The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-09-11
A RAILROAD HORROR.
Disastrous Locomotive Explosion Near Port
Jervis-Four Men Instantly Killed
The Bodies Blown Several
Hundred Feet.


must be regarded as one Of the bloodiest pages In
the records OF railroad slaughter At twenty min
utes before one O'Clock o locomotive boiler ex-
ploded, sweeping Off the engineer, fireman. brake
man and nagman, all Of whom were killed. The
cause which produced that explosion can never DO
known satisfactorily, owing TO the complete dis
aser which befell those who alone could relate any
thing about It, The time and place Of explosion,
with its terrible results are all that could be ascer
taiIed.
THE EXPLOSION.
1t appears that shortly after twelve O'Clock train
OF empty coal cars, drawn by locomotive 2Ss, lefs
the depot at Port Jervis and proceeded at slow
pace along the Delaware division. The railway
runs along with the Delaware and Hudson Canal on
the one side and the Delaware river on the other till
It crosses the canal at point about three miles
from Port Jervs. The locomotive was only 900 feet
from this bridge when the explosion took place.
The nrebox was swept backward, and with It the
four men who were on the platform; the dome was
blown into the air. over two lofty trees, and landed
on the bank Of the river oneeghth or mile distant;
large fragments Of the boiler hurled across the
dwelling houses In the vicinity, and several small
fragments struck the walls OF one house, breaking
some of the windows.
The headlight OF the locomotive was only bent at
an acute angle; the smokestack withstood the
shock and remained erect as ever, and while the
sheetlron casing of the large cylinder containing
the fues carried or the body remained with all
the nues uadisturbed save that their support at one
end was taken away nor was 1t thrown or the
wheels, but ran about hundred feet after the ex-
ploslon occurred, when 1t came to stop. THIS
shows that II was running at not more than
five miles an hour. The back Of the ten
der was forced downwards, striking the car
following, and three OF the cars were thrown
rom the track. One Of the rails at the
point where the engine exploded was bent into
curve forming d senlcircle aud the corresponding
rail dislOdged from its position. Had the train
Sens running a. psse ns ear
had the explosion occurred half mile further on,
where the railway spans both the river and canal
there IL little doubt portion OF the bridge would
have been carried away. The report was heard at
distance OF five miles ana resem6!ed the discharge
of q cannon, followed by rumbling which rever-
berated for two or three seconds.
THE RESCUE.
This locality Is called SparrOwbush and there is
tannery near the line OF railway which gives en-
ployment to about $50 men. All these were aroused
from their sleep by the explosion and they hurried
aud lanterns soon became 80 numerous that blaze
OF light was thrown across the railway and the
Mr. James NJ. Allerton, OF the attorneys for the
railway company, was awakened IN his house, about
at Por sS and sses
superintendent Of the Delaware division prompt
sasS q the s %neS n with .r S
at the he found not less than 100 men besides
several women and children, all IN Q state OF great
excitement. Anxiety for the fate OF the engineer
and those who were with him nerved every one to
extraordinary exertion. Some stood half clothed,
gazing with mute dsmay on The wreck, others spec
ulated the fate or the missing men, while squads
were sent out with lanterns In every direction.
These were not long In discovering the objects Of
THE BODIES FOUND
About the and S BE
%si 'Sssa aS y ' feet ssyons
distance OF over 200 feet from the wreck. The
head OF one was nattened out ike plate and the
nized as the body OF the fagman, judging from his
) dress.
| me fireman's limbs were greatly shattered and
| half of the face blown away. The brakeman
| was cut and bruised that recognition was barely
the bodies placed on car and csn
| encased in wooden boxes, the name OF each victim
| being written with pencil ON the lid. The lids
other outside the ladies' waiting room just as we
see ordinary freight so that no person would sup
| were lying there IL not for the crowd OF men
and boys that visited the place and peered curously
through the chinks to catch glimpse OF the agon-
lied faces
Hours passed by after these bodies were found and
and st fence within the distance Of half mile was
searched, but without AT six O'Clock line
to which large IS hooks were attached twelve
was stretched across the canal and dragged up
and down distance OF half mile several times.
Eight O'Clock arrived and the excitement increased.
superintendent Reddmgton called several men
around him and cried out FIFTY dollars TO the
man who finds the engineers body" At this an.
nouncement fifteen sturdy, brave fellows
stripped for the work. and as they went down to the
canal the anxiety Of the spectators was at lever
heat. They dragged and dragged, and looked de-
mure.
named Cornelius Caskey, called for help -Four men
rushed to his assistance, and the body OF the en-.
gneer drawn to the surface. This was 100 feet
if they could applaud Caskey for his interchangeable
| perseverance, but the occasion forbid 1t. Caskey
| earned his reward and all acknowledged 1t. The
| body was removed to Port Jervis and stretched on
the door Of one OF the rooms in the depot The face
was Gisfgured on the contrary, the cOuntenance
as il he were reposlnr in the shade on summer
evening. The lett side OF the breast was pierc d
with bolt, which passed almost through the body.
TIE left leg ana right arm we've partially shattered
NAMES or THE KILLED.
Russell Harris, the engineer lie was tweniy-nne
efficient men on the railroad, where he had served
faithfully and well for long time.
William Bowers, the fireman. was TWENTY-FIVE
years OF age and resided at silohola.
George Kosencrans, the brakeman, was also an old
John Borleigh. the nagman, who presented the
most CHASTITY spectacle Of al, was highly esteemed
by the railroad employees, who bewailed him bitterly
pauy with the engineer and fireman when they were
hurled out of existence without being in any way
responsible for their terrible fate.
THE CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION,
as has been remarked, is mystery. The loco
motive was in good condition: This, TINS Is positively
advanced u that the sudden heating of the boiler,
which had been lying up during the day, and which
was brought out in somewhat OF hurry, caused an
undue expansion of the Iron but this too silly
be discussed. The probability Is, that like Similar
explosions on railroads and elsewhere 1t was caused
by the sudden rushing OF cold water into the boiler
In such case the water comes In contact with the
highly heated metal, steam Is generated too rapidly
and the is unequal to the test Another theory
is that the iron became gradually thinner In conse
quence OF the corrosive substances used 10
cleaning It, This opinion was sworn to on O
former Investigation. The engineer who gave
this testimony observed that he demonstrated with
the superintendent several times the state Of the
locomotive, that the running OF 1t was attended with
risk every day. and that he at length objected to ride
II. But these theories are mere conjectures ap-
pied to the present case. That the locomotive was
classed among the best on the railway Is evident
from the fact That the authorities put the los AZ
$4,000 and they have contracted for the cor &c
ton Of ilrst class locomotives AT $ls,Soo.