Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1873-02-28
The Runaway Locomotive.

The Pouahkeepsie Eigle, in describing The
recent accident on the lludson River Railroad,
saws:
The terrible crash lasted but an instant, and
then the work Of digging the killed and woun-
"a out Of the ruins was commenced. AT first
ii was supposed that several were killed out
right but it tranepired that there no
snssengers in the rear car. and bat one or Two
in the next one TO it. The brakeman was at
his post the front platform of the rear car
W hen the smash occurred. He was found in
side of the forward part of the car with the
stove on top of him. Both legs were nearly
cut off and his body was terribly bruised.
iIeurv Stevens ihe conductor Of the iil-fated
train gives a heartrending description of
Smith situation. He says that as soon as
the accident occurred the cars took fire from
an overturned stove, when he and Samuel
johnson, of Wappnger's Falls. went to work
TO extinguish the flames and TO find the injur
ed, if there were any. Shrieks were heard in
the cars next to the last, into which the last
ear had telescoped Upon reaching it three
little girls were seen clambering about the
windows and crying loudly for help. The
windows were at once smashed and the little
ones drawn safely out. They had got on
board the train at Hastings aud were going TO
school at Tarrytown Attention was next
given TO the whereabouts of the brakeman.
He lay on the floor in the rear end Of the
second car, and piled on him were the stove,
parts of the sides Of the car and part of the
root, and his legs were crushed and held be-
tween the car platforms. All the woodwork
on top Of him was on fire, and Conductor
Stevens got water as best he could and poured
on it, The steam and smoke completely COW
cred the spot, and from it poor Smith the
brakeman, was heard to Shrek ooh don I
throw that water, Harry; | am choking ~
By this time, however, the fire was out and
then an axe was procured and the work of
cuttine away the sides of the wrecked car was
commenced in order to get the brakeman out.
While it was in progress the conductor called
out Glow are you? ?" to the brakeman, Smith
responding. sob, m all right rs there
ANYTHING on your head ~ again shouted the
conductor ''No," once more replied the
poor fellow: soniy pull my legs out; then
in he all right BE did not know that both
of his legs were literally cut off and that moth
ing but his pantaioons held them. He was
finally released and carried away. Then As
sistant Conductor Cummings was found in a
ditch near by.
II seems that when the train left Hastings
he entered the car next to the last one, to col
lect the fare of the three little girls referred
to- 1t is supposed that after the fares were
collected he passed to the rear of the car, and
observed the engine coming, and was going
ont inst as the collision occurred When
found he was unconscious, his ankle and two
of his ribs and jaws were broken, and he was
otherwise injured Both he and Smith. the
brakeman, we're conveyed TO the hospital at
Yonkers, where just before noon Smith died.
At3P VI. Cummings was still alive, but his
recovery is doubtful The newshoys on the
train. and an unknow man in the car next
TO the somking car, were slightly injured.