The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-12-08
A FLAaMArsFATAL ERROR.
The Lightning Express Plunges
Through Freight Train. 20 =
TBREE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..

THE DISASTRoUS COLLISION ON THE NEW YORK
CENTRAL HUDSON RIVER RAILROAD NEAR
EAST BUFFALo-IHE KILLED AND WOUNDED.
The Buffalo Courier OF Thursday gives the
following full particulars of the fatal acct
dent on the New York Central railway near
that city Wednesday. and briefly reported
in the Geographic colamns OF Thursdays
Sentinel The Atlantic express. which
usually departs at 40 p. NJ LEFT the Central
Depot, on Exchange street, a little behind
time. The train was made mp OF locomo
ger coaches and sleeping car. 1t
was in the charge OF con-
ductor j. 8. Mintou, one of the oldest and
most trustworthy conductors on the
road, gentleman who has run his train al
most daily for the past twenty five years
that of yesterday. However Mr.. Mutton
needs no recommendation or defense, for no
blame can possibly be attached to any Of
the employees connected with the express,
train. Mr.. George Langham, a cool, brave
man as he proved himself was the engineer
and Mr.. Michael O'Loughlin the fTemau,
The train made the usual stoppage az East
Buffalo, and when 1t left that depot was
thlrty-tw minutes behind time. Beyond
East Buffalo, and about quarter of a mile
past the trestle bridge upon which the
Falls Branch of the Erie crosses the Central
road men as "rhe Forks" whereat the
freight trains take the main track from the
neighboring yard where they are made up.
This junction, 1t may be also noted, is near
the crossing of Batavia street. Beside
the switch there is flag sbauty
where man is stationed 10 signal trains
for the very purpose OF preventing such oc-
cnrrences as the one we have in hand to re-
cCrd. The fisgmau on duty was Brennan.
How lie came to give the wrong signal,
which occasioned the disastrous wreck, he
may perhaps never be able to explain. The
express Il ain was filed with passengers.
It was under good Roadway, going very
fast, we are told by some, when the en-
giueer cav a freight train coming from the
yard and crossing the track right ahead.
The long rows of cars stranding between
had prevented either from seeing the other.
There was time for nothing. Laugham, the
engineer, told the fireman TO jump. He did
so, but the engineer himself remained
steady at his post.
THE CRASH CAME IN AN INSTANT MORE.
The engine and three or four ears of the
freight train, which was mostly made up of
coal cars, had reached the main track The
engine OF the express tore its way through,
banking the freight cars to the left and
right, and when at last IL was brought to a
stand-still fearful wreck presented itself.
The forward part of the locomotive wa'
smashed, but otherwise it was not badly
hurt, nor was the baggage car. But the
smoking car and the two passenger cars bad
left the track, and were tumbled
over upon their sides in the
ditch. The engineer, who hsd looked
the danger square In the face, had
escaped unharmed. Then wild terror aud
confusion prevailed among the passengers.
Their FIRST intimstion OF the danger had
tesn the jumping o. the cars "a the wheels
ra over the ties, and then the shock by
which they were thrown into struggling
heap as the cars turned over. Search Was
then made among the ruins for such as
mi yht have been Killed or wounded. They
were placed on the remaining cars, except
the lagman, and what was left of the train
returned to the Exchange street depot from
whence 1t started, The iagman, Brennan,
was extricated from beneath the
wreck OF his little sentry house
him by one OF the falling cars. He was
fearfully crushed and bruised about the
arms, face and head. His home was near at
hand and there he was taken. Last evening
he was yet alive, but no hope was enter
tanned of his recovery. Tine express train,
| although behind time, had, of course, the
right of way over everything else. The
engineer of the freight train asserts that the
| fiagman signaled him to come on. Whether
the unfortunate Brennan had forgotten that
the express train had not passed, or thought
there was time for the freight train to &C
on, can not now be told. He Is likely
to pay for his error with his life. Tue oc
currence of the disaster thus detailed, wa:
nearly the occasion of another, which might
also have been
FEARFUL IN ITS RESULTS.
The fast mail, due at East Buffalo ut
o'clock, was in sight when the collision
took place. The engineer, Mr.. William
Gould, saw ahead that something was no
as it should be, and second later saw tn
freight train crossing the track over which
the fast mail was flying. And in an instsn
more he saw the express train and wit
messed the catastrophe. There was not thu
!. millionth of a second to lose. HAPPY thu
air brakes proved themselves equal to th
emergency, and the lightning posta
tTs tesn 's eSs of the s obssasle w whd
/ lay In It's path. The fast mail wa
Obliged to back down to Cheektowaga, an,
from thence come into the city on,tne outgo
ing track, reaching the East Buffalo depo
two hours and 10 minutes late. While tn
remnant of the Atlantic expires was wend
ing its mournful way back to the city, on
, of the wounded died. He was large stal
wart man, identified as III. T. Wood, an
said to be jeweller, doing business at Lims
: Livingston county, this state. We under
stand he was returning from canton, ONO
! Just how he received his injuries we di
3 not ascertain, but he was terribly crushe
! and broken. His body, after lying 70
/. some time in the bagga 2e-ro0m at the Ger
D trail depot, was removed to Vaugban's mol
] que, on Commercial street. One of tn
r severely wounded Is Mr.. Joseph Doty, {
' Collins. this county, This unfortunate ma
y was a soldier In the 1l6th regiment durin
]. the war, and as is stated, was on his way
: Rochester where he was to receive pensio
q money due him. Those who searched Il
s the wounded, found him held down by or
It of the overturned cars. His left leg Wa
crushed above the knee so that it only hun
by portion of the tendops. And here
s SPLENDID SHOW OF FoRTIrUDE
s was made by the poor fellow. The leg WI
Q held down by the weight of the car. Turi
Q ing to one of the clerks of the fast mail, !
! said, "feel in my right hand pocket and yo
q A n l.. tel ont md snio pu