The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-07-16
ME W YORK.
The Erie Railroad Disaster.
Accom-, of shs Roaa omciaI..

NEW YORK, July 15-The officers of the
Erie Railway furnish the following account Of
the accident at Mast Hope Wednesday night:
The through freight train, bound West
backed on the switch to get out of the way Of
the night express train from New York, but
did not clear the main track before the latter
struck. The two engines collided, upsettina
the engine, mail, express, baggage and smok-
ing cars OF the express train, all of which were
burned. There were some emigrants in the
smoking car, or of whom were killed, and
bodies burned Rev. b. b. Halleck of East
l4th street, New York, was in the car and was
burned to death. So far as known six or seven
were killed. The passengers were transferred
to another train and sent forward at A. M.
1t is not possible to ascertain to whom the
blame attaches. ~
Later.-The accident at Mast Hope is said to
have been caused by the displacement of a
switch. 1t is surprising that SO few passengers
We're injured. Erastus Wheaton was slightly
injured in one of his feet, and Daniel Baer was
burned and damned in the wreck. The father
OF the latter was burned to death. Two day
coaches and one sleeping car were entirely de-
stroyed. The officers of the road and the oiti-
zens of Mast Hope Immediately turned out and
set to work extricating the passengers, remOv-
ing the injured, and searching for the dead.
Out of 100 pieces OF baggage only II were
saved. The remainder were destroyed by fire
or ground up in the wreck. FAf3i1AF
The messenger succeeded in saving the safe
from the express car, which is all of its baggage
that could be got out. A train was made up
without delay to convey Surgeons to the scene
of disaster, and every article that might be re-
quired to alleviate the sufferings of the injured
were furnished. At last accounts the injured
were reported doing well. A rigid investiga-
ton Of the cause of accident will be begun to-
day by the officers of the road, and the guilty
person or persons will be held to a strict ac-
countability. l eis ts4
Latest-Farther advices from the Erie Rail-
way disaster state that there were four Sleep
ing and Eve o4her cars in the express train
All were burned except three sleeping cars.
Rev. Mr.. Ha1leck was not hurt by the collision,
but was jammed in among the timbers which
caught fire, and was literally roasted to death
before the eyes of his frieuds and his brother
in-law. The station house was burned as we'll
as the cars. Several oil laden cars were saved
by the passengers pushing them away from
the burning train. The engineer of the ex-
press train has disappeared. ~
PoRT JERvIs, July 15-The following is a
list OF killed and wounded at the accident at
Mast Hope, on the Erie Railway, this morn
ing: e4
Killed Rev. B. B. Haleck, of New York
city; David Baer, a German engineer; Ger
man woman and two children, names UNI
known; and several Others whose charred
bodies have not been identified a
W0ttslded-C Charles Baer, German emf
grsnt travelling West, only slightly wounded
his father, DAVID Baer, was killed and burned
in a smoking car; Golfried Crane a German
smigrant, had o small bone in his leg broken.
No other serious injuries reported. Mr.. ID.
Wentworth of Randolph, N. r, bruised in his
back and hurt internally: John Fours of New
York city, bound for La Crosse. Wis, was
bruised and injured in the back, not danger
ously; John Hunt had leg broken below the
knee. He was damned in between the seats
held fast until the flames had almost reached
him before he was rescued. He resides at
Waterford, N. Y.
In addition to the above the following train
men were injured: David Smith, hagman d
freight train, slightly; P. ID. Schuyler, express
messenger, cut on forehead and somewhat
bruised; Perry Herrit of Port Jarvis, Charles
Coffee of New York, Erastus Wilton and Law
renee Roderick, were also slightly injured
Only those persons in the smoking car were
burned. The baggage car, smoking car, two
sleeping cars and two passenger cars were con-
sumed by the flames