Trolley Accident

​However humans have transported themselves throughout history, there’s has always been the possibility of an accident. While the lifespan of the trolley car wasn’t long, there were of course accidents. One such accident took place on Belmont Street in South Easton on October 27, 1921, at 7:20 am. There was one fatality, and 5 others were hospitalized. The trolley cars belonged to the Eastern Street Railway Company. One car was heading to Brockton from Eastondale and the other was heading from Brockton to Taunton. They crashed head on.
Sadly, Mrs. Orrick Higgins of Turnpike Street suffered a fractured skull and later died at Brockton Hospital. Five others were also taken to the hospital while eleven more with less serious injuries were taken to their homes.

 Headline from the Brockton Daily Evening Enterprise

​An investigation found that Operator George H.B. Dunn, an experienced driver from Taunton, misunderstood his orders. Allen E. Hazard, the other driver, had left Eastondale at 7:00 and had just left Morse’s corner for Brockton when the accident occurred. A bend in the road blocked the two drivers from seeing each other so they collided at full speed. The trolleys were scheduled to meet at Turnout #2 as there was only one line, but Dunn, who was himself hurt, failed to interpret the dispatcher’s orders correctly. Investigators later concluded it was human error, one of those unfortunate mistakes. Officer Edward J. Healey of North Easton and two members of the Board of Selectmen visited the scene and conducted the investigation. The accident occurred about one-half mile from the Brockton line. Many South Easton and Brockton residents heard the crash and subsequent screams and hurried to help. A previous accident had occurred here 5 years previous.
“The escape of most of the passengers from death is considered miraculous, the cars being badly smashed and the entire front section of the Brockton bound car resembled a vehicle damaged by an explosion….” Brockton sent both of their ambulances to the scene. “The front end of the Brockton bound car was ripped wide open, the seats of the front section torn from their base, windows completely destroyed and glass strewn all over the road and inside of the car.”

Type of Trolley involved in the accident  

Except for poor Mrs. Higgins, other riders recovered from their injuries. She was the wife of a retired Brockton police officer. They resided on Turnpike Street.
 

Anne Wooster Drury
 
Source:
Brockton Daily Evening Enterprise/Quotes from the Enterprise