The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-11-16
RAILROAD SLAUGHTER.
Terrible Disaster to a Washington Ex-
press Train at Newark, N. J.
~>~~>>~~~~>~~~~~.>~~>~.-
One Passenger Killed and
Twenty Injured.
General John A. Logan Slightly
Bruised.
,~~o~~-~----~--~~~.~,~.->-
Two Passenger Cars Destroyed and
the locomotive Damaged.
Cuipable Negligence Of the Switch
Tender the Cause.
sCHNHs AT THE WRECK.
TIL f IN g U f s T.
&c. sc. sc.
Two Passenger Cars Destroyed and
the locomotive Damaged.
Culpable Negligence OF the Switch
Tender the Cause.
soHMns AT THE WRECK
+ III f In @ u f s II.
sc. sc. &C.

cNs SSIs
Another OF those sad railway accidents which have
been prevalent of late occurred yesterday morning
tho eight O'Clock express Washington from New
York. When just beyond Newark, and while going at
rapid rate il was thrown OF the track by misplaced
switch, thereby killing of the passengers outright
and severely woundlng several Others one Of whom,
boy aged thirteen, is not expected to recover
The train which the accident occurred the ex-
press through train for Washington which leaves New
York precisely at eight A. NJ and Jersey City fifteen
minutes later The train yesterday morning consisted
Of seven all told Of which, the engine
was the mail car followed by the smoking c1 half
OF which is used to store the Baltimore luggage in.
Then followed five moro, all passenger The
was in charge of William Campbell the conductor and
John Campbell his brother, who engineer Of the
train The train on leaving Jersey City stops until
arrives at Philadelphia, and when outside Of the city
goes the of from forty forty five miles hour
md when going through the cities the route slackens
speed TO the rate Of about ten to fifteen miles hour
Yesterday morning the train started from jersey City
usual and arriving ut Newark reduced the speed
about twelve miles hour Hardly had the train gone
past Newark station when IL was switched on side
track by the misR3acement Of switch, causing the
train to run of the rails embedding the engine four
or five feet deep In meadow beyond and completely
smashing two Of the passenger cars killing
right by severng his legs completely OF and severely
injurinR several others
To understand the nature Of the accident We must ex
plain the form Of the SWITCH which is placed about half
milo past the Market street station and is used for
running tho engines TO turn table to the left of the
man track. The switch q: the time attended to by
IN Irishman named Edward o. Bren who appears to be
entirely to blame whose business TO look after
shs switch along with three others About fifteen
minutes previous TO the time Of the accident
engine had been gent to the turn table to be turned
round and which had come of again. The switch
therefore set for the table when the express train
up, and, it nearing the edge of the city,
doubt would be increasing in speed On thundered the
train over the wrong line to sure destruction.
THE ACCIDENT.
Tho engineer at the danger he In, and
Immediately blow his whistle three four times,
70 put the brakes down. Every effort was
made to stop the train, but to avail The rails
slippery, caused from the previous nights
frost, and the brakes had not the power which they
otherwise would have had. Tho wheels of the engine
slid along tho track when the brake IL there
had been brake whatever Past the turn table the
rails only extend for fifteen twenty yards and
this the rushed through the slender pasade
outer end OF the and the meadow beyond
deeply embedding itself into the soft sandy soil bringing
the whole train to dead stand The strong impetus
with which the train was going and the sudden stoppage
OF the train caused the third half OF its whole
leEgh into the second, smoking car smashing up all
before it. The appearance Of the two cars is exact
repetition of the Jamaica accident short time ago.
the exception Of only two cars being demolished
THE SCENE OF THE DISASTER
presented TO view the company's yard, appalling
IN the extreme. The debris Of the two wrecked cars
thrown to considerable dstancescats, cushions
and baggage all being mixed in one nextrcable mass
Under the bottom Of the smoking found pair Of
human legs broken of below the knees The boots had
been torn of az with knife, and portion OF pair OF
psntaoons tore or with portions Of flesh still, clngiDg
them On the doors OF the two damaged signs
Of the awful tragedy just enacted they being bespa.
tered all with human blood. All the chairs in the
smoking torn from their fasenngs, although
tho third not much damaged In the Tho
front platform Of the first mail smashed u
pieces and was the only damage sustained The engine
which some four or 1--WE feet embodied In tho
ground, s much damaged. The pilot was smashed TO
pieces thick pieces OF iron having been bent IL
pieces Of ware.
The first thing done TO look after the injured but
appears that they did receive the immediate atten
tsn which should have been given to them This duty
devolved itself upon the Rev. Dr. Strong and another
passenger together with two coored men, who exered
themselves TO recover the dead. All the wounded who
stheT were carried OF 70 tho neghboring houses Tho
body OF gentleman called Gordon found with his
legs took completely OF and quite dead. He taken
out and laid upon the grass hand and afterwards
sent down to the Walnut depot TO await the
roners investigation BY far greater portion OF the
injured, although not seriously, took the next train to
washington. II is thought the number Of injured would
- from twenty, although but ten are 70.
ported al present
Fortunately at present only Of the passengers
dead The poor boy badly about the head Is not
expected to survive and given up for dead yesterday
noon but at the time reporter was SIN alive and
sensible
Henry j. Gordon, manager of the stablug department.
ct Wizards otel, Washington killed outright, hs
legs having cut from his body and his body when
found, crushed in the space d only six inches
Among his papers was found telegram directed TO
I'll L. Gordon city Hot ell, Boston, from Concord Now
Hampshire Shall not 20 till after the GOTH 60 home
Wednesday. Thos. r. Cheney
This no doubt bad caused him TO leave Cor home as
ne started, with his family from Boston Tuesday
evening" arriving ia New York yesterday morning and
Immediately taking the train to Washington His death
very extraordinary. Having found seat for his
wife and two daughters who with him IN the third
car he walked forward 10 the second smoking car,
but had hardly sat down ore he called TO hts long
account
rHR WOUNDED.
90 FAR On can be ascerained there we're altogether
some eighteen twenty wounded, or ess severely
Numbers Of Tho slightly wounded Immediately resumed
thcir journey by tho following train
Various rumors era a0oat In this CITY Yesterday after.