The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1877-08-18
TUMBLsNG FRGM TIE
DRAW.
Three Cars, a Locomotive
and a Baggage Car Leap
eff the Track Of tSlc Cen
1rai Railroad OF New
Jersey.
LoSG BRANCH, August 0.


NJ. yesterday for Long Branch
plunged from tho bridge acros, Ocean
port creek, and with tie exception o
the last car, became complete wreck
The scene Of the disaster is just mid
way between Long Branch and Re!
Bank, and three miles FROM each
The bridge is only 500 feet in length
and consists Of an iron draw bridge
l2O feet long connecting two section:
Of piling. When closed tho draw
bridge is fastened at either end by tive
heavy iron latches that fit into iron
slots let into the caps on the last bcnts
Of piles, and were worked by an iron
lever iu tho middle of the bridge,
The tender of the locomotive left the
track directly as it struck tho draw
tho whole train. consisting Of au ex'
press and mail car and four passenger
coaches, followed, and vent crashing
across the bridge on the sleepers. As
the locomotive rcachOd tho end Of the
bridge it tc!escoped with the mail car,
and together they rolled from the
bridge to tue bank of the creek, about
ten feet below, Three passenger
coaches followed and turned on their
sides in the shallow water. The last
car, crowded to its utmost capacity
with passengers, remained on the
bridge, though Of tho track. Tho To-
comotivc, which is No. 100, its tender
aud tho mail chr are so piled together
and SO completely wrecked that it is
difficult to distinguish tho ruins Of one
from the other. Tho last Of the cars
which left tho bridge lies in the deep
est water, and in it most of the pCs-
sons wcrO injured. Up to late hour
last evening no deaths had resulted
from the disaster, though some sixty
persons arc injured more or less scri.
Ously.
From Occaupors, half a mile away,
news Of the accident was tolcgraphod
in both directions, aud a special train
was at once despatched from Long
Branch to tho sccuc Of disaster. 1n
tho mean time the spectacle presented
to those who looked down upon The
wrecked train from the bridge was a
terrible ono. From tho broken win.
dows Of tho PROSTATE cars heads aul
arms protruled, gasacd aud bleeding
having been cut by broken glass aud
jagged splintcrs Tho shricks of wo'
men and children, and tho suffocating
cries Of those who. !rsmplcl under foot,
were drowning ia tho muddy water,
filled the sir.
One after another they were taken
through tho car windows until, as is
believed. every passenger was saved.
Conductor lIettiell, although badly
cut about the face, assisted in rcscuing
the passcngcrs,aud at once tclcgruphcd
to Long Branch for a special train aud
medical assistance. Tho train was
promptly forwarded, but, in the mcau
timO, a number Of tho injured persons
had been removed ia carriages to the
ncigLboring farm.houscs. When the
train arrived those who were able to be
removed were placed in q car, and
some Of them were taken to the Long
Branch stations, others proceeding tc
Ocean Grove.
Immediately after the locomotive
left the track Engineer Jerry Dunham
reversed bis engine, and did not leave
his post uutil he began to fall down tho
cmbankmcut, about $50 feet from the
north side Of the draw, when he lcapct
of, escaping with scaldel hand
The fireman. George Winner, was ii
the tender of the locomotive, when I
sudden lurch startled him. lie hat
barely timo to get out Of the tcnde
before the engine turned over. llo i
slightly wounded in the head hip an,
arm. Mail Agent Mccker escaped IN
injured by climbing TO tho top Of III
car which was telcscOpcd. Only on
person, q son Of Dr.. Vermculc, G
Philadelphia, seemed to be fatally in
jurcd, and ever ho may live. Dr.
Ridgway, Of led Bank, was in til
rear car Of tho train, and rendered i'm
mediate and efficient aid, lie sai
tha! he knew Of no one who was Eatall
injured, most VI tho injuries,sO far as h
was unaware being slight flesh wouRt
and broken arms.-NeIe lork San.