Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-02-08


Oil Train C0IIides with an Express
FeRrf'.I Loss of Life.
PoUGHKEEPsIR, Feb. IA terrible accident
occurred last night on the Hudson River rail-
road at New Hamburg. An axle of the oil train
bound south broke when passing New Ham
burg, and dragged along the ground till it
reached the drawbridge, when, striking the tim
bers, it threw the car OF Its track aud upon the
up track, in the face of the second Pacific ex-
press. An attempt was made to stop the eX-
press, which was then approaching, but there
was not time enough, and it struck the oil car,
and the fragments of the latter scattered in
every direction and at once igpited, enveloping
the entire express train in flames. The express
train was composed of a locomotive, one bag
gage car, one express car and five or six Sleep
ing cars The locomotive was at once hurled
into the river, and the engineer killed, and the
baggage and express cars were piled on top of
the engine.
At the same time the Chicago sleeping car
was one sheet of flames, and though desperate
efforts were made to rescue the passengers, it
is said that not one got out alive. Two other
sleeping cars next to 1t were also wrapped in
flames, but the passengers in them all got out
safely, and then the bridge took fire. In less
than ten minutes afterwards the whole struc-
ture fell, carrying with it the Chicago car, and
0urylng il and its inmates out of sight under
water and among the ruins of the locomotive
and express cars, This terrible result settled all
doubts as to the probability of reScuing any
one, dead or alive, and then there was nothing
to do until daylight. the names Of the killed
thus far known are, Simmons engineer, Peter
posburg, conductor of the Chicago car, and a
brakeman named Bhrine, Charles Uossim, con-
ductor of the train, says there we're siXty-five
sleeping car tickets, and that he has found the
owners of nftystwo of them, indicating that but
thirteen persons are missing. The passengers
hot fha ,hC;,, i
twenty-five or thirty persons, and that not one
got out alive. All the trains are stopped at the
break this morning, and the work Of recovering
the dead bodies has commenced, Upon the lie
near the wreck body was found with the en-
trails torn out and the head and legs crushed,
1t has not been identified.
NEW Hamburger, Feb. Iii A. Mp to
this time sixteen bodies have been recovered, in
GLIDING two children. All remalus will be for
warded to Poughkeepse Immediately, under the
charge of experienced uudertakers.
The sleeping car conductor VoSburgh's body
has been found, and a list Of his passengers was
found on him. 1t only gives the surnames,
eleven in all. This list tallies with the number
pronounced missing by Conductor Charles Co.'S
sum. All but eleven holders Of tickets have re-
Sponded. AS fast as the bodies are raised to the
surface they are placed in the baggage car.
where FIRE is kept going to thaw the clothing,
in order that search may be made for anything
which may lead to Identification. One lady was
found with babe in her arms. 1t is impossible
10 give the ull names as yet, except that of DR..
Naucrede of New York, whose head was partial
ly burned. A mother, with two children in her
arms, was found lying upon her back; her face
only presented the surface of a black grinning
skull. The latest found body has been idenil-
lied as that of Mrs. Pearce, who belongs to a re-
spectacle family in Buffalo, Men are buSily en-
ployed in drawing away the half-burned rafters
and striugers of the Inflated bridge.
ALBANY. Feb. IA dignotrh from Chamber
lain, the conductor of the sleeping car, saws it
is reasonable to pre- ume that no members of the
legislature were in the car which was destroyed,
as it was the Buffalo sleeping car.
LATER.
The following are the names of the killed as
far as ascertained; Rev. Merrill Fowler, wife
and three children, of Batavia, N. Y; George S.
Benedict, editor of the Cleveland Herald !;
W. Z. Curry, Erie, Pa; L. A. Root, A. A.
Glllett, Messrs Lowell, Rosenthal Forbush
Mrs. L. S. Pease, Buffalo, and DR.. Nacrede, Roll
lin GERMAN, George +. Thompson, T. H. Sim
mon, engineer, James Stafford, baggage master,
p. II. Vosburg, conductor; Vosburg, porter of
the sleeping car, and L. Lawrence Mooney,
brakeman, all of this city. Nineteen bodies have
been recovered.
and assisted at the communion in the chapel of
st. Chrysoston, New York, last Sunday morn
ing, and was on his way to a mission at Salt
Lake City, to take charge, in connection with
Bishop futile.
The bodies of Mrs. Fowler and her two chill
dren were discovered closely embracing each
other, and it is surmised that, finding egress
impossible, they resolved to die together. Ger
main was 60lyears of age, and leaves wife and
family of four or five grown up children. His
permanent residence was in Buffalo, whittier he
was bound. Simmons, the engineer, was a son
of DR.. Simmons, formerly well known ply ST.
clan at the tombs in New York. Mooney, the
brakeman, was discharged from the road
month ago. and was reinstated in his position
about two weeks ago, at the urgent request of
his mother.
Judge Loew, Sullivan county, and family
were on the train, butall escaped uuharmed.
The thermometer was below zero all night, rem
dering the efforts of the citizens to recover the
bodies very difficult and hazardous. Several
were badly frost bitten. All through travel on
the road is suspended. 1t will require four
days for repairs, before the road be reopened.
LATEST.
There are three bodies which are yet unrecog-
nized. One of them cannot possibly be identi-
fed Friends of the victims are arriving from
all quarters, and are conducted to the under
takers rooms, where the bodies ale located. A
vast throng are congTegated in front of the
building, endeavoring to get look inside. No
more bodies have been found up to this hour
8 p. NJ. The inquest will probably commence
tomorrow