The New York herald., 1868-10-26
THE RAILROAD SLAUGHTER.


Tho Catastrophe the Hudson River Rail.
road-Fiye Cars Dash Into u Ravine and
!. Become Total Wreck-Sad Incidents and
Affecting Sccnes-Iist Of the Killed and
Wounded.
1t 10 only when frightful calamity has passed
away-yet leaving behind the sad monuments OF its
dcstruction-that people begin truly to realize its
terrible results. Staggered, pallor-stricken and
almost mindless for day or two, passengers who
have escaped from railroad slaughter entertain but
dreamy recollection Of the tragic scenes in which
they were participants. Revolving gradually before
the vision, the spectacle presents itself first OBJ
scurely and then 1t rises up in all its terror The
accident on Friday night on the Hudson River Rail-
road will not easily be forgotten by the
many who were providentially saved from
horrible death. II is the unanimous opinion
Of those familiar with the circumstances
that no catastrophe OF the kind ror death seemed
inevitable to ALL. attended with less serious conse-
quences, has occurred for years. 1t must neverthe-
less be regarded a sad epoch the Hudson River
Railroad, and the stains of innocent blood beside the
fatal track viii mark the spot with gloom that
time itself perhaps VIII not eace. The enormity OF
the disaster is not to be measured by the loss OF 0ne
two or half q dozen lives, but by the risk which
probably hundred times those numbers underwent;
for risk is always indicative OF danger leaves ground
for fear and beyond question points strongly with
the finger of censure. The details OF the sad event
already published in the HERALD have infinitely de-
scribed its principal features yet brief outline Of
the narrowing will not perhaps, be devoid of
melancholy interest
THE TRAIN
left New York at half-past six P. NJ. II was the
night express. There was full complement of pas
sengers and oil, bent their different pursuits,
took their seats usual, according to their vari-
GUS intentions. The entire train consisted OF the To-
comOtlve and eleven cars-two express cars, one
baggage car and eight coaches 1t does not appear
from any statement whatever that the engineer
drove faster than the ordinary rate of speed for
that particular express. Having partaken Of some
refreshments at Poughkeepsie those having engaged
sleeping cars, Of which there were five attached be-
took themselves to rest and were soon lost in sum-
ber, for the night was cold and dark and most Of
them destined for journey OF two or three hundred
miles. The four passenger cars were well filed,
mostly by women and. as 1t appears, the constant,
monotonOus din OF the locomotive had luled good
many to rest Up to eleven O'Clock not the slightest
incident had marked the way, and the train pro-
ceeded ON its usual time
THE SCENE OF THE DISASTER
is situated about two and half miles this side of
Albany, well known to the employees OF the road as
Lents crossing There Is nothing striking about the
place. and were IL not for the direful calamity with
which 1t Is now characterized would probably not be
remarkable in any respect, except for the dense
the right the there Is dscyy Of ten feet and
little further out stands weedy, murky and ex.
cesk muddr or mesner puddle could
found, though those familiar with Its stagnant water
say good fish probe their way through its inky course
Trees OF stunted growth with idle branches, leaess
and forlorn, bank the creek on either side. while
treacherous pathway, evidently on good terms with
boats which, pushed, in canal fashion with pole,
wearlly poughs its way to the opposite side, near
place may appear, it is Just as well the catastrophe
occurred there IL 1t were to happen, as subsequent
| events will disclose.
The train was due at Albany at precisely twelve
O'Clock. The speed OF the locomotive is variousy
estimated, some affirming that 1t was proceeding at
the rate or thirtyive miles an hour and others that
| IL was barely going twenty-eight miles. At oil
events the engine driver not moving more rap.
reached Albany he would have only arrived
at twelve O'Clock. II IS generally amrmed
cooiness @ and Courage during the great crisis that
was at hand. Approaching the fatal spot the engine
passed over what Is believed to have been broken
The train was drawn by the ''Poughkeepsie.n With
commendable acuteness, II true, the engine driver
opened @ the throttle Valve increasing the speed, in
tending to take the whole train In safety over tn,
knowing the rain was broken. he blew "brcaki
| down, which from oil the circumstances. appears
to have been the most udicious course. The engine
| baggage ana express cars passed over the parted
rau without sustaining any injury, but meanwhile
the rail had been dislocated, and the smoking.
| or twenty men, snapped the coupling and rushed
down the embankment to the right and, bounding In
the air. turned upside down In an instant, sinking
| somewhat in the soft clay. Marvellousy, but few
were injured, for the men clutched with the grip OF
death, and beyond few comparatively slight bruises
nearly all escaped. But the sad scenes close at
hand. Jerkcd with tremendous power. the passenger
sq eni uo s
and dashed down the little preciplce IKE an ava
| lanche, amid the most heart-rending shrieks and
agonizing screams. Most OF the women were without
male protectors and the shrll cries OF the poor
lures rent the night air. The second and third car
| made two complete revolutions finally laundering
| down against the earth with tremen-
dous crash, smashing MASKING in their ends and
crushed the roof and fell upon the person OF Mrs
| sarah A. Ross, resident Of Pennsylvania and .
| milliner by occupation, who was returning home
4 from New York, after q purchase or goods. Her
skull fractured and her face horribly disn0ured
i the nose being rattened and her ribs broken in so
/ that death must have been instantaneous.
IN THE JAWS OF DEATH.
The scene was appalling; not In twos or threes,
but In tens and twentics, human beings struggled In
every posture. u was but q moment and every one
awake grasped at something 10 cling TO dear life.
Crash went the smoking car, the telegraph post IN
! the course came the Others bounding and Jumping
ike empty bandboxes. Nearly all the passengers in
| the sleeping cars slumbered more or less the nrst
idea OF the awful situation being suggested 70 them
by the terrific crash. the thud against them OF some
fellow passenger or being thrown headlong on the
noor. -Four sleeping cars remained on the track,
and the only Inconvenience suffered by the inmates
being the terrible shock experienced by them. Pas
sengers who had escaped unlnjnred stood pad with
excitement and barely comprehended the exact
| position Of affairs. In the passenger coaches men
were hurled up and down and frenziedly clutched at
| everything The cars that ran on were smashed to
| atoms. and how 20 many escaped is q wonder to
1 those who have Witnessed the debris. The subae-
quent scenes are said 10 nave been most painful aud
\ affecting. Subducd moans heard on all Sides
\ while friends sought friends IN blank dis
| may. One lady had three children with
| her. the oldest not more than six years OF
age, and although they were In the cars
that suffered the most from the accident every one
| OF them escaped unhurt. The two children OF Mr.
| and Mrs. Hermston were slightly burned by the
siove but in the excitement attending the disaster
became separated from their parents. After search
however, they we're restored TO the arms OF their
mother, who, though experiencing great pain her.
SELF Insisted upon taking charge OF them. The
father was quite helpless and suffered much from
is broken leg and the burns upon nis person. Many