Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-07-14
RAILROAD SLAUGHTER.
One Train PASSES Through Another.
Eleven Persons KILLED aud Twenty
Eight wounded.

Eight wounded.
The following is the statement OF an
eye witness to the terrible railroad ac-
cident on Long Island, to which brief
allusion was made in our dispatches
Mr.. Max Brill, young lawyer of
Williamsburg, who was in the station
at Far Rockaway at the time the acci-
dent occurred, gave the following
account I'll the occurrence at his resi-
dence ia Arpslee street last night:
was sitting in the station waiting
for the 1870 up train from South
Eighth street, expecting that friend
would be among the passengers. The
train was behind time. 1t should have
reached the station at lao p. IN. The
down train from the Neptune house
to Williamsburg was on time, and left
as usual, but had scarcely left the de-
pot when there seemed TO be q great
confusion, and on looking out of the
window l saw the conductor, who had
just left, running back with three fin
gers cut off from his hand and his
head laid open to the skull. Asking
him what was the matter he replied
I" A smash up, and several are killed;
go up and help them" The scene of
the accident is but three minutes walk
from Far Rockaway station, toward
Lawrence. On reaching the ground
gave what assistance | could in get
ting at those who could be easily re.
moved from the debris. The killed
and those most seriously injured were
all standing on the platforms, those
riding inside the cars escaping almost
miraculously.
A TERRIBLE SCENE.
One man, whose name did not as
certain, was crushed between the two
platforms. He begged piteously to be
released, and with axes one or two
farmers commenced to cut him out:
but as the jar of the blows seemed to
hurt him he begged them to desist and
asked for water. Water / furnished
him, and while the dipper was at his
lips his head fell back. He was dead.
After all those who could be removed
were taken out of the ruins had a
little time to look around and inquire
as to the accident, its cause and who
were among the injured. Seven dead
bodies l saw laid beside the track, and
they being caught between the plat
forms, were terrible mangled. Among
the bodies were those of the conductor
of the up train, j. Hibbard William
Finn, the fireman; Mr.. n. Hartman,
cigar dealer, No. 442 Broadway, Will
liamsburg, and Mr.. Bruno Thurmer.
matchmaker, of No. 202 Broadway. |
did not recognize any others among
the saved, and did not have the nerve
to go and see two or three others was
informed were dead.
then ascertained from passengers
on the train and from men connected
with the railroad that the train from
Williamsburg was behind time, but
the conductor, Hubbard, thought he
could reach the turnout, where the ac>
cident occurred, before the other train.
and was, therefore, running at terrific
speed when the collision occurred.
THE TWO LOCOMOTIVES MET,
Rose and toppled over; the tender of
the up train, composed of four cars.
was lifted up and deposited on The top
of the smoking car, partly crushingi it
In. The smoking car also rose, and, as
the tender came down on it, it spread
out at the bottom, letting the floor fall
through to the track with five young
men, the only occupants of the car,
who all escaped uninjured beyond o
bruise or two and the shaking. The
next two cars were smashed into kind
ling wood. The last car was not so
much broken, and it is wonder that
more were not killed, even of the
small number of passengers who were
on the train. The down train con-
sisted of three cars, two of which were
thoroughly telescoped, the very few
passengers in them being all more or
less injured. The third car held it's
place on the track.