The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-19
ANOTHER RAILROAD DISASTER.
A Danger Signal Disregarded- Was the
Engineer Of the Extra" Train "A Leap for
Life-The Escaped Engine Dashes Into
Passenger Train Sickening Scenes
One Person Already Dead
and Several Injured.

One Person Already Dead
and Several Injured.
An accident Of singularly terrible nature &C.
Cured on the Hudson River Railroad yesterday
morning at q distance OF about twenty miles from
New York. II appears that when the POughkeepsie
special passenger train, composed OF three coaches,
an express car, with q locomotive and tender,
which left the Forty-second street depot at seven
O'Clock had moved OF from Yonkers forty min
utes later, the danger signal was hOisted and
engine No. As, belonging to q YOnkers special train,
backed down the up track on Its way to the turn
table. The locomotive had proceeded less than O
quarter OF mile to point opposite
the old depot, when the engine driver
saw an extra train approaching at
rapid speed on the same track from the SOUTH
Although, as positively asserted by the station
agent at YOnkers, the danger signal was set, and
In addition to this caution gang Of wOrkmen on
the track endeav0red by shouts and gesticuatons
to the enginedriver OF the extra train not to
approach, the iron monster sped on unchecked
when collision between it and engine As became
inevitable. The engineer and driver
JUMPED FROM THE LOCOMOTIVE
second or two before the collision took place. and
thus in all probability escaped injury, II not
instant DEATH The locomotive OF the extra train
which. 1t should here be stated, was made up Of
two caboose cars and platform car
struck engine 40 with tremendous force, rails
ing the tender several feet when II unfortu-
nately dropped again, with the wheels on the
track and uninjured 1t was then that engine As,
like some afrrghted monster, dashed up the track,
passing the station under full head OF steam and
at rate OF speed not less than sixty miles per
| hour. The escaped locomotive swept out Of sight
in an instant and kept up its lightning speed and
in 1psQ inn ia rcd tn RI
graph was seen approaching the village Of Hast
ings, situated four miles north OF Yonkers. At the
moment
THE FLYING ENGINE
was discovered the Poughkeepsie passenger train
was in the act Of moving away from the Hastings
depot. Assistant Conductor Charles +. Cummings
and brakeman named Alfred Fl. Smith were
both standing Oh the platforms between the two
rear cars, never doubling for moment that the
locomotive which was rushing towards them was
under the control OF an engineer. No person was
in the rear car when the train reached Hastings,
at which place two young ladies' named McCal-
Tough and HOppock entered 1t on their way to
n the dlrectloh they were about leaving
rushed in terror towards the front part of the
locomotive dashed into the rear Of the train with
terrific force, driving itself SIX eight ieet into
next car forward, partially tellescoping the latter
and shattering 1t into splinters. Assistant Con-
hurled through the end OF the second car, which
at once caught fire, While the unfortunate Smith,
w e sSye @ unS S
| part Of Conductor Stevens, ex-Coroner Smith and
SAVED FROM BEING ROASTED ALIVE.
When taken out It was found that Smith, in adj
dtlon to being frightfuly burned in the lower
limbs had his right leg severed below the knee,
and was evidently injured internally.
Cummings had also misunderstanding injuries. q
portion Of his upper lip being carried away, the
n. X
tending nearly across the throat, the lett foot
badly crushed and portion Of the heel carried
internal injuries OF fatal nature Nearly all OF the
passengers in the second car from the rear were
| more or less injured. Some OF them
| HAD THEIR WOUNDS DRESSED
at Hastings, others returned to YOnkers and there
| their journey in the smoking Car OF the wrecked
train 1t Is probable that not less than twenty
THEW the two young ladies' already mentioned,
! who failed to get out OF the rear car
rescued rom the wreck anhu only ONE o te
| having received a slight scratch in the forehead.
Their escape borders on the miraculous, but 1t may
SINGULAR CIRCUMSTANCE g.
that the rear car was not nearly SO much damaged
Ofpasscngers, the slaughter which must have Sen-
sued from the collision would have been irghtiu.
The injured conductor and brakeman We're taken
to Yonkers on q down train aud conveyed to st.
Johns Riverside Hospital, where Smith subse-
quently expired, after
His sister was present when he died, and his
griestrcken father arrived shortly after the fatal
his bedside during the day. was said to be in
dying condition at late hour In the afternoon.
The deceased brakeman was about twenty one
years OF age and unmarried. Cummings appeared
to be about f0rty-hve years old, and was a-large.
fine looking man, weighing nearly two hundred
pounds.
Mangin, OF the YOnkers police force and arrived
in the afternoon, aud. having empancllcd jury,
adjourne4the inquest until to-day, IN the Rean-
time givil1 permission to the relations OF Smith
to remove his body to this city.
superintendent Toucey's Statement.
From the time that the accident was known at
the Office OF the Superintendent, In the Grand Cen
trail depot that official put himself in communica-
ton with those employees on the road who were
acquainted with the facts the case, and = an
early hour in the day, from well authenticated in
formation, he was enabled to tell all corners the
nature Of the disaster. A HERALD reporter called
| upon Mr.. Toucey In the afternoon, who kindly
| vouchsafcd all the particulars he had gathered.
Said the superintendent, 1.-THE greatly exaggerated
reports first sent to the city created much alarm,
| which we In short time we're happy to allay by
the accident IS due to the negligence Of the engi-
nser OF the freight ira tram s, gong NORTH a,
| ger set by the switchman, Patrick Lar
| gan, at the time the detached engine OF the
YOnkers train was backing down to the turn-table.
Had this engineer (Iseagan) been as alert as ms
| duties demanded there could not have been COL
lison. He says that the signal of danger was not
in place. but have positive proof that in this par
| ticular he Is In error, 1t was properly and
| promptly displayed again" continued the Su-
| perlntendent, "cven with Engineer Reagan not
observing the signal had the engineer and the 1re-
man OF the detached engine remained at their post
| the accident could not have happened. They are
| both men who have long been in the employ OF the
company, but never before placed in such mme-
date personal danger, and their presence OF mind.
| fearing injury, must have deserted them. one
| can't tell what men wiil do under like circunl-
stances until they tried. In the slight collision
| that occurred between the engines no damage was
| done to either; but the thrOttle-vave OF the de-
| serted locomotive was slightly opened. when the