tram fatality opened to-day and after evidence was taken it was adjourned to Monday next. It was stated that motorman Small was in good health at the time of the accident.