Safety Lawsuit After Cable Coaster Mishap
A father files to represent his son in a personal injury lawsuit against the city after an accident on a roller coaster at the end of the Madison Street cable line.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
J. B. Kockefield intends soon to commence an action against the city for damages on behalf of his son George, a 14-year-old youngster, and filed an application to be appointed guardian ad litem for the boy yesterday. This is the boy who was injured by a roller coaster operated at Laurel Shade, near the end of the Madison Street cable line, by K. De Loynes. The accident happened on July 1, 1893, and George was laid up for some time with a broken arm and other injuries. The father claims that the city was negligent in that they allowed the firm to construct and operate the machine and will be sued for $500 damages on account of the boy's injuries.
“The father claims that the city was negligent... and will be sued for $500 damages on account of the boy's injuries.”
Personal injury lawsuits regarding amusement rides and public safety on streetcar lines were common in 1890s Seattle as the city rapidly modernized its entertainment infrastructure. Today's debates over liability and safety at public attractions have deep roots in these early civic negligence cases.
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