Queen Street Collisions

AMP society building, corner Queen and Edward Streets, Brisbane, 1898

The Telegraph, Monday 9 October, 1899:

Street Collisions: Carts, Cycles, Cars.

A collision occurred on Saturday afternoon, between 1 and 2 o'clock, near the Palace Hotel, nearly opposite the south end of the Victoria bridge. No. 3 tramcar was coming from West End, and an omnibus was standing alongside the hotel, the horses facing up Melbourne street, when a plumber's cart came round the corner from Stanley street into Melbourne street. The plumber's horse, catching sight of the omnibus horses, swerved. This caused the cart to cross on to the tram lines, and before the motorman could pull up the car had collided with the cart in such a manner as to throw out the driver, a man named Alfred Bryant. He was picked up partially stunned and taken into the Palace Hotel. Beyond a very severe shaking the man was not much injured. The axle of the cart was bent and the wheel damaged.

Shortly after 12 noon on the same day a man named Gilbert Mitchell, employed by Mr. E. Furlong, grocer, Woolloongabba, was driving a horse attached to a springcart along Stanley street, when he met with an accident through colliding with a tramcar. It appears that Mitchell was driving in the direction of Victoria Bridge, and the car was also going in the same direction. After crossing Merton road the car stopped, and the horse and springcart ran into it. The cart was overturned, and Mitchell thrown out, but did not receive any injuries.

About 9.30 o'clock on Saturday morning a boy named Henry Slater was riding a bicycle at the intersection of Queen and Edward streets, when he attempted to cross in front of tramcar No. 62, and was knocked down. The guard-rail under the car rolled him clear off the rails. The motorman quickly stopped the car, and as the boy appeared to be stunned the ambulance was telephoned for. The lad, however, quickly recovered, and was able to proceed to his home in Stanley street, South Brisbane. The bicycle was slightly injured.


Then and now...

AMP Building in late 19th century with people walking in front in period dress

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