The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-21
STARTLING RAILROAD ACCIDENT.
FATAL COLLISION BRTwEEN TRAINS IN TUN
NEL-A BRAKEMAN TERRIBLY MANGLED-DE

FATAL COLLISION BRTwKEN TRAINS IN TUN-
NEL-A BRAKEMAN TERRIBLY MANGIED-DE-
MoIITION OF LOCOMOTIVE AND TRAIN.
A collision OF an alarming character took place
yesterday in the long, dark tunnel OF the Erie
Railway under the hill at Jersey City, which, had
it occurred at another point or in the night time
would have proved great calamity Through the
tunnel, which Is nearly two miles long, more than
q hundred trains pass daily, and men are stationed
at each end, in teegraphlc communication
with one another. to signal the entrance and safe
egress OF trains. At the western end Of the pas
sage, about four O'Clock yesterday afternoon, o
train OF sixty cars, heavily laden with coal and
drawn by two locomotives Of the Erie Railway,
entered the tunnel route for Weehawken. The
watchmen at the terminus sent signals to those at
the eastern extremity that the tram had gone
forward. On the rear car was brakeman, with
two danger lights. 1t Is needless to say that such
lights only discernlble at few yards distance.
the tunnel is constantly filed with the smoke Of
passing engines. and
THICK FOG
prevails at all times. The shafts are few in num-
Der, 80 that ptchy darkness obscures everything,
and the ear Is deaiened by the roaring of the cars
whose sounds are intensified by the craggy rocks
on every side. The engines attached to the coal
train emerged from the east side in due time,
aware that the train had broken IN
the middle Of the tunnel. and that many
OF the cars now stood upon the track within. The
Waterman sounded the telegraph bell, indicating
to those at the western end that the passage was
which lett that station at three O'Clock, bound for
HobOken, was sweeping eastward toward the
tunnel. 1t was what the railroad men call flight
train" and there was not great crowd of pas
sengers on board The danger signal was re-
moved by the Waterman, and the passenger train
DASHED INTO THE TUNNEL
at the rate OF twenty miles an hour. When the
locomotive and cars had well plunged into the
darkness Of the dreary passage, and it was fan
cleo that every thing was well, nervous double
whistle OF the engine, lar BY Its reversal and
SPedS crash nSns ali the se
forward from their seats, smashing windows
ana hurting fragments Of debris against the
ragged archway surrounding them, told the brief
and thrilling tale that some catastropne had
occurred. The locomotive had rushed in upon
Ing several or them and badly damaging ITSELF
DEPLoRABLE DEATH OF A FAITHFUL EMPLOYEE
the 10 wGS mad soos oy
his arms was all tnat could be found when
the cars nrst came out OF the tunnel: Could
the passengers have jumped from the cars.
or had there been a ray OF light to guide them.
they might have speedily relieved themselves Of
| the terrible excitement which came upon them ;
but they felt that to step on at such place and
| in such moment might be to step In front OF
| ling from the roof or whether another wrecked
passenger train was not lying In their path. The
the arcnway tended to increase their fears In this
respect. Some of the passengers after long
| pause OF suspense, rushed rom the cars and made
toward the mouth Of the tunnel as well as they
could grope their way The others kept their places
after learning from the conductor the nature Of
the occurrence. Assistance was Immediately sum-
| mOned, ana the employees OF the Delaware. LacKa-
wanna aud western Railroad Company came speed
| lily to the rescue by special car rom Hoboken.
THE DEMOLISHED CARS
and the scattered coal were cleared from the
track and the freight pushed out. Ii was then
| that the ma0Qled arm OF the Inflated brakeman
OF his clothing, mingled with shreds OF flesh, were
| discovered along the track, and finally his body
was picked up battered almost beyond recogn
| ton. The engineer and fireman were c0nsid-
eraby hurt and several passengers sus-
talned injuries, though not OF serious
| nature. The name OIL the brakeman il Patrick
savage. He was thlrty.fve years OF age unmar-
ried, and boarded in Erie street, near seventh,
Sy ms and n
in Communpaw. His death Is universally 10
mented BY the railroad men,
| WHO rs TO RLANEf
| An inquest will doubtless be held. when there
may, perhaps be some slight chance OF fastening
the criminal negligence on the heads or those who
tunnel is inadeQuatey lighted when trains are
! passing through and AT all times. NO precaut10n
has Deen taken against the occurrence OF such an
accident as that OF yesterday. A continuous cord,
extending from the locomotive to the rear car of
the freight train, would have prevented the melan
aps
Waterman. Nicholas Bratton, may Or may
not have acted under instructions soru when
That the freight train had emerged safe before he
had seen one-nalf Of the cars out II strict vigil
T. s si more p Sc in dismal passages Ike
the Erie Tunnel, 1t was with view TO avoiding
caaInIties Ike this that the Delaware, Lackawanna
build o new tunnel under the same HILL through
which they might be enabled TO run their trains,
and not be compelled, IN at present to send them
| N Inn tpn mi tha krla n m