TEAM ACCIDENTS.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 910, 8 June 1903, Page 2

TEAM ACCIDENTS.

<j TWO MORK SHOCK INC! MISHAPS IN AUCKLAND.

(I’cr Press Association.) AUCKLAND, last, night. William O’OouiK-11. an elderly man, while pushing a hand-earl, up Queen siicet, was knocked down by an electin: tram. lie received such severe, in juries that, his recovery is doubtful A child named O’Connor was knocked down by a. tramcar yesterday afternoon, and bad one leg almost severed from tier body. She was in the care of an elder sister, bui ran away from her, and got in front of a traiiiear before she- could he stopped. She was taken to the Hospital.

SHOWER OF MOLTEN LEAD AUOKLAND, Saturday

There was much excitement, in Wei lesley street West at. six hist night owing to the. lusing oi an insulato on the bracket-arm of a pole suppoi

ting Ihe overhead electric tramways gear opposite the Opera House. Car No. 27 (a combination car) was coming down the hill at the lime at a fair speed, when the motorman heard a loud report, followed by a dazzling glare from overhead and in front of his car. He promptly applied tlie emergency brake, stopping the ear within a few yards of the fusing insulator. Had lie proecceded the car, with its living freight, would have had Lo pass beneath and through a shower of white-hot molten lead, which, for (lie five minutes during which the fusing continued, spattered down upon the track below—the result of the melting of tlie leaden insulator pipe. The arm holding Ihe i insulator was one supporting the trolley-wire on the up-track, but the. molten lead was flying in all directions.

'The glare caused by the tiring of Ihe insulator lighted up a large area in the vicinity, casting a glow upon the clouds. Word being conveyed to tlie power-station the current was cut off, and the fusing ceased, breaking out in lit fill bursts at. intervals along Wellesley street. East, l hough not so badly as at first. The City Fire Brigade arrived on the scene, and a great, crowd of people gathered, thinking that there was an outbreak of lire.

Fortunately no one was injured ; but it would have been a very serious matter if the motorman had not so promptly stopped tlie car outside of the zone of the falling stream of molten lead. The temporary block in the tram service occurred at a very busy time and people who were safe from the molten lead grumbled because they were kept a few minutes late for dinner.

The. company’s workmen hud during (he day been engaged in putting in a new feeder. Through some cause the guard wire became displaced end

falling upon the trolley wire, was fused. A tower waggon and a gang of emergency men were speedily on the spot, and the delay only lasted about hall an hour.