1915-06-07in

“Pedestrians on King street west, near Ray street, held their breath about five o’clock yesterday afternoon when an east-bound street car and an automobile, driven by Alexander Synder, 40 Bailey street, came together in a head-on collision.”

Hamilton Spectator.    June 7, 1915.

In 1915, the mix of electric street cars and automobiles, not to mention the presence of many horse drawn vehicles, made the main Hamilton thoroughfares extremely unsafe at times.

Whenever traffic, of all types, was particularly heavy, accidents were not uncommon.

On June 7, 1915, the Spectator reported on a serious smash up between a huge electric street car and an automobile:

“The auto almost turned a complete somersault, and Mr. Synder and his two passengers, Harry Mitchell and Miss Vanderberg, 6 Cannon street east, were thrown to the pavement.

“The motorman in charge of the car made a quick stop, bringing the car to a half its own length.”¹

¹ Auto Accident”

Hamilton Spectator.   June 7, 1915.

The automobile driver was uninjured, but his two passengers were severely shaken up and sustained painful bruising:

“Eye-witnesses say that the driver swung to the south side tracks, in order to pass another westbound automobile, and did not notice the approach of the eastbound car. The automobile, which was a new one, was badly damaged.”¹

          That accidents between automobiles and Hamilton Street Railway cars were very frequent is shown by the fact that just the previous evening, June 6, 1915, another serious collision took place:

“An automobile, owned and driven by W. P. Douglas, of Guelph, also tried conclusions with a street car at the corner of York and James street, about 9 o’clock last evening and came to grief.

“The driver of the auto, which was proceeding north on James street, tried to cut over onto York street and drove directly in front of street car No. 3, southbound. Occupants of the auto were thrown out and the entire front of the machine was wedged underneath the car, traffic being stalled for nearly half an hour.

“Fortunately, no one was injured.”¹