The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-07-22
Accident ON the NY. g. Eric r.. II,

Accident ON the N. Y. a. Erie II. IL.
Our telcgraphic dispatches have given us
brief statement of the fatal accident on
the New York & Erie Rail Road, near Port
Jervis, on the l5th inst, by which seven
persons were killed and forty wounded.-
DR.. Prime, editor of the n. Y. Observer
who was passenger, gives the following
interesting details of the catastrophy, which
was caused by the breaking of rail on the
side of deep embankment, down which two
of the cars were precipitated. The account
is written at Port Jervis:
ave left New York in the o'clock. p.
NJ. train, came on safely and pleasantly un-
til about 81 o'clock; when descending the
heavy grade on the west side of the Shaw
angunk Mountains, | perceived that we
were moving at such a fearful rate that |
started once or twice with apprehension,
knowing that we were on heavily descend
ing grade. Within two or three minutes
after my fears became thus excited, felt a
conclusion as if we were running over a
slight obstruction. Some little commotion
ensned in our car, which was the fourth
| from the rear. a signal was made to the
/ engineer rs soon rs possible, but we had
/ run a mile or more before the train was
stopped. We soon found that two cars had
been detached from the train We ran
! back with great apprehension, and our worst
fears were more than realized. The last
two cars had been hurled down an embank-
ment forty feet, and were completely de-
'molished. The groans and screams of the
injured broke fearfully upon our ears in the
stiffness of the evening. They were under
the wreck, and strewed around the scene o.
the disaster in awful confusion. The moon
was shining feebly, and 10y its light aud that
of large fire which was soon kindled, tho
wreck of the cars was removed, and all thai
were living were rescued. Three hour:
were spent in getting the suffering from be.
meath the ruins of the cars and up the EN-
bankment, when, with seven dead and about
forty more or less seriously injured, the mel
ancholy train moved on to this place. AL
engine had been previously sent to Por
Jervis, which returned to the scene of the
disaster with surgeons and other aid. Al
the injured were taken to the two hotels
the Delaware and the Fowler House.
One of the most heart rendering incident
connected with the melancholy occurrenc,
was the screaming of the deaf mutes, wficl
could he heard at long distance, and which
greatly aggravated the horror of the scene
To detail its incidents would be as impos
sible as to rehearse horrible dream. Whel
/ reached the car heard familiar voice
and making my way towards it stepped, il
the darkness, upon a dead man. 1 500
reached Prof. Peet, and found him support
I ing his wife's head. Both were ignorant c
what had become of their babe, or of an
other member of their party of ten.
heard n child's voice on the other side {
the car, and rushing around towards it, ask
cd one who had taken il up whose child
was. The mother frantic;illy exclaimed, ~
is my child" and pressed it TO her hear: 8
if afraid was about to claim it. 500
J found the child of my friends in the arm
: of person who was carrying il up the en-
bankment. The babe was only slightly il
jured. 1t was asleep on TIE seat when th
cars were thrown off the track, and no OF
could tell where it was found One de-
p mute was reported to be dead, and wen
at the request of a gentleman, TO identii
him, hut he revived and is doing WELL
" During all the long hours that we we
,.Ntoiling to get the sufferers from under Il
lleS' plns, and up the embankment to the car
vents were calling frantically for the