Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1855-09-12
from the New York Times, Both ult.1
Particulars of the Late Rail Road Ac.
nidanf

on the Camden and AmbOy Railroad on
the 29th inst, resulted, as nearly as has
been aSeertained, in the death of twenty
three persons, and serious injury to some
seventy others. The particulars are as
follows The morning mail train left
Philadelphia at 10 A. NJ, and reached
Burlington twenty miles a few minutes
ahead OF tlme-say Il quarter of an hour
after IL o'clock. There were six DaCsen
ger cars in the train By the rules of
the Railroad Company, the train first or
irving in Burlington, which is the place
for the meeting of the trains, is required
to wait ten minutes, and if the other
train does not arrive then, the first is en-
titled to the road ; both trains to run,
looking for each other. And there is bul
a single track.
The up train waited according to or
ders, for the train from New York, and
then come on. When about three miles
this side of Burlington, the trains met,
saw each other in season to reverse, re.
versed rapidly, and the train which left
Burlington a few minutes before, ran
back for two miles, until it had reached
a cross road one-half mile this side of
Burlington.
At this point, a wagon with two horses,
driven by DR.. Hannegan. an old physi.
clan residing just out of Burlington, was
crossing the track when the train backed.
The hind car struck the horses, killing
them instantly, and this caused that car
TO be thrown from the track, while those
in front piled on top of it. Four out of
the six cars were thrown from the track
in this manner, and three of them were
utterly destroyed. They were all well
flled-wiIh passengers, nearly all of whom
were injured more or less seriously, and
1t is feared that the number who were
killed outright was even greater than we
have announced above. The accounts
gathered, however indicate that twenty
three persons are killed, while not less
than seventy were injured.
One gentleman with whom we convers
ed saw thirteen dead bodies taken into
Burlington. Another, who was present
a few minutes later, counted nineteen
and another twenty.
The majority of those who were xii.
led belonged to the city of Philadelphia.
The women and children on board of
the train appear nearly all to have esca
ped. We have but four or five females
reported among the dead.
The groans of the wounded in the
rooms of the hotel at Burlington, are de-
scribeda as awful. One man was so injured
and his agony was so inter Sc that he
could not keep quiet, but persisted in
throwing himself up and down on the
settee, groauing horribly.
The conducl of the ladies on the train
is said TO have been above praise
Their presence of mind was something
extraordinary on such an occasion.
The ladies of Burlington were devoted
to the assistance of The wounded.
CAUSES.
The conductor of the train was Isaac
Van Ostrand. The engineer was Mr..
Adams. We have heard Mr.. Van Os-
trand's conduct censured in the highest
terms. 1t is said that he was en- irely
incapable of directing, and the engineer
was not mnch better. Neither took any
active part, and we are informed hat the
passengers even threatened violence upon
the conductor.
1t is not fair, however to charge the
accident upon either the conductor or
engineer. 1t seems to have been occa-
stoned by the inadvertance of DR. Han
negan in driving upon the track without
due %precaution than from any neglect OF
duty upon the part of the engineer or
conductor. 1t is said that DR.. Hannegan
is hard of hearing and did not hear the
train. His family was with him in his
wagon, but all escaped unhurt. The
tran was backing, as we understand it,
at the rate of twelve miles an hour when
it struck the horses. We have heard it
stated that DIR. flanagan was warned
by a girl standing in the door of the
house on the cross roads, that the train
was approaching, but paid no attention.
1t was, however, very unusual for a train
to back at this point.
An accident of so dreadful of a nature
as this has not happened in the vicinity Of
New York since the Norwalk tragedy.
A collision occurred a year OF so ago on
the Camden and Amboy Railroad, but it
was nothing like as serious as this.