The New York herald., 1869-04-25
TIE LONG ISLAND RAILROAD HORROR.
Scene of the Late Terrible
Disaster.
THE DEAD AND WOUNDED.
ALLEGED CAUSES OF THE CATASTROPHE.
The Broken Rail and the
Rotten Ties.

The Broken ESa1l ana the
Rotten Ties.
Willow station, the scene Of the late terrible
disaster on the Long Island Railroad, rs smaii
hamlet short distance from the village OF Jamaica
IL Is exceedingly unpicturesque, being In level,
bleak and marshy district of country. Tne ralroao
Is elevated above 1t by embankment which
at the point where the catastrophe occurred Is
about ten feet IN height The stunted trees ana
ragged-looking bushes which rise from the low
marshy land either side contribute 10 the geherai
air of desolation and forlornness which pervades
this region, while the nat and barren fields whlch
meet the view depress the peholder and weary the
EYE with their painful monotony The place ana its
surroundings strangely adapted to and In con-
sonance with the mournful event that has cast It's
dark shadow upon those who mourn the dead or
watch the dying.
THE ACCIDENT
occurred about one hundred and fifty yards west OF
the tollgaie, on the Jamaica plank road, which In
this vicinity nearly parallel with the railroad
On the north side OF the turnpike Is small house
occupied by the olgate keeper. little to the east
of this, the other side Of the road, is the house
of a Mr.. Gillespie, where Mr.. Emil Magnus,
his wife and son, are being cared Tor by
the family. Mrs. Magnus, 1t will be reco
lected. had her leg broken In four places
and received severe contusions about the head and
arms and the little boys collar bone and arm were
broken. Both are doing as well can be expected.
Mr. Magnus received some slight wounds about the
head and will undoubtedly recover. Nearly opposite
and to the south OF Mr.. Gillespie's house is
q stone bridge over which the locomO-
tive passed before its fatal course was
arreste. by the engineer The railroad
here runs nearly east and west and it s to the west
of brl,sv
Mr.. Gillesples house that the hind was thrown
from the track. the breaking OF the north rail- The
wooden sleepers from this point TO the bridge bear
the deep imprint II the truck wheels and portions OF
their outer edges nave been torn OH, showing now
tremendous must nave been the concussion aud
abrasion.
BROKEN RAJ AND SHATTERED CAR
have been removed py he railroad authorities and
the traces of the terrible calamity, far as posi-
BILE, sedulously concealed But some of the indlca-
tions OF the bloody dsstr still to be discovered
the dark stains upon TIN sleepers and the shreds
OF muslin lace or cloth. niue tokens Of the terrible
throes OF dreadful agony an, borrid death. Broken
ION coverings, the piece of portmanteau frag
ments of sem-pulveriZed wooo all tell of the hideous
catastrophe and is unhappy viuims.
woRKMEN ARE BUSILY EMPLOYED
In mendlng the road IN the vicinity, and, to judge
from the appearance OF many o the rails, which
old and fractured along the ouer edge with
and use 1t Is greatly IN need OF 1t. new rail has
replaced the broken one, portions Y which are in
the possession Of the Coroner's JuN, and a large
piece in the possession of Mr.. Barton Superintend-
ent OF the road.
THE DEAD
are at Jamaica, in charge OF the undertaken, Mr..
T. Everett. The boxes in which they lie rest on
trestles in small room in long, low woeien tene.
ment which is the undertaker's shop, thr poor,
mutilated faces and mangled bodies coveied and
wrapped in white sheets. The faces OF the dead are
ghastly in the extreme.
The features Of Mr.. Rushmore are not so distorted
as one suppose from the dreadful tortures he
must have suffered for his manged body was found
on the track rolled up ike ball. but his face Is
scanned anu livid with ghastly wounds
nf Mr. puo
more, lies next to HIM. Her features are more CON-
posed and natural looking, but white cloth only
partially conceas the fact that the skull from above
the eyebrows is wanting, having been crushed IN.
The face OF DR.. o. NJ. Pray. of Mrs. Pray is mass
are dreadiully mangled and crushed almost out of
all sembance OF humanity. Mr.. 9ushmore was
President Of the Atlantic Bank OF Broo>lyn and DR..
o. NJ. pray was a promising young PHYSICIAN who
had lust returned from Paris.
.aIhe body OF Mr. Nad Nostrand mas been ent TO his
friends at Farmlnedale L, l. The body OF he infant
Sarah A. Adams has been sent to Westbury for in
terment.
Mr.. Emil Magnus, his wife and son, have cen
already spoken OF. At the house OF MI Dasel
Mrs Harvey b. Adams, the parents OF the dead IL
fant. Mrs. Adams is in very critical condition,
Mr. Adams has also received dangerous wounds in
the head and groin. Both are IN DANGEROUS condi-
Remsen,s Hotel. jamaica lie sustained severe
wounds and contuslons on the mead ana MS BODY
other wounded persons have been taken 70 thel
respective homes.
VARIOUS CAUSES
are alleged for the catastrophe. We quote the fol
lowing statement from contemporary
We from Mr. oponne, editor Of the Jamaica sand
last evening closely ezainea over y e leo Of The rack Of th
They also looked at the broken rail and carrie
OF the broken FRAGMENTS which reveal clearly the
the railroad be in such condition The Standard quoted
SO rotten were some Of the ties and strechers fhc
main point as to the prsese eopG9n @ ss % m h
are 10 frsgmens 10 possession Of the Jury The remain
ance al The fraeiaTe The New York reporiers deeinns
% ss Which sse Sas g Sg accident sa M oo
pen, however states the case thus WHERE the now
an old fracture in IT, corner Of the rail IS missing
has come spot must have banged
sa%pSs sga iRs e oS se % e G s 3 M 1
the rail 70 give some way farther on The wheel o
on se ,le'T a Al aSs crack Just osyoad Tssn
aoe . beyond Them S1 thai fracture and
of the rail- once more Thus there are three fragment
yesterday There Is one piece with fresh ira fracture s At
$ Tse he @ s Sd e% s o n
small portion Of which snapped yesterday The third pec
"a sPss 8. Se nsT
The smaller piece broken oa at the corner is ms
Various other statements have been made, a.
pointing 10 lack Of repair In the condition Of tn
road IL Is TO be hoped that a thorough investiga
tion win be made of the whole matter.
STATEMENT or Mr.. W. n. SPENCER.
Slightly wounded was Mr.. VIM. II. Spencer, resid
ing IN New. Haven Conn. His neck, back and ac
bruised and cut from flying sphnters, but other
wise he is uninjured. lie was out on his wa,
TO prospect for land Investment Mr.. spencer, win
went home via. the Boston express tram yesterday
IL a very intelligent gentleman, and gives the most In
teresting and detailed narrative OF the ca
tastrop6e and incidents yet published. He say
substantialy:-'T had never before been Of
this Long Island Railroad, so most OF my time wa
occupied in looking out the window to examine tn
scenery. Near by where sat- think about thre
seats IN front and near the middle or the car was
fine looking, portly gentleman, wno afterward
dead and am now aware was Mr.. "
g. Rushmore. He sat by lady and wa
engaged in reading some law papers.