The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-23
THE "BULGNEY" BATTLE.
The Recent Terrific Collision
Near MOrristOWn.
More than a Score Of Cars Demolished-Fifty
Thousand Dollars Worth Of Property De-
stroyed-Mraculous Escapes-A
schoch-ingly Silly Order.

To give the "old boy" MS due, serious accidents
on the Morris and Essex Railroad have Of late been
so comparatively infreq uent that when one does
occur now It excltes more than ordinary attention.
The recent terrific collision brief account OF which
appeared In yesterdays HERALD. at point called
Hltchman's Mills, some i've or six miles beyond
Morrlstown was exceedingly serious as regards de.
strucion OF railroad property and interference with
tranc, though happily Without destroying life or
limb. The opposing ''bugtnes" were the Independ-
ence and the Union, the former being attached
heavy freight and the latter to tram of seventy
coal cars. At the point where the collision took
place trains are run by telegraph as here the single
track unites with the Boston broad gauge branch.
The Independence received orders NJ Morristown to
proceed TO Morris Plains and there await the passage
OF down train then due. The operators book at
Morristown was signed by the engineer and conduc-
tor as having received this order. IL IS, however,
claimed by the engineer that his order reads Dem
vile and not Morris Plains, whittier he was speeding
at the time OF
THE COLLISION.
The two trains were rafting along at between M.
teen and twenty mites an hour, In opposite direc-
lions. The Union, with Its seventy coal cars had
the greatest momentum, being on the down grade.
At the point the road Il quite straight for
some considerable distance thus enabling the peo-
pie on both trains TO see their danger IN time to
SAVE THEIR LIVES
The engineer OF the Independence sprang down an
embankment, and was thoroughly frightened that
II was difiCult make him realize for some
little time that ne was not killed outright. Others
OF the employees had miraculous escapes
but beyond few insignificant bruises In the cases
or one or two they were unmured. For O distance
extending more than mile IN every direction the
shock OF the collision was felt and the
SCREAMING OF THE STEAM WHISTLES,
which had been left open, could oe heard for even
greater distances. Alter "buttng' the Union
slightly recoiled and then sprang, so TO speak. on
top of the independence crushing down the upper
work and perching Ike hen on O brood OF chick
ems, with the cowcatcher or tbat when put few
seconds before was the cOwcatcher, elevated
at an angle OF fOrtyhve degrees. In the history OF
railroadng more extraordinary locomotive situa-
stances. so securely locked were the Two "bu-
gines'' that the work OF separating them yesterday
was one OF extreme difficulty attended with not q
little danger Some twenty odd coal cars were
Knocked into
WHAT PRINTERS CALL "PI,"
while three OF the freight cars were damaged almost
past repair. Traffic was, Of course, seriously i'm.
peded, the track sr, being completely blocked
up with tue deo Aer sSmo s gy
were enabled to get through by passing
round the wreck from one train to another. All
were employed clearing the TRACK. This was ef.
rected towards afternoon, when traf1ic was regu.
larry resumed. The railroad underlngs about tho
depots along the line were
EXTREMELY RETICENT
to reporters about the disaster. They blunty I'D.
mitted they knew all about 1t, but declined divulg
Ing syllable. This shows good discipline on the
part of certain employees, but The most narrow
minded conception on the part OF The railroad au-
thOrites The reporters will get the news In spite
OF all the obstacles thrown IN their way bv boorsh
or ignorant officials. Besiies the attempt TO hush
up matters OF this descr ptiOn always results, AZ Ia
well known, IN damaging the reputation OF the COM
pany. superintendent Schoch shouid Immediately
rescind this shOck-lngy conceived order governing
this matter. The loss OF the company Will reach
from $40 900 to $4,000