New-York tribune., 1873-08-02
RAILROAD WRECKS.
AsARAToGA EXPRESS RUNS INTO A FREIGHT
TRAIN

RAIIR0An, NEAR TARltfTONN-NARRoW EsCAPE
PROM A GREAT neutrality-suspicious. OF THE
VICTIMS. I..f. .... .I. -... .f....
About 10 o'clock a. m. yesterday. the down freight
train the Hudson River Railroad. which eft Tar
rytown at 9:49 am switched off on the third track
toward the river, at point about midway between
Tarrytown and Irvington, to allow the Saratoga mp
ward bound express train to pass. The freight train
consisted OF engine No and Is cars. As 1t switched
off the first car. which was loaded with oats,
Jumped the track to the right on account of defect
in the switch, aud in contact with the baggage
car of the express train, which was passing at that
moment at rate of at least forty miles an hour. 1t
crashed through the side of the baggage car tearing
off all the upper part and driving Of the
timbers through the front window of the front
drawing-room car in the first compartment of which
were seven persons. The freight car was thrown
back by the collision, and returned only SUI
fcently far to Craze the remaining cars OF the tram
winch consisted of four drawing-room cars and one
ordinary passenger car. The side Of the first car
was scraped very closely all the projections IN the
wood work being torn OIL, and the windows broken
entirely out. The heavy plate glass was broken
into fragments many of which hurled into the
car with great violence injurrg several of tle pas
Sengers The remaining cars suffered little, and Of
the $50 passengers on the train none werc hurt
except those in the first car.
splinter from the baggage car. which was
thrown into the first compartment uf the front draw
ing-room car struck Mrs. Mary Var n, wife of Ira
l.. Warren of the law firm of Larn0d 81 Warren, over
the right eye and temple breaking the bone and very
dangerously injuring her. Her husband who sat by
was also seriously wounded in the head from
the same stick. Another and larger
piece of timber was driven through the compart-
ment and into the partition beyond but fortunately
passed between the persons sitting near without in
luring any of them. Twelve or fifteen persons
were cut by broken glass scratched by
flying splnteTs, but no other passengers
are known to have been seriously hurt.
The freight car which caused the accident was bro
ken to pieces and the freight engine with another
rar was overturned down the river bank The
brakeman, Finley, was standing on the top of the
ear and was thrown down the bank; his
leg was broken and he otherwise hurt
John Vosburgh a baggage-agent employed
on the road, was returning to Albany in baggage
car which was broken to pieces. He was badly cut
about the face and arms. and his jaw received Sc
we're blow; but il was thought that no bones were
broken. The baggage agent employed on the train,
though in the same car, escaped with only slighI
cut IN the hand. .. a
The baggage, which was of the character which
usually accompanies New Workers on their visits to
Saratoga broken and the contents Of the trunks
were strewn al along the road Rich silks and laces
and costly jewelry were mingled in hopeless contu-
sion. .....
SPEED OF THE EXPRESS TRAIN.
Such was the rate at which the express train was
going that although the brakes were Immediately
applied, it went on fully one-eighth of a
mile before it could be stopped. On ex-
animation il was found that the trucks
were not so badly injured that they could |
not be used and the train was backed down TO the
scene of the disaster, where the baggage was
gathered mp after which it proceeded at slow rate
to Tarrytown. Finley. the brakeman sent to |
New-York, where he lies at the point of death; Vos
burgh went on to Albany by the next train,
and Mr.. aud Mrs. Warren were taken to hotel in
Tarrytown. The rest of the passengers, after
gathering together such portions of their personal
property as could be recovered from the wreck took
the next train for their places of destination.
The officials of the railroad were very retcent on
the subject of the disaster and its They said
that it could not have been caused by any misplace
ent of or defect in the switch or the whole freight
train would have been thrown OF, instead
of only one car. They said that there
must have been something wrong with the
axle of the freight car which caused it to jump the
track. Those with whom THE TRIBUNE reporter
talked concurred in the opinion that the accident
would not have occurred il the express train had
been on time. 1t was due at TsrrytOwn at 947, and
the freight train did not leave until 9H9 at which
time it dropped two cars there. If the car
had been a few inches farther ont Of place, as to
strike the engine, the slaughter would probably
have been fearful The fact that the first struck
was one which broke up readily, and was therefore
not thrown off the track is all to which large mum
bers of the passengers owe their lives.
CONDITION ON THE WOUNDED.
Ira L. Warren and his wife, Mary, were removed
10 the Revere House, adjoining the depot DR.. j.
W. Scrbner Of Tarrytown was soon in attendance
and dressed their wounds careful examination
showed that Mr. Warren had two scalp wounds one
being horizontally above the right ear,
and the other a confused wound above this
one There was some conclusion of the brain, but
no fracture of the skull. Mrs. Warrenis much more
seriously injured. She has incised wound ex-
tending from the base of the nose, along the right
eyebrow, TO the temple and ear The frontal bone
Is crushed in and the cheek bone is also fractured
She is in critical condition. Mrs. Warren un-
conscious for several hours. Mr.. Warren was also
insensble when removed from the car, but soon re-
covered consciousness. He was able last evening
20 oconverse without much effort He stated that he
and his wife occupied the forward compartment on
the left side of the first drawing-roOm car. He was
sitting in front of his wife, and was partly turned
toward her. conversing with her, when the crash
came. Herecollects nothing of the accident, and
I'll he was restored TO consciousness did not know
anything Of the affair He complained Of the ap-
parent efforts of the railroad officials to keep all in
telligence of the affair from the public AS soon as
be regained consciousness and collected his senses
be gave telegram to one of the railroad officials to
send to his wfe father asking the latter come on
and bring with him good surgeon This
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