The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-12-05
CITY RAILROAD ACCIDENT.
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COLLISION AT The FORKS OF THE B0wERY
An lrou-Clad Express Car Completely DemCl-
iShes Third Avenue Passenger Car.
One Person Killed and from Fifteen
to Twenty Wounded.
IT II @ III Il Il il . see N H
&c. &c. Sc.


very extraordinary railroad accident unhappiIv AL
tended with fatal consequences occurred Yesterday
evening in what may be cassed as the most crowded
thoroughare Of the city OF New York. in the shape OF
a collision between Adams Express No q of the Har-
lem Railroad Company and city railroad No So be-
longing TO the Third Avenue Railroad Company by
which OF the passengers in the city railroad
instantly killed, number OF others severely injured
and the small completely dashed pieces with the
fragments scattered both sides OF the street
II appears that the express car driven by Charles II
Haskins left the depot Centre street the regular
time with the train at the station East
Forty second street, where steam is put on. After
wheeling into the Bowery from Grand the driver
held on his way until he to the series OF crossings
or forks" Of the road which nearly opposite
Fifth street, in the Bowery at which point the Third
avenue city cars running down the Harlem Rail
road track
Here the freight express met No SO of the city
line, driven by Michael Horan running Its downward
Trip towards the Aston House, at about and half
O'Clock. They met near or at the very point OF tho
crossing of the roads, the city endcavoring % get
across the line Of the Fourth track and tho
press endcavorng to get the so Is to run up
the Fourth avenue
The two cars here came in collision, the heavy
freight car evidently catching the small sharply when
sweeping
angle towards the straight rail- The shock which was en-
irey unexpected by the passengers In the city car
terrific the freight lifting the whole covering Of tho
smaller vehicle clean Off running over and clearing the
seats on either sde carrying the passengers before it,
and finally smashing the establishment into the very
smallest pieces, and then holding It's course
scene Of the greatest alarm and excitement immo-
daely ensued; the shrieks, and cries and which
issued from the small car and afterwards from the
pavement at once attracting the many persons who
always to be found in the Bowery, particu-
larly between Fifth and Eighth streets, at that
hour Of the evening One passenger in tho
city car who was instantly killed, afterwards
taken away, number Of others found 70 have
been injured in a very serious manner The agitation
and confusion prevailing In the crowd nteuse but
generally asserted that the Harlem Railroad freight
have unquestioned right Of way 1t the fatal
point while it said at the time that the driver
Of the city should have hauled up his
brake seeing OF Thorn him.
On the other hand it asked, Was the driver Of the
freight his regular time and driving at safe rate
os speedg And could the driver Of the small have
stepped hs the Instant he being coming down
inclined plane at moment when the rail had been
rendered very slippery by misty rain and fog during
the morning and evening" No satisfactory reply could
be given to the FIRST query; but It said that
1t would DO a very difficult matter TO halt a city
railroad suddenly at that place with the
rails in the condition in which they wcre. very
unanimous wish expressed TO the effect that strin
gent investigation OF the circumstances attending the
melancholy affair should be made once and that tho
official report should be used basis for the revision
Of the law relative TO railroad travel within the city
limits render the rights Of all parties perfectly
plain and to INSURE far possible the lives Of tho
people, that huge metropolitan traffic has
cessated the building OF many lines the working Of
which positively endangcrs tho safety Of citizens riding
in private vehicles, well that OF foot passenger
SCENES AROUND THE CAR.
The crash terrific, and many Of the passers by
the sidewalk struck BY the fragments OF glass and
wood that flew from the wrecked Officers Robb and
Pitcairn OF the Fifteenth and officer Sullivan, Of the
Seventeenth precinct duty near the spot where
the collision took place, and rendered efficient service in
rcscuing the passengers Of the small car from
the undistinguishabe mass OF fragments amids
which they were nung. Mr.. Haight Of No
$50 Bowery, procured lantern and took out tho
mangIed body Of the unfortunate lad who thrown
by the shock under the wheels Of the freight Tho
body lay across the track which the 'ron-cad
was running and Of tho hind wheels had partially
crushed the head The policemen nj procured =
stretcher and conveyed tho body to the Fifteenth pre-
cncs station house. where sl remains for identinca
ton terrible cash In tho side and wound on tho
forehead through which the brain soosed FORTH showed
n Al death must have instantly taken place
The VICTIM Of this disaster Is about seventeen years Of
ago and aeaty built throng Of visitors we're u tho
station house last night but all failed TO identify him
The confusion ana excitement around the wreck were
such that the police Could ascertain but three Of
tho thirty or forty passengers so unceremonously
elected. Those John Darcy Fifty ninth and
D.s~- NJ IN
street, and Annie Burret . servant GIRL residing ~
No 2o2x East Tweni'eth street. Tho latter was
severely bruised on the leg and side, and was
carried insensbc into adjoining store She regained
strength after some time and WAS taken 70 the house in
which she was employed she made the following state
ment regarding this melancholy aIair:-
STATEMENT or A PASSENGER.
Miss Burre got on tho car At Twentieth street. and had
the utmost diculty in obtaining seat the car
we're driven ssr they passed Tnsh aS stree. s0' sS
peared TO hcr unusual and she experienced tho
ho .n. ss1ss Al. riding IN steam nm car
lision She had her pocketbook containing number OF
Treasury notes In her hand when she was lifted from
hor seat and dashed out the pa, cment with tho
umos violence. or course she lost her money and TO
ccwed svere injuries
Of Ss badly injured was taken ..S S 20, oy sSms
sn,s man 49,, ned out from the wreck mis- frerds ~.
n,u,,ss thought ~ the car s :. IN r,'
The lacS Q. tne p.sngers presented sony spectace
They wer streaming 9TH blood from the shower OK
glass which fell on them.
THE DRIVERS ARRESTED
Charles II. Haskns, driver OF ,he freight car, and
Michael Hiram driver OF the small both taken
into CUSTODY and detained at tho Fifteenth precinct station
house to wait the result Of the CorOner's inquest
Coroner Cllin promptly notified of the death OF
the boy The officers who brought Haskins 10 tho
station ho, MAINTAIN that he considerably under
the innuenr Of liquor at the time. policeman n de
tailed ever ay to watch The junction q tho Third and
cars from rang their horses when approaching tho
switch the equation laid down by the Police Com.
mssoners vs. That all cars going up ethcr Of the ave
their ton have the right Of way those com
ing down, and lat driver Of a car going down town
must cross 'nowtch at this point when up car Is
near IT,
No collision ever occurred in the annals Of rail-
reading IN whis car was 80 completely and tho
roughly smAsheap ~ In this one. How more lives
were not lost or w even passenger escaped with
out fatal injury s;rtanly miraculous The passengers
we're scattered street In ali BY the force
Of the collision.
The crowd Wv much excited and expressed
gm.l L..