1914-10-07gg

Hamilton was the centre of a network of radial electric railway lines in the fall of 1914. These lines connected downtown Hamilton with communities all around the city, with the electrically powered radial cars using city streets, or crossing streets.

Occasionally, there would be accidents involving the radial cars and automobiles or horse-drawn wagons.

Such was the case on Tuesday October 6, 1914 when a car on the Hamilton and Brantford line hit a buggy. While most accidents involving radial cars and other vehicles were relatively, this one was not.

As the line passed through Ancaster, in vicinity of Station 7, the radial car smashed into a buggy occupied by three young people.

The buggy, driven by William Smith, also contained his sister, Ethel Smith and their friend, William McIntrye.

As recounted in the Hamilton Spectator, William Smith’s vision of the oncoming radial car may have been impeded by thick fall foliage at the crossing:

“Car No. 235 was nearing the crossing, according to Motorman F. Ireland, when he saw the horse and rig, the occupants of which apparently did not hear or see the approaching radial, as they drove right in front of it.

“Motorman Ireland applied the emergency brake and the reverse with such suddenness that the passengers in the car were thrown from their seats, but the collision could not be averted. The buggy was broken into kindling.”¹

¹ “Buggy Is Struck By Radial Car”

Hamilton Spectator.. October 7, 1914.

There were eyewitnesses to the collision, and while the smashing up of the buggy was alarming enough, what was even more alarming was the sight of Ethel Smith’s body being thrown thirty-five feet in the air. Her neck was broken and she died instantly. Will McIntyre and Ethel’s brother William were hurled to the ground and rendered unconscious. Passengers from the radial car immediately disembarked and ran to render assistance.

The boys were carefully placed in the car, as was the lifeless body of the young girl. Upon arrival in Hamilton, the boys were immediately rushed to the city hospital, while Ethel Smith’s body was taken to an undertaking parlor.

An inquest was called and the jurors were taken to the funeral parlor to view the body, and then taken to the scene of the accident.

In testimony before the coroner’s jury, Motorman Ireland said that he had sounded the customary whistle as his car approached the intersection. The Conductor on the train, Leonard Dunham corroborated this.

Some passengers testified that the car might have been going to fast, but that the motorman did everything possible to stop the train.

A no-fault verdict was reached.