New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-11

each other day and night. taken away from the
bridge and by order OF the local superintendent OF the
road stationed at waerank situated 20 rode south OF
tie dTawbrldge, 10 tend the tank to supply locomotives
with water from the same, and 10 flag" the trains
from that point instead Of from the drawbrdge, But
the who relieved each other every - hours were
likewise ordered TO eco that all was right abort tho
bridge and 10 hgsthe siOnaI on ne top Of he bridge,
tOTer at nigltfdH. Thus the safety signal
lad IL in charge was stationed nearly a
quarter " mile off at the water tank On the htal
evening tho safety signal lamp at the bridge ras burning
ms usual The exr freight train broke an axle ~ Of
the middle while passing the New HamDifgh station
and when this car reached the bridge IL thrown from
blockade OF the latter The freight locomotive with
several cars breaking away from the brOken-dOwn car
ran slowly on epdesyorug % stop, and brought 20 a
stand-s about ioO feet from the Waertank above re
feIred TO- The engineer OF the freight engine Jumped
from his locomotive calling 10 the Waterman to get ont
his red light which the latter did as quickly As pOs.pt
and both he and the engineer ran down the track 10 meet
the Express which was laundering along ~ 30 or 70 miles
hour. The express engine whistel down brakes
when nearly quite 50 rods from tho draWDndse oA
for reason or other the speed Of the train could not
be slackeued in time; the engine struck The overt
plunged from the bridge to the ice and into the water
IN the midst Of sea OF fire. Inc testimony OF eye-WI
nesses yates as to the time from the moment when INC
oicar upon, leaned over on the uptrack 10 the
instant OF the collision with the express tram Dnt ~
seems not " have been less than three minutes one nah
placing the interval at ten minutes The Waterman az
the waterank thinks the express was one mile ana "A
freight train reached the bridge. Considerable time was
necessarily lost probably from To two minutes before
The freight engineer could stop The part Of M Tram NI
had got the bridge and Eye the alarm 10 the wa
man at the water-tank. Now, during TINS snort put
precious interval. the treacLerOus safety signal was
burning its white fame false beacon 10 the engineer OF
the doomed express who could that night every rod
Of the way for one and three-quarer miles and who
had right - RELY upon indicating an well AT the
bridge Had the Waterman been at his proper post at
the draw bridge he could within haf minute AFTER
the Ocar tipped of Its track, have changed tno
white signal TO the red, while the express tram
was yet a mile away, and this dreadful accident
would in all probability have been averted The thought
il awful Of that y-sisnal burning brightly on It's
tin the raging lire below burnt the supports and the
lamp fell from it, hght into the blazing wreck
To station Waterman a quarter OF mile away
from signal q Grawbrdsc, and direct him 70 liSht
the light aud keep It burning while bis chief duty va
tend water-tank 20 rods distant, seems 10 me
criminal recklessness the part of the Railroad Com
pany, OF other II is officials, which should not
90 UNPUBLISHED.
II our criminal statutes do not cover the case, surely
such violation Of rule OF law enforcing the utmost
diligence the part Of common carriers 70 insure the
safety OF their passengers should render the corporation
liable In damages II would be well for the safety OF
railroad travellers II such Cupabe reccsness, contrib
uing to the destruction %, human LIE, would su1.e 10
send the State Prison those against whom II should DC
proved. ,.
That the Hudson River Railroad generally the most
carefully guarded in the country ouIy makes the
present dercciion OF duty TO the public the more IA
grant and repTehcnsble. j. T. v r.
NetC HGm6Urgh, Feb. 2, 1871.