The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-05
FATAL RAILROAD CRASH.
Two Trains Collide on the Hudson River
Railroad - One Man Killed - Terrible
Wreck on the Road.
PoUGuKERpsIE, March A, 1873.

POUGHKEEPsIE, March 4, 1873.
terrific collision occurred at Tvoli, on the Hud-
son River Railroad, at about half-past eleven
O'Clock this morning. At that hour the express
train, which left New York at eight O'Clock this
morning, reached Tivo, where freight train laid
Oh the up track in its way. The Saratoga express,
bound south, and which does not stop at TivOl,
was then overdue. 1t became necessary to allow
the up express to move on to switch from the
up to the down track, and, In order to
stop the expected Saratoga train while
the switching was in progress, danger signals
had to be and were set for a distance OF half q
mile north and the work of switching the express
was commenced. The train passed safely up the
road and was backing down on to the up track when
the Saratoga train came numbering along at the
rate OF twenty-five miles an hour. The danger was
seen by the engineers Of both trains at once but
too late TO avoid collision, and the two locomotives
came together with a terrible crash. The tender
OF the engine OF the up express was driven half
way through the mail car In the rear and the en-
CINE and tender OF the down train almost doubled
up. The up train was moving slowly and the en-
gineer and fireman and the agent In the mail car
had ample time and did get Off safely.
The engineer OF the down train, Mr.. Lewis Major,
and his son, Henry Major, who was fireman, seeing
there was no chance for their lives n they remained
river side and the son on the east side. The latter,
az he struck the hard ground and ice, bounded
under the wheels OF the cars and was killed III an
instant, MS body being nearly cut IN two. The
father was considerably bruised, but not seriously
injured. AS soon the crash was over the body
OF young MAJOR was taken out from under the
wheels and 1t noticed that he was still alive,
but gasping tor breath. lie was carried tenderly
TO the baggage car, where In a few moments the
poor fellow breathed his last The baggage car OF
the down train not badly smashed, but the
locomotive Is a complete wreck Not a single pas
senger was hurt nor were any other Of the en-
ployes injured.
The cause of the accident is not positively known
as yet. All the signals were set In full time TO
stop the down train. 1t IL believed however, that
the snow and ice upon the windows in the cab OF
the engine on the down train, together with the
binding snow whirled by the nigh wind prevented
Engineer Major from seeing the danger signals In
time TO avoid the collision. When he first discov-
cred the situation he did everything in his power
10 avert the crash He first blew the whistles for
.'down brakes.n and aiterward pulled the patents;
but the brakes were so clogged with snow that
When the excitement attending the accident was
over Trackmaster Otis, with wrecking train and
a gang OF men, went to work clearing away OBJ
struct0ns and at six r. NJ. all trains were running
regularly again.
quest upon the bedy OF young Major, who was q
single man and resident OF Greenbush. The YER
dict will probably be rendered tomorrow.