Mrs. J. C. Anderson suffered not one but two transportation accidents while attempting to travel through Seattle on a Tuesday night in January 1921.
The first occurred aboard a municipal streetcar near Fremont Avenue and North 34th Street. Mrs. Anderson, who had a baby with her in a carriage, was allegedly shoved from the car by its conductor. The fall left her injured beside the street.
A passing motorist, C. L. Churchill, stopped and offered to take Mrs. Anderson and the baby to the hospital. It must have appeared that the worst of the evening was over.
They never reached the hospital without further trouble.
While Churchill was transporting them, another streetcar collided with an automobile driven by Wylie Hemphill. The force sent Hemphill’s vehicle into Churchill’s car. Mrs. Anderson, already hurt in the first accident, sustained additional injuries in the second. Hemphill was also cut and bruised.
Mrs. Anderson was eventually admitted to Lakeside Hospital, where physicians believed that as many as three ribs and her left shoulder might be broken. The short newspaper report did not mention whether the baby was injured.
Meanwhile, municipal railway officials began searching for the conductor accused of pushing Mrs. Anderson from the first streetcar.
Woman is in 2 Accidents
SEATTLE, Washington. — After being injured when shoved off a street car Tuesday night, Mrs. J.C. Anderson, of Woodlawn Avenue, received further injuries when the auto in which she was picked up to be taken to a hospital became involved in a traffic tangle with another auto and a street car.
Mrs. Anderson is in Lakeside Hospital, and possibly three ribs and her left shoulder are broken. Municipal railway officials are seeking the conductor who is alleged to have shoves Mrs. Anderson off a car at Fremont Ave. and N. 34th St.
She had a baby in a carriage. C.L. Churchill picked her and baby up.
While on the way to a hospital, Churchill’s auto was rammed by the auto of Wylie Hemphill, which in turn had been rammed by a street car. Mrs. Anderson was further injured. Hemphill was cut and bruised.
Source: The Seattle Star. Seattle, Wash. January 5, 1921.
