The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1882-01-19
BURNED ALIVE,


A train from Albany, New York, while stand
ing in cut near Spuyton Duyvl Junction, on
the evening of January Is, was run into from
behind by another train, and the two rear cars
Of the Albany train telescoped and set on fire.
The train that was run into had . number OF
members of the New York Legislature on
board. The last car contained but twelve pas
sengers. Nine persons were killed outright, or
burned to death, and thirty or forty wounded.
-Four bodies were burned beyond recognition,
one being that of awoman. The following are
among the dead !; Senator Webster Wagner
E. L. Rawson, of the Hoffman House;
Parke Valentine, of Remington, VT; Mrs.
adelphia. A passenger makes the following
statemen: "When We were at Tarrytown," he
said, "the tram from Albany passed us. 1t
was running fast, and there seemed to be
wheel on fire. I spoke to one of the men in
the depot, and he said, those brakes are
down. After leaving Tarrytown, we ran along
smoothly for some time. The first intimation
had of the danger was feeling the air brakes
had been suddenly put on, felt there was
something coming, and I braced myself
sn'' Ssa and the saswa hsss
long over seats the stove was upset,
and so was the water-cooler. The excitement
was intense for few minutes. Women were
screaming and men swore. Two or three men
were burned severely. although not danger
out Of the cars Immediately and went forward
to the Albany train. There were three passen-
ger coaches on our train, and was in the
second. suppose q number OF men in
the first must have been hurt. As I went
THINK 'he wss bada pa0e dsm
aged; the back part was on fire and it
had apparently been telescoped by our engine.
Every one in the Albany train seemed to be
out Of it, except some in the back of the rear
to be held in the back part of the car, which
was all in flames. / suppose the shock tore the
car all to pieces, and that they were caught in
between the broken seats. could only see one
woman at first, and she was lying down with
the stove on one leg and arm. Her shrieks
were horrible The conductor on our train, who
was the only one around that had his wits
about him, Immediately broke one OF the win
doWs of the car, and two men were helped in
to try to get her out. None of the other pas
sengers who were held in the cars were in such
q dangerous place as she was, and the first
effort was to get her out. Some wooden bars
we're handed the men, and they made one
desperate effort to get the woman out. The
flames swept around them, and two men
Jumped out of the windows. In the meantime
every one in the two trains had gathered
around the last cars, and all were looking at
the scene. The conductor again shouted to the
crowd to bring water, and roll snow balls and
to throw them upon the flames, and every one
on the train went to this work, and they checked
the flames for a time. Meantime the cries OF
the poor woman under the stove had ceased.
Another party Of men had procured ladder,
and this was put up against the side Of the car.
While some men were pouring water and snow
on the flames others clambered to the windows.
But the people were 80 wedgedin between piecel
of seats that they had to be pried out. Ths
first person taken out was the woman first
alluded TO. She seemed dead. Then with
great difficulty two more women and two men
were taken out, apparently fatally injured
There were several more in the cars. did moi
see how they were got out. While was walk
| ing through the crowd, saw woman with .
| baby in her arms. The woman had been badl,
cut by glass, and blood was dropping over hel
| child. She had been in the forward part O
| the rear parlor car. One man standing OF
! the rear of the parlor car saw tn,
| Tarrytown train coming and jumped
| of Just in time to save himself. Tn
| accident was due to the carelessness OF the NAL
| in charge of the Albany train. It had no sigma
| out, and the first intimation our engineer hat
| of danger was when he saw the lights Of tn
| drawing-ro car about fifty feet in front O
| him The New York Tribune adds Tn
| coaches took fire Immediately. Th'
| shock of the collision was terrific. Ii
| all of the cars of the Alban.
| train passengers were thrown from their seat
| and many injured. From both trains passen
| gers rushed to the wreck and set to the work o
| rescue. Water was carried from Harlem Rive
and from the locomotives and dashed upon tn
| flames, but the fire apparently burned u
! brighter and stronger. Some of the rescuer
! were burned about the hands and face.