The Man Who Wasn't There: Tacoma's Gripman Dies from a 'Minor' Car Accident
Sylvester Farrell, a beloved streetcar worker and union member, succumbs to injuries sustained weeks earlier when a broken cable strand caused his car to jerk. His death highlights the hidden dangers of early 20th-century transit labor.
ACCIDENT IS FATAL
Sylvester Farrell, a gripman employed by the street railway company who was injured some time ago in an accident, died last night in a local hospital. The deceased was 28 years of age. A mother, sister and several brothers survive him.
Farrell resided at 2211 North Twenty-ninth street. Farrell was a member of the local Carmen's union.
Sylvester Farrell was well known to patrons of all the street car lines in Tacoma. He was a gripman on the cable line for two or three years. The accident which was the cause of his death was not considered very serious until Wednesday night, when he grew rapidly worse and was removed from his home to the hospital, where he died.
Farrell was hurt about a month ago while waiting at the corner of Eleventh street and Pacific avenues until time to proceed on the way up the hill. The car gave a sudden jerk, caused by a broken strand in the cable. He struck his knee on the brake. He suffered a good deal of pain for a while, but it nearly left him until Wednesday night, when it shifted from the knee and affected his heart.
Sylvester Farrell’s death illustrates the insidious nature of industrial labor injuries in the pre-OSHA era. A 'minor' mechanical failure—a broken cable strand—led to a delayed physiological collapse that killed him weeks later, a tragedy that might be classified as an occupational hazard today but was then reported as a sudden, personal misfortune.
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