Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-08-16
The Disaster on The West Jersey
Railroad.

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The following is a full description of the
railroad Disaster. near Mays Landing New
JERSEY. on the 18th. mention of which we
had in our telegraphic columns.
The deaths now number 10, and several
more persons are so badly injured, prlnel-
nally bv steam from the engine, that they
cannot possibly recover. Fitty-five persons
zero scalled and otherwise injured. Some
nf these are still at MAYS Landing, but
majority of them have been brought to fhil-
adelphia and are IN the Pennsylvania Hosplt-
al Three persons are missing.
4 large party of members of ST Ann
Catholic church. of Kensington, Philadelphia,
and there friends. numbering in all ABOUT
1850 persons, started from Atlantic olis,
Wednesday morning for an excursion, over
the West Jersey Railroads new line to the
sea coast Their train, which consisted Vi
u ears, was divided into two sections. with
l6 cars in the first section and IN the sec
ond. The managers of the excursion say
that thew had arranged to have the tram
made up in one section. 80 that the party
could all 20 together, but that II was dlvlc-
ed before they left Camden. The train start
ed for Philadelphia at 8 o'clock in the evening
beth sections leaving Atlantic City very nearly
together. The train was to be run on switch
at May's landing to allow the passage OF an
e.press train from Camden for Atlantic City.
When the first section of the train reached
MAYS Landing its speed was slackened the
switch was opened, and ii of the 10 cars were
run on the side track. Before the other I"
crowded cars were OH the main track, the
second section of the train came up, running
at full speed. The engineer of the second
section saw the cars on his track. whlstled
for brakes, and applied the air-brakes. fhe
air-brakes however, refused to work, and the
engine crashed into the rear car with terrlhc
force splitting il nearly in two. The cyiln-
der-heads were knocked off BY the collision.
and streams of scalding steam and water were
thus thrown into the crowded car, scaldlng
MANY of the passengers. Of the persons on
the rear platform of the first train some
Jumped to the ground and then rushed panic
stricken back into the cars. The rear car
was still standing upon the bridge. over the
Great Egg Harbor River. So terrible was
the force of the collision, that the engine
plowed fnrrow half way into the car the
roof of the latter being lifted over the smoke
stack of the locomotive. The shock broke
one of the cylinders of the engine, and Instant
ly scalding water was poured out upon the
terror-stricken occupants of the car.
The rain had been pouring down heavily,
and, consequently, all the windows OF the
car were down, and the steam filling Ii in
stantiy added to the terrors of the occasion
bv concealing everything beneath an impen-
etrable cloud The scenes that ensued AT
described as terrible. From beneath the con
cealing vapor were heard the shriks Of women.
the walls of children. and the cries of suffer-
ing men. The panic-stricken passengers i'll
the cars of the first train ran pellmell from
them or jumped through the windows, and
rushed they knew not whittier in their uncon-
querable fright and it was some time before
reason prevailed. and earnest efforts were
made to rescue the injured and relieve their
sufferings. Some of the passengers sprang
into the river, which at this point is shallow
and stood waist-deep in water. Messengers
were at once sent about the town for assis-
tance, and the citizens turned out and did
everything in their power. The scene of the
accident j. straight stretch Of track about
200 yards from Mays Landing Station. C..
NJ Iioagland, the conductor. and Edwin
Aiken, the engineer, of the second section of
the train, were arrested at Mays Landing on
charge of manslaughter, and were held in
81 900 bail each.