Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1906 December 10 - Hull Electric Railway collision at Deschenes.

Ottawa Journal 11 December 1906 Motor man's leg crushed Pierre Clement Meets with Painful Accident He may lose his right foot Was entering the car shed of the Hull electric company at the Deschenes Pierre Clement age 38 and old and experienced motorman of the Hull Electric Railway, had his right foot smashed and was otherwise seriously injured in a collision between his car and a sweeper at the Deschenes powerhouse last night. He was at the controller of one of the new cars, no 26, and at the switch on the east end of the discussion station, an electric sweeper was being taken on to a siding to clear the main line. It appears that the motor man, Clement, did not gauge the distance right, and when he applied the air brakes, his car had too much momentum. The collision resulting, smashed the vestibule of his car, catching him in the debris, and a half dozen passengers were badly frightened, but not at all injured. Clement was brought to the city and taken to the Protestant hospital at once, and Dr. J. G Scott was called. Under his care the patient was rendered comfortable, but the right foot had to be amputated. Dr. Scott is not too sure of being able to save the left limb, but will spare no pains to do so. The accident happened about 11 last night as Clement's car was the one that left Ottawa at 10:30 p.m. The damage to the new car was confined to the front vestibule, which being chiefly of softwood, will not be costly. Some woodwork about the sweeper was smashed. Mr. W.R. Taylor, superintendent of the Hull Electric, speaking to The Journal, said that it is strange to the employees and officials how the accident should have occurred, as the spot is well lighted, and both sweeper and car were equipped with head and rear search lights. Clement is a married man with a small family, and his home is in Aylmer. From the Ottawa Citizen 12 December 1906 COLLISION ON AYLMER LINE Motorman Pierre Clement Badly Injured. RAN INTO SWEEPER Passengers Uninjured-Employe Had One Foot Crushed Off With one foot completely severed and the other so badly crushed and broken that it is doubtful if it can be saved, Motorman Pierre Clement, of Aylmer, lies in the Rideau street hospital as a result of a collision on the Hull Electric railway Deschenes Monday night between one of the new cars and a sweeper. The car, number 26, bound for Ottawa, had just passed the station at Deschenes, about fifteen minutes after eleven and was traveling with speed. The night was dark and when only a short distance from the station a black object loomed up in front of the rapidly moving car. The next instant a crash was heard and the vestibule of the car was completely wrecked, the woodwork in the front end of the sweeper damaged, and the motorman on the car badly injured. Six passengers were on board and at the sound of the crash and the shock of the collision, were badly frightened, but hearing a groan from the motorman, they at once went to his aid. One of his feet was found to be almost completely severed at the ankle and the other was twisted completely around and pierced by a large splinter. Dr. Church of Aylmer was summoned and dressed the injuries and took, him to the Rideau street hospital, where he Is being attended by Dr. Scott. The sweeper was going into the car barns for the night and was just pulling onto the switch from the main line. No one seems to know how the accident happened. The sweeper was fitted with signal lights, according to the information learned from the officials. It may have appeared from the vestibule in the car that the sweeper had cleared the main line and the motorman did not discover the difference until too late to stop his car- None of the passeneers' was injured

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Updated 3 February 2020