INVERCARGILL, September 22.
Mr Frederick Smith, manager for Ansell's tailoring establishment, was the victim of a tramway accident on Saturday evening. The weather blinds on a tram were down on the side on which passengers usually board the cars, and Smith ran to get on the car on the pole side while the car was moving. He ran into a pole and was thrown under the car, which passed over his right leg, necessitating amputation above the knee. -Ashburton Guardian, 23/9/1912.
TRAM ACCIDENT ENDS FATALLY
[BY TELEGRAPH — PRESS ASSOCIATION.] INVERCARGILL, This Day.
Frederick Smith, who fell under a tram-car, died at midnight from shock and loss of blood. He leaves a widow and five children. -Evening Post, 23/9/1912.
SAD TRAMWAY FATALITY
THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.
SATURDAY NIGHT'S ACCIDENT.
WELL KNOWN MAN THE VICTIM.
DIES IN THE HOSPITAL.
The second serious accident in the short history of the Invercargill Municipal tramways occurred early on Saturday evening, and the very depressing circumstances surrounding it have been the subject of many discussions since. The victim was Mr Frederick Smith, a well known traveller on the Gladstone section of the tramways, whose many excellent qualities have endeared him to all with whom he came in contact.
The circumstances of the accident were the subject of several and varied accounts circulating in the streets on Saturday evening, but the true facts as near as they can be ascertained were gleaned by a “Times'’ reporter who made enquiries in several directions after the accident.
A car left the Post Office at 6.15 p.m. for the Waihopai bridge, carrying a fair number of passengers, and under the control of Motorman Abbott and Conductor Murdock.
The car was stopped at the Spey street crossing as usual and was started again on the signal from the conductor. As is the practice in very wet weather the blinds in the entrances to the car were lowered and buttoned down on the ouside, making it necessary for anyone desiring to board the car to do so from the pole side of the track. Hardly had the car been started than there was a cry of “There is a man underneath,” and the brakes were applied as soon as possible. When the car was pulled up it was found that the victim had been pinned beneath the rear wheels and was securely held in that position. It seems that he had been late and, seeing that the blinds were down, ran for the entrance on the pole side, making for the fore end of the car. From his own statement Mr Smith struck one of the poles between the two tracks, and was knocked beneath the car, but whether he had first caught hold of any portion thereof is not certain. That he was seriously injured was at once apparent and a very large crowd collected in the course of a few minutes. Medical assistance was at once summoned and Drs R. Crawford and Stewart were in attendance promptly, but their services were of no avail for the time being owing to the fact that the victim was securely and hopelessly pinned beneath the wheels.
This feature of the mishap lends itself to some comment, and it is stating the case mildly to say that no serious attempt was made for some time to have the car lifted. In mitigation of this the men in charge state that they were interfered with and unable to carry out their plans. It is a fact that there were some persons present who, influenced by the excitement and probably something more potent, considerably hampered the attempts of those who were endeavouring to release the unfortunate man from his agonising plight.
The great crowd which had collected was impatient to see the car raised and as minutes flew by people began to ask when some attempt was to be made. The ambulance was already in attendance to convey the unfortunate man to the hospital as soon as he should be released. About sixteen men rushed the car and attempted to lift it bodily. Of course their efforts were without avail and, according to the tramway-men, only served to hinder them. What cannot be understood, however, is why the jacks available to lift the car were not used. A few minutes after the accident lifting gear in the shape of three timber jacks were deposited at the scene of the accident, and four men engaged in the ironmongery trade, and qualified to use them, were ready to do so. The total lifting power of the jacks was ten and a half tons, and why they were not brought into action at once cannot be understood or ascertained. The men who brought the jacks were told — by whom they do not know — that they must not use them and they had perforce to leave the victim secured beneath the car until the tramway gang was able to lift it. After about twenty-five minutes had elapsed one side of the car was elevated, but the operation was evidently mismanaged and the frame tilted down on to the victim again. Throughout the long trial imposed upon him Mr Smith behaved with striking fortitude and pluck.
Thirty-five minutes had elapsed when the heavy frame was finally lifted, and the victim, his right leg practically severed a few inches above the knee, and suffering from great loss of blood, was lifted on to the stretcher and placed in the waiting ambulance waggon.
Within five minutes of seven o’clock he was admitted to the hospital, and was straightway taken to the operating theatre, where the injured limb was amputated. The severe shock and enormous loss of blood consequent upon the delay in releasing him rendered his condition serious after the operation, but it became even more so during yesterday, and by sunset grave fears for his life were entertained. The event proved that these fears were only too well grounded, as the sufferer passed away shortly before midnight.
The late Mr Smith had resided in Invercargill for the past twelve months, coming from Dunedin to take charge of the local branch of Messrs Ansell’s tailoring firm. He was about thirty six years of age, and was a married man. He leaves a wife and five children. He resided at Filluel street, and was apparently about to proceed to his home when his untimely fate overtook him. The sincerest sympathy will be extended to his bereaved relatives.
There seems to be little doubt in the minds of those who witnessed the unfortunate happening that the sad occurrence was directly attributable to the fact that the lowered blinds made it necessary for the deceased to board the car on the side nearest the poles, and had it been possible for him to do so on the proper side the accident would probably not have happened. The practice of lowering these blinds in wet weather is, in so far as it makes for the comfort of those passengers who desire to travel in the end- compartments, considered tolerable, but when it prevents the passenger from boarding the car on the only proper side and compels him to expose himself to a very patent danger, it is considered intolerable.
THE MAYOR INTERVIEWED.
While it was hoped that Mr. Smith would recover from his injuries a reporter approached the Mayor (Mr. W. B. Scandrett), yesterday, and asked him whether, to his knowledge, this danger had ever been considered by the Corporation. Mr. Scandrett said that he had not heard the matter mentioned, and he went on to point out that the danger existed only so far as Tay and Dee streets were concerned, and further, that the shelter afforded by the blinds became very valuable to passengers after the cars had left the streets mentioned, without imposing any risk upon them. Still, he admitted, the danger existed, but it existed only in the case of anyone boarding or leaving a car while it was in motion.
The danger, he suggested, might be minimised by the blinds on the side, nearest the poles being kept down during bad weather. This would, he said, prevent a draught and, even if wind and rain were coming in the direction of the open side, only a very small portion of the seats would be wetted. On each car it would mean a loss of two or three seats, but it would, he said, add to the safety of the travelling public.
NO AMBULANCE INSTRUCTION.
THE UNEXPLAINED DELAY.
It seems that the tramway employees are not given any instruction in ambulance work. The occurrence on Saturday evening should suggest that what is regarded as an important part of a tramwayman’s equipment in other centres should be made available here, and the men given the opportunity of learning what to do in case of serious accident. There should also he some well recognised procedure to secure the prompt turning out of the emergency plant. The fact that Mr. Smith was under the car for over thirty minutes is one that is hardly conceivable, when it is remembered that the tramway shed is only a few hundred yards away from the scene of the accident. It is quite within the realms of possibility that this terrible delay was responsible to some extent for the fatal termination of this most unfortunate affair.
Much credit in the affair is due to some unknown helper who, prior to the arrival of the doctors held the main artery in the injured man’s leg, and to some extent stayed the hemorrhage. His conduct was in marked contrast to that of some other people, whose behaviour was, to say the least of it, extremely discreditable.
THE INQUEST.
An inquest will probably be opened to-day. -Southland Times, 23/9/1912.
The verdict of the subsequent inquest was that of: "Accidental death."
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