The Republican journal., 1871-07-13
Shocking Railroad Disaster in New Jer-
sep.

NEW YORK, July 9.
The railroad accident yesterday near
Newark, i thus described by a man who
was moving not forty feet from the place
where the collision occurred;
The train from Newark was drawn by
| the engine '-PIainlield." and that from
New York by engine "Aurora" | was
| moving with my back turned, when |
heard the plainicld whistle turiously, and
turning. saw another train approaching
the switch III 4 high speed, the Aurora be-
inc then distant about a hundred yards
| suddenly saw pieces of wood fly out of
the tender of thr Plaintield, and then the
engine itself began bouncing over the
/ slecpers. The motion of the train was
| like three Jumps, the whistle screechin@
| ttWiously ali the while, and iolting on the
slccperS, making such 4 noise that it was
| heard nj my fathers farm house half Il
mile distant. had hardly time to realize
the danger before the crash. HE two
engines came together with a sound like
a thundcr-holt, the boilers bursting stimuli
taneouSly. The engines seemed to stand
! on their hind wheels and pillow into each
other 20 feet up in air. The smoke and
steam rushing out almost ohscurcd the
view, but the Aurora could be seen to
balance in the air a second and then
| came crashing into the ditch, the tender
shooting over from behind and falling on
top OF her with II fearful smash, shaking a
house \ half mile distant Two of the
cars attached to her tcleScoped at once
and caught fire. The Plaintield stood
almost erect in the air, and her tender
and heavily loaded passenger cars came
smashing uP against hen rs if they would
tear themselves 10 pieces. The sides,
doors and roofs seemed 10 fly into Il mil
lion pieces" Frank kiesman, the en-
ginecr who was killed, seemed to have
enacted the heroic part. Just before he
died he said to a friend: II do not eX-
poet to live i did all could to stop the
train. feel satisfied. felt sure that |
could have saved myself by jumping into
the ditch, but | stopped to save my en-
CINE and train, and hung on Five per
sons were killed ana fifteen wounded.
VIM. Thompson, the brakeman, who left
the switch misplaced and caused the ac-
cident, was arrested last night and lodg-
ed in Newarl, City prison. He has been
in the employ of the company for nine
years, and was thought trustworthy
man, The railroad company loses 500,
600 by the accident, which is the first Of
amy Importance which has ever occurred
between Newark and this city
NEWARK, n j., July s.
Further particulars Of the railroad acct
dent show that the switch had been turn
ed for gravel train At a span now being
built to Elizabeth, and the man that turn
ed it jumped on his train, neglecting to
read)ust it, Both trains were running at
a high rate OF speed, but us soon Us the
engineers perceived the Immediate dan
Ger they whi,led down brakes, but il
was too late The locomotives plunged
into each other, that OF the up-train
being hurled from the track, while the
other was completely overturned, but re-
manned on the track. The smoking car
OF the down train was thrown upon the
tender Of the engine and the first passen-
ger car behind, telcscoped into it fully
fifteen feet. In n few moments suisse
quent to the calamity the terrible fact be-
came apparent that cars and engines were
on fire. The flames spread rapidly and
soon cnyeloped everything within reach
The greatest terror and alarm prevailed
among the passengers. Ladies screamed
and men became terror-slcken and rush
ed to the doors, while others threw baSk-
cts, bundles, &c, and in some instances
small children from the windows The
terror thus created was augmented by
report that scores Of human beings were
burning in the carriages unable TO effect
their escape.
THE KILLED.
Daniel White, BRAKEMAN on the down
train, OF New Haven, Conn, IL single
man, employed only ten days by the COM
pany; John Rockfelow was one of the
Central Co.'S fireman and was only run
ming on that trip while the regular fire
man was attending the funeral of his
child; George Hill, engineer roasted alive
under his engine; Frank Kiesman, en-
gineer, horribly mangled, died in ten
minutes, Nj. NJ. McManas, fireman on the
up train; &. Parks, an engineer, is miss
ing and supposed to lie buried under the
demolished locomotive.
The number Of passengers injured cam
not be less than 30. George Ranks of
New Haven, and Frank Adams, of New
ark, are the only ones injured fatally. The
scene of the disaster is fearful sight.
For 100 feet the tracks are lined with de-
bris of the destroyed cars. Two engines
and 100 men are working, clearing away
the rubbish All the killed are employees
of the roads. Search is now being made
for more bodies. The distance from
Newark to the scene of the disaster is one
mile and half