New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-26

PoLITAN LINE-A TALK WITH THE ENGINEER
CONDITION OF THE INJURED MEN.
The men who were injured by the accident on the
Metropolitan Elevated Road on Saturday morning
are improving Williams, the conductor, is most
seriously hurt. The engineer has described his
feelings as the engine fell into the street to q
TRIBUNE reporter.
FEELINGS OF THE MEN AT THE TINE.
The escape of the men on the locomotive engin,
of the train which ran of the Elevated Railroad
near One-hundred-and-fory- y-fourth-st., in Eighth
ave, shortly before l o'clock Saturday morning,
and plunged to the street below, the theme of
much discussion, particularly among railroad men.
yesterday. One nan heard to say that
he would give 800 if he could have the experience
of such accident and escape uniniured. The fact
that tho engine almost as little harmed as the
men was remarked. The glass wator-guage, which
is an inch and half in diameter ard about three
feet high, but not thicker than window-glass, was
found unbroken after the accident An engineer
from one of the trains which were laid up at tho
northern terminus who hurried 10 the scene as
as the sound of the crash was heard, secured the
tube as a memento. Other employs carried away
pieces of the engine.
One of the men who first arrived at the spot
stated that when he got there the engineer, having
left the cab himself was walking around the engine
in ntter bewilderment, and it some time before
he could be stopped. The fireman managed TO scranl
BILE down INTO the adjoining vacant lot and set out
toward the hill to the westward before his injuries
were known. The place of the disaster showed,
Yesterday, no signs of what had occurred. save in
the broken hydrant in the street. from the top of
which piece was gone. Even minute fragments
of broken iron had been picked up and tossed down
the bank into the adjoining vacant lot, and as far
nossihIe all traces were Obterafed.
The best sustained and most commonly accepted
theory of the accident is that the small wheel on
the right-hand side of the the forward truck of the
engine struck the frog with such force that the
truck was forced back under the boiler, thus rais
ing the driving wheels that they passed over the
guard rail- and the engine then off the track.
None of the iron superstructure was injured appa-
rently because from its velocity the engine. after
the car became detached, rolled and slid over the
timbers until the edge reached, when it topped
over. breaking only the woodwork of the outside
footpath. Had the speed been diminished the iron
superstructure would have receive a more violent
strain.
The responsibility for the ACCIDENT is not fully
determined as the officers Of the company declare
that the conductor received his order, 20 cross
at Observation-Disclosures -fftll-st.. wbac tie ~
gneer Is positive that TIL cor luctrr told
him that the crossing would be at observation-disclosures
thirty-ffth-st. The switchman Likewise declares
that the switch lights were burning, and that he
swung mis- lantern although the occupants OF the
engine aver that no lights were Ia be seen. Road
master Richards says that the lights were burning
at the switch when he got up there. but they
might have been lighted after the accident. The
investigation by the officers of the road viii be con-
tuued to-day. 1t was learned upon good authority
veste rday by TRIBUNE reporter that an officer Of
| t..I nA haf flsf frol "A
against talking about the accident.
The condition Of the men injured was improved
Yesterday Two, the conductor, Edward Williams.
and the fireman, John Henry Constantine. who
were in the engine when it took its leap, were still
Mt the hospital in Ninety-nia'h-st last
evening The former il the more severely
hurt The compound fracture of the right
leg which he suffered is peculiarly
bad hurt the opening of the wound being more than
ten inches in diameter. The scads he received upon
the same limb aggravatc his suffering and increase
the difficulty of caring for the fracture. The worsh
danger to be feared in his csse is from glngfene
setting in failure of the broken bones to unite,
when amputation would become necessary. The
main artery OF the leg is taken up so that there is
for the present circulation in the foot Last night
Williams's symptoms were very favorable, as his
temperature was lower than in the morning, al
though lie was pronounced by the physician in
T@s;s Sa%st '1s + . not kept under sa' eSs g
four years old lie has been in the employ Of the
company time. but not as regular conductor
upon passenger trains. His work at night las been
| TO act as conductor on the "enligrant tram In
which the emplOyes took passage Tor BONE alter the
arrival OF the last train at the northern terminus
at One-hundred- d-and-itty-fitth-st and TO superln-
| tend the carrying of ashes from the places where
| they accumulate 10 RectOr-st., where they are
emptied and to run the trains carrying coal and
| empty ears to the points where they were needed.
| His home is MT No 423 East Twenty-second-st.
| The other injured man at the hospital. COnstan-
tine, is an unmarried man. age twenty-fonr lying
at No. 10 Greenwichayc. Hls Injuries, chiefly from
scalds are serious. and he wil probably be abie
| to go home to-day, and resume work III weeks
| time. Neither of the men inhaled any steam or re-
celved any internal injuries.
The engineer Richard KlrEwood. the third
of the thTfs % %sm Semc Who a@5 %e, W t%
ST.. yesterday. He hopes TO 90 back 10 work
soon. He reiterated yesterday his statement that
he distinctly and clearly heard Conductor W iiiams
| fell him that ne TO crCsS over from the mp TO
the down track at One-hundred-and-t thrty-iitt-st,
where the crossing had Deen mace wheh ne ran tuo
''Had you shut OFF the steam when the accident
| occurredfD be was asked.
| Yes lie said - | shut that on just as were
passing the station at Northumberland forty fifth
| st. Williams said 10 me, You needn't care how
soon you get down. and heard the two words 'you
| hurry so ] shut ot the steam. didn't see tho
signal lights ut the SWITCH the lantern of the
| switcbman as we passed nm. l no nIst knew
| felt that we were the switch. didn't have time
to mi on the brake on reverse the engine before
| was thrown down. bad no idea that We were to
cross over ut that point or woud have s;o~ed up.
| am too Old a raroader to attempt Ia take a switch
nj the speed we were going But some ct the state
ments of the speed greater than the engines
| capabie of. Hardly any OF those in use make
their time as it SET down in the schedule. think
the best any Of them can make is twenty-five miles
| an hour.
II have been IN the railroad business ever since
was old enough to work at all. was on the Della
| ware LackawanDa and Western and the Lehigh
| Valley Roads before came here o. April 20 last
| rnar Thls is the naTrOMest escape | ever had.