Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1865-12-05
The Central Railroad Disaster-Dedails of
the Affair.

From the Newark IN. j. Advertiser, Dec. q!
Among the many railway disasters which have
lately occurred few have been trghtfu in their
effects than that which took place on Friday morn
ing about two miles west of White House Station,
the New Jersey Cent trail Railroad, where express
train coming east ran into coal train bound In the
direction, seven persons being killed outright,
and seventeen Others more or less injured. The cir
cumstances of the sad affair appear to be about as
follows: Between White House and Lebanon, which
is the next station westerly, there two inclined
grades, meeting almost at an angle about midway
The grade next to the White House is about twenty
feet to the mile and the Other incIning IRON Le6a
of tyseven coal cars descended the latter grade at
a speed of eight miles an hour towards White House,
but in doing so the conductor noticed that hay
had broken loose from a freight train at Lebanon.
and was running down the incline with fearful We
lOcity on the opposite (northernl track. knowing
that the express train from New York bound west
which the northern track, was then due. and
that if the runaway car was not stopped collision
must result the conductor leaped from his own train,
threw cross tie the rails before the fugitive, and
succeeded in checking its speed to some extent. He
then swung himself on the car applied the brake,
and brought it to halt just in time to prevent col
sion with the express, which was then approaching
The engineer Of the coal train in the meantime had
gone to flag the express and succeeded IN stopping
it also in time.
Meanwhile half an hour had passed, and the ex-
press train going east from Harrisburg for New
York; was nearly due. The engineer of the coal
train accordingly started his tran in order to get to
of one of his broke at the moment of start
ing dividing the train into two equal sections. The
engineer and conductor at ran back to signal
the express: but they had gone only short distance
when it came laundering round curve and down an
incline at speed of over twenty miles hour. The
curve being sharp one, and the view of the track
ahead somewhat obscured by trees. the engineer of
the express was not able to see distance of more
than one hundred yards ahead, but upon discovering
the danger at once whisted down the brakes and re-
versed the engine. The signal was Immediately re-
sponded to- but it was too late-the engine dashed
headong into the rear of the coal train. The eng
stood firmly at his post, while the fireman. Nor
ris Lunger. and John Flint, telegraph repairer.
| were crouching under him on the cab" When the
the horrible crash was over the three men on the
engine found themselves huddled together against
the tender. uninjured Thirteen coal cars were
thrown from the track by the shock. When they
| turned to their train fearful sight met their
eyes. The baggage car had gone right through the
first passenger the platform level with the
tops of the seats and it enclosed in it like the
slide of telescope. The employees of the train went
| to work with hatchets and pickaxes to release the
unfortunate victims, and materially assisted by
conductor King, whose train. also going east, had
stopped near the of the accident One by one
| the mutilated forms of the dead and wounded were
| taken out and placed in the sleeping car.
On the bottom of the baggage car were two pieces
| of timber which came directly over the seats on
either side next the aisle, killing those sitting next
the asle but doing injury to those sitting next the
windows. gentleman sitting directly in the rear OF
Mr. Chidsey, of Eason, who killed, saw the tim
Der coming and lodged his head down below the top
of the seat back, by which he saved himself from
injury The passengers in the other part of the train
| sustained no injury whatever.