New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-09
pany from doing any act which shall Interfere win me
full enjoyment of the Hawkeve Telegraph Company oi
all Of Its rights under the contract
NARROWLY ESCAPING A DISASTER.

AN OPEN SWITCH ON THE ELEVATED ROAD.
| THE ENGINE OF DOWN TRAIN IN COLLISION WITH
CAR THAT HAD BFEN wITHDeAwN TO MID
DIE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. GREATLY ALARMED
NO SERIOUS DAMAGE CAUSED
An accident that narrowly escaped being catas-
trophe occurred about o'clock yesterday morning,
on the Third Avenue Elevated Railroad, between
One-hundred-and-n and One-hundred-and-
eghteenth-sts. train with four cars and between
fifty and hundred passsng left the northern
terminus of the road at S:57 o'clock and was run
ming at fair rate of speed when at the point indi-
Gated, the passengers in the two forward cars were
startled by tremendous shock and swaying OK tne
cars. The shock was not so violently felt by pas
sengers the two rear Persons in the forward
car were greatly alarmed at percelvng the car rise
up several feet from the track, and for
an instant they expected it to fall
into the street. Their relief was great when the
car settled back upon the track. The second car for
several moments swayed to and fro, to the terror OF
the passengers. In n moment after The shock the
forward cars were enveIoDed in cloud OF steam.
This added TO the terror of the passengers who
feared for a minute or two that the cars were on
fire. Persons in the rear cars were alarmed In a
less degree
The shock was caused by collision between the
engine of the down tram and the rear car Of train
which had just been withdrawn from service, and
which should have been backed upon middle
track used to store cars after Communication hours.
The collision occurred because of a misplaced
switch, which was probably neglected by the
night switchman. The following explana-
tion given TO n TRIBUNE reporter by X. Stew
art superintendent of the Eastern Division
of the Manhattan Elevated Railway Company,
shows how the officers of the road account for the
Iha vva tO a
switch and as it in no way reflects on the manage
ment of the road, have objection to telling you
all about it. More trains are run during cOmmuta-
ton hours than at any other time and after those
hours il becomes necessary. of course, to withdraw
a number of trains, For this purpose middle or
storage track has been provided for considerable
distance at the northern terminus OF the road Tbs
track is connected at various points Win O0th the
other tracks by crossover tracks it Is the practice
to run the ex ra trains to One ehundre6-and twenty
ifth-st.. and back them over on the middle track
Between e-hundred-and-nineteenth and One
hundred-and-eighteenth-s q cross-oyer con-
gne No. 100, Engineer Sweetser, had been with
drawn from service and backed from the
up to the middle track and was backing
make room for other trains. 1t hap
pened TO reach the cross-oyer connecting With the
down track moment before sOuth-bOund train
drawn by engine M. 122, Engineer Miller. The en-
gneer of No. 100 supposed that the switch at the
crOS5-oYer was properly turned anu uIu noI knOW
that his train had left the main middle track. The
engineer of No. 122 did not see the danger OF col
lisIon until 1t was too late to avert 1t. do not
think either of the engineers was TO blame. The
fault doubtless lies with the night swtchman. Ii
is a rule with lis, with all railroads. that switches
must be connected with main tracks; when there
is need to use crOssOver the switch can be turned.
An invest igation Will be made aud the blame placed
upon the proper shoulders
What was the extent OF the damage y
g The lett steam chest studs and one rear draw
head of the engine were broken; TWO ears OF the
southbound train slightly damaged by striking
the car wi h which the engine came into collision
"a they ran past it, and the car which received the
blow from the engine had its truck frame de-
moIished and had hole broken III its side. Several
seats were broken 10 pieces" -.
Manager Ham of the Manhattan Elevated Rail-
way Company when spoken TO by TRIBUNE re-
porter apparently had TO reflect a moment before
he could recollect that there had been any accident
at all He made light OF It, and said there would
be an nyesIgatlOn-of course.
A passenger in the third car gave the following
account of the accident: The tram not run
nlng very fast, and passengers were generally en-
Gagged in reading then papers. There was slight
snow squall but 1t was not enough to obsiruct the
view. Ihe first thing knew there was Jar and
Jolt that surprised and alarmed me. Suspeclng
at that there had been collision, looked
out and saw our engine aud the for
ward car both raised several feet from the
track. l expected to SEQ them both fall
into the street ana was greatly relieved to see them
settle back upon the track. Inc second car sWayed
violently for a moment or two. The car that had
been struck by engine was thrown from It's track
aud hurled nearly over 10 the middle track. Our
train ran about twice the length of car before 1t
came to astop. lhe accident delayed US about
quarter of an hour. We were finally pushed down
TO One-hundred- ed-and-sixteenth-st., where we took
another train person with whom | spoke told
me that several passengers in the forward car were
thrown from their seats, and that their alarm was
intense tor moment"