[PRCo] Re: Interurban Accidents

[Fred Schneider]

Like most cities, Lancaster, Pennsylvania once had many newspapers  
and we still have two.  Today they are distinguished as Republican  
and Democratic.  Back in the 1870s one was pro trolley and one was  
anti trolley.  The pro paper remarked every time a car was painted.   
The anti paper noted after accident.  My favorite accident read  
something to the effect, "The five o'oclock express to Lancaster,  
thundering up George Street in Millersville," ran over and killed  
Frank Miller's dog.  It was a horse car that was doing the thundering.

Jerry:   the folding steps on Birney cars were there so that kids  
could not hang on the outside of cars and fall off.  The sloping end  
below the dasher (you're knew to the game ... the dasher is the  
curving steel plate on the end of the car below the end windows) was  
put there so that kids could not stand on the rear of a car and fall  
off and get hurt.   Guess what?   These were all after thoughts.   
Many kids got hurt before the changes were made.

fws


On Sep 25, 2005, at 8:12 AM, DF Cramer wrote:

> There are far too many stories in the newspaper archives of accidents,
> sometimes the fault of the operator but more than usually the fault  
> of the
> motorist, pedestrian or child.  I ran across several chilling  
> accounts while
> reading microfilm of the local paper in Kittanning.
>
> The railways companies did promote safety and presented awards to  
> their crew
> members on a regular basis.  Many power companies still carry on the
> tradition.
>
>
> DF Cramer   Teacher-Trombonist-Historian-Conductor
>
> www.geocities.com/armconband
>
>
>
>