On September 13th, 1899, Henry Bliss walked off a trolley and was hit by a speeding driver. Most New Yorkers would not be surprised to learn that vehicle that knocked Mr. Bliss unconscious and crushed his skull was a taxi. They would however be surprised to know that the cab was an electric vehicle as this was before the domination of the internal combustion engine. When Mr. Bliss died the next day from his injuries he became the first pedestrian to be killed by an automobile on this continent.

On September 13, 1999, a hundred years to the day, Citystreets unveiled a historical marker at the site of the first American Pedestrian Fatality. Over 50 news organizations covered the event including CNN, NY1, and the New York Times.