Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-01-26
ACCIDENT ON NEW YORK
ELEVATED RAILROAD.
An Engine Thrown Into the
Street-Seyeral Persons Seri-
Ously Injured.

Ousiy lhJuECus
NEw YoRK, January 2+.-At one
O'Clock this morning, the engine OF
train on the elevated railroad was
thrown from the track by misplaced
switch and fell into the street, distance
Of twenty We feet The four passenger
coaches OF the train remained on the
track. The following employees were on
the engine and fell with 1t: Edward
Williams, right leg fractured and head
seriously injured; John Constantine,
head and face badly scalded; Richard
Curk wood, Francis O Falkenburg, John
c. Schoon and VIM. Kimball were
slightly injured.
The General Superintendent says the
cause of the accident was too rapid run
ming. 1t was against the rules to run
over curves or switches at faster speed
than six miles an hour or to run iaster
than twenty-five miles an hour on a
straight way track. The engineer sent
his train rushing up to the system oil
switches from east TO west track at the
rate OF thirty miles an hour. The
switches were not misplaced.
The train to which the accident hap
pened is known as the "Emlgrant
among the employees, and Tor them only
is il run. The train, rushing on ut the
rate OF thirty miles an hour or more, drag
ging its single car with twenty-five or
more human beings, all employees OF
the road, struck the switch with a jerk
that threw every one of his feet, ran
over on the middle track and of it
on the guard rail, crashing into car
standing there as it passed, reached
the west or down track, and
at the curve jumped off, breaking
the rail guard, rail and ties for dis
tance OF twenty feet or more, and land
ing below squarely on its wheels in the
roadway. The three that were IN the
cab went down with it. Those in
the rear were excited by the crash and
shock, and realizing their danger ran
for the doors, expecting every second
to follow. But the car stopped abruptly
at the broken rail- one end tipped over
the abyss below. The coupling broke
and only the engine fell. Had the car
followed and fallen on it instant death
would have been the fate, beyond
doubt, of those who now escaped with
comparatively slight bruises, Where
the engine stands marrow sidewalk
only parts it from deeper chasm than
that into which it sprang. The road bed
OF the avenue at this point is elevated
twenty feet or more above the sunken
lots adjoining. Had the locomotive
reeled at all il could hardly have avoid
ed tumbling into the depths below; as
il stands, however, its wheels are buried
deep in the ground. The crash aud
seething steam that struck terror To the
occupants of the car awoke every sleeper
in the houses near by, chiefly hotels,
and rush was made ut once ior the
disabled engine. Those in the car above
managed To make their way out and
along the track TO the depot, a block
further back, and thence into the
street. Many were bleeding from
slight cuts and bruises aud
one brakeman named Cages was taken
from the platform Of the car into which
the train had run, having been tossed
over from the platform OF his own car
bv the concussion, and was much be-
wildered, though little hurt. Those
who ran to the engine expected fully to
find its three occupants dead under the
wreck, but to- their astonlshment met
hall way the engineer and fireman, who
hal climbed through the shattered cab
windows. The conductor was helped
out the same way. He was badly hurt,
one leg being broken in several places.