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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.
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