The sun., 1880-09-05
LEAPING FOR THEIR LIVES
FROM A L0COMoTIVE INTO THE RIVER
TO ESCAPE Il COLLISION.
A smash-up tho Hudson River Road
Caused by the breaking OF q Freight
Train-The Dwelers in n Cottage Startled

A smash-up on the Hudson River Road
Caused by tho Breaking OF q Freight
Train-The Dweiiers in n Cottage Startled.
A mile above the station OF Croton, on the
Hudson River Railroad. Flagman John De-
laney's little whitewashed cottage stands be-
sido the track. There is barely room for 1t be-
tween the track and tho river wall. Two sharp
CURVES In the two rock cuttings north OF the
cottage make 1t necessary that lagman should
be posted at that point to notify passenger
trains OF safety or danger ahead In the De-
laney cottage were sleeping at 5h A. NJ. yester-
day. Mr.. Delaney. his mother and sister, lady
visiting from Danbury. Conn.,. and three
small children. The down track points d.
rectly toward the cottage until within three
car lengths OF It; then 1t curves toward
the left. and Just Rrazes the house. The
occupants were startled from sleep by the
shock and crash OF a collision so near that 1t
seemed to them as though the eide OF the house
had fallen in. Then came the sound OF escap-
ing steam. and the air was filled with smoke
and vapor. 1t was pitchy dark. The inmates
OF the house found that they were safe. and then
ran out OF doors half dressed. They saw
pile OF freight cars as high as their cottage not
OF the house. and In the middle Of tho pile OF
cars was locomotive screeohing and seeming
The locomotive and freight cars were piled
on the river wall, and some OF tho cars jutted
over the edge Of the stone coping. The smoke
on the smoke stack. In front Of the locomotive
that was yet beaded down the track was as,
rails on the up track were twisted and bent like
ribbons Meanwhile trainmen came up to the
wreck. and anxiously consulted to learn whether
demolished engine, could not be found. The
White and Worth were dead and buried under
the wreck, when the two men clambered up the
had jumped from the cab of the locomotive into
the river lust as the ponderous machine left the
track on lhe 1or the i,claney cottage ana then
tipped over. itself barely escaping plunge into
The, cause Of tho accident was very simple.
Freight train No 40 and freight train No. A
At Monirose No. 40 was about ten minutes
Ssa1 way allowed Ht on on i' the HUDSON Rnor Raroad
From Cruger's station down TO Croton station
ana, there is heavy down grade When below
gers. and Croton the freight train ahead.
No; 40 6rokS coupling and eight Snp ears
the loss was discovered cannot be ascer-
tanned. but the cars we're out ofsight when their
oldcst conductor on the road. He was in d.
lemma, II he went back with the forward hall.
rate rate OF OF twenty miles an ' hour on stiff Dc down @
grade; On the other hand II he slowed up and
waited. then the train behind might come up u
/
| to run slowly and let the truant cars catch up
| with him.. After running for a mile or two in
| this way he dropped man from the train to
run back beyond the runaway freight cars and
| signal to the engineer Of the train behind to
| stop. Conductor Leak says that he sent the man
back in time 70 signal the train in the rear.
| Engineer White OF tho rear train says that he
| did not get a red signal. but red and white
| signal. which meant not to stop but to slow up.
| He first saw the runaway cars when he was only
| ten rails distant from them. The dew on the
track prevented his bringing the locomotive to
| q Twnlya frpiplt knocked
from the track and half q dozen cars were
knocked into kindlng wood. No one was hurt
| seriously.
Passenger trains were stopped on the up track
| for three hours and on the down track until G
p, NJ. Three extra freight trains came on down
| the track in the afternoon. All the forenoon
| passengers were transferred from one train to
| another at the scene OF the accident. Last even
ing half dozen freight cars were in the shall
cottage. and boxes and bales Of merchandise
| were piled beside the track and guarded by
wntchmen. On the wrecked train. were some
| cars OF Shaker-m made brooms. and whom the
crash occurred they were scattered over ten.
| acre lot