Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1855-09-05
THE NEW yrasSY RAILROAD ACCIDENT.

Camden and Amhoy Railroad on the 9th
ult. Since the disaster at Norwalk in 1888,
no such wholesale slaughter has occurred
on any Railroad in the country:
.As the 10 o'clock train from Camden
for New York passed through Burlington
behind time Iabou, iftecn minutes,l the
O'clock train from New York came in view,
under full Roadway. The Camden train
Immediately stopped, and the engineer COM
menced, as soon as practicable, to reverse
the wheels, so as 10 return to the station
he had few moments before left, and en-
able the New York train TO pass unobstruc-
ted. unfortunately. however, as the tram
was under headwsy. going at the rate OF
at least IL or Is m;ies an hour, a two horse
wagon, driven by a person named DIR. Han
necan, came down road crossing the track,
and before the driver could stop the speed OF
the animals, the rear car struck the horses,
and was thrown OF the rails, and driven up
against an cmbankment. The force with
which the train was moving when the acci-
den. took place caused dreadful crash
-Four cars the rear ones1 were smashed TO
pieces, and all the passengers more or less
injured, or killed. The two last cars, con-
tanning about fifty people, were Knocked into
spiinters by the force the conclusion, and
il was the occupants Of these cars who suf-
fered most severely.
Seventeen persons were picked up quite
dead, while in few hours afterwards eight
others died from the effects of their injuries.
Over thirty Of the passengers men, wo-
men and childfen-were dragged from the
ruins alive. They were taken to the prinei-
pal hotels in the city, and there kindly taken
care OF BY the host aud his good lady,
Many were the hairbreadth escapes that
occurred. One gentleman. named Benjamin
r. Mills, Of Bridgeport, Conn. was knock
ed through the bottom of the car, and es-
capped with few contusions; while man
named Humphreys. of Peoria, H., on ais
way to Boston, who was sitting in the same
seat, talking to him, was killed outright. A
fragment OF the wreck struck him in the
head. producing fracture of the skull
Another man, whose name We could not
ascertain, was thrown distance Of over
sixty feet, through the side OF the car, and
was landed uninjured on the roadside.
A Mr.. and Mrs. Levy, of NewYo.k, while
sitting in The fourth car, were thrown out
Of the windows, and escaped almost unhurt.
Mrs. Levy lost box containing one thous-
and dollars, worth OF diamond ieweiry,
which she had in her possession.
The Philadelphia train was composed OF
six cars, four of which, as We have said be-
fore, were smashed almost to perfect
wreck. The conductor, Isaac Van Nos
,rand, was, tits said, warned ofthe approach
OF the New York train, but did not heed the
warning until he came within full sight Of
. rka 4 hat h, he IN
the engineer, Israel Adams, to reverse the
engines; but this had to be effected in such
n hurry that no lookout could be stationed
in the rear Of the train, then going at ra-
pid rate; and consequently when the rear
car struck Dr. Hannegan's horses, the en-
gineer, who was not aware Of the fact, did
not stop the machinery, so the train moved
on rapidly until four cars were destroyed
and fully twenty-five human beings had
been sent to that bourne from whence no
traveller returns.
The indignation of the passengers was
vented in loud terms against the conductor
of the train, and serious thoughts were en-
tertained Of lynching him on the spot; but
better judgment prevailed over the natural
impulses Of the moment. so the man escaped
with his life."
We copy the following additional partic-
ulars from the N. Y. Tribuns's account:
"The conclusion threw the first passen-
ger car off the track and down an embank-
ment eight or ten feet high, and with the
momentum that the train had at the time,
the next two passenger cars were drawn
down, one after the other, on top of the first,
while the fourth was thrown clear over all
of them with tremendous force. The fourth
passenger car became detached from the
baggage car, and this, together with the en-
CINE and tender, was left on the embank-
ment above, and very little injury wns done
10 these cars or those who occupied them.
The four passenger cars which went
down the embankment were literally broken
into fragments, and the woodwork of one
Of them was reduced to pieces. none of
which were over four inches wide, every
panel having been crushed apart
Among the killed was middle-aged lady
who was travelling in company with a
daughter of about IA or Is years. The body
OF the mother was removed from the spot on
bier, followed by the stricken child, be-
dewing the path she tod with tears Of the
intensest grief.
sluOlIEI lanyp WIZ Vas oulP'SCN " NC
from Paterson, had her head severed from
the body, and they were found few feet
apart, with the hat still upon the head and
the ribband still unfastened from about the
chin.
A man who attempted to escape by jump
ing was caught between the cars as they
went over the embanknent, and his body
completely cut in two just above the hips.
The ladies' OF Burlington came with linen
to bandage broken and bruised heads and
limbs, and to speak those gentle consultations
which women alone can utter. The clergy
men Of the place, and among them Bishop
Doane, were also present, and while one
smoothed the pillow of grooming sufferer,
another, with hands clasped, would suppl
cate Heaven in behalf Of some dying one"
The ST Louis papers notice new coun.
terfeit on the Mechanics Bank ofBrookiyn,
\. Y. Vignette-State Arms; $50 on
lower and upper right corners, eagle and