Morning journal and courier., 1882-09-23
A Railroad Crash.

in the Fourth avenue tunnel at the Seth street station. The Portchester special on the N. Y., N. H. 65 H. R. R. that leaves Mt. | Vernon at 1858 a. m., while standing on the | south side track in the tunnel, was run into | by Harlem train. The two rear cars were l demolished, and with the engine of the liar ! lem train lay in the tunnel wreck, blocking l the way. According to 8 later report three, not four, persons were killed and fifteen ] were more or less badly injured. l
 We learn from official sources the following as to the accident The engine of the Mon- l treal express on the Hudson River railroad broke down short distance south of Har- lem station. This blocked the track of the | main line into New York and made it neces sary to run the trains around it into the side
 tunnel. The Portchester special was started into New York on the side tunnel track. It
 was stopped at 34th street by signal. After
 standing there little while it was signalled
 to proceed and passed on down to Seth
 street,-the next station. There the train
 was stopped again by signal. It had not
 been at a standstill over 20 or 25 seconds
 when it was crashed into by the Hudson Riv-
 CT train. When the Portchester special |
 place the torpedo signal, but he had hardly
 started and had gone but 100 feet when the rear train came by him. The blame is laid, as belonging unquestionably,t to the Harlem road employe, whose business it was to signal the rear train to stop, as the signal was set for safety when the rear train passed. The Portchester special consisted of four cars and 8 baggage car. Mir. Huss, of Mt. Vernon, one of the pro- prietors of the restaurant at the Grand Gen. tral depot, in telling of the scene, said his impression was that there were not many ! persons in the rear car, and that some of those heard the approaching train in time to I jump out.
 The New Haven car next to the rear was also badly damaged. A scene of frightful confusion followed, the tunnel being so filled with black smoke that it was difficult to see Mir. Huss said that he called up to some per- sons who were looking down the opening into the tunnel and asked them to send for Bremen and ambulances. The firemen re- sponded very quickly.
 MT. Huss aided in rescuing the injured from the wrecked car He said that manful service in this respect was done by Dr. White, who lived near by, and who after ward went with them to the Grand Union Hotel to dress their wounds. He said that Captain Hofnagle, of Mount Vernon, and Andrew Barr and daughter, of the same place, were injured slightly, but \ were able to return home.
 A young MT. Houghton, of Mount Yer non, Mir. Huss said, who had his leg broken by the accident, sustained fracture of the | leg some time ago, and the limb had only | just healed. He believed that the conductor of the Portchester train was Walter Rood. A young man who was playing a game of \ cards in the smoking car said the shock in his car was enough to knock all in the down and break all the lamp. Fortunately | no one was injured in our car and we scrazn- ! bled out into scene of terrible confusion, all ! the worse on account of the darkness and ! steam. I had to feel my way along the wall ! of the tunnel. The shrieks of the women ' and the noise of escaping steam were such that could hear nothing of what was said by the wounded who were helped past me to ! the station at Eighty sixth street. by which I ! finally got to daylight. I saw one poor fel- tow brought out covered with blood and what ! appeared to be pieces of flesh. He was wash ed with water from rainpool, and the blood
 was evidently from other persons. He could give no account of how he got out or how many were killed in his car." CLEARING THE TRACK. few minutes after the accident the unin- ! jured cars of the New Haven train were ! drawn to the Grand Central depot and 8 wrecking train with forty or fifty men was sent up to clear the track. The rear of the  locomotive of the Harlem train ploughed it's way fully thirty feet through the car, split \ ting 1t completely in two. The sides of the ! car were pressed close against the sides of ! the tunnel. and the roof rested upon the | snokestack and cab of the locomotive Through trains as well as local trains to the ! city were run over the west track of the main ! tunnel, and the man in charge of the wrecking
 train said it would probably require several hours hard work to clear the west tunnel, as ' yprao otynI s-,N,k s> \ that it would be necessary to chop it to pieces before 1t could be removed. All trains over the three roads centering at the Grand Gen. ! tral depot were from three to four hours late, but in the afternoon were running on better time.
 STATEMENTS OF VICE PRESIDENT CLARK. ! Second Vice President Clark. of the New Haven railroad made the folio wing statement yesterday afternoon:
 "I have seen all my train men and learned ! all that they can tell on the subject A Hud- ! son River railroad engine broke down this ! morning on the track this side of One Hun
 dred and Twenty fifth street. When train One Hundred and Twenty fifth street it was stopped by the signal officer ! and then directed to go on, the ! switch being set for the west, or rapid ! transit, track-there being four tracks from One Hundred and Twenty-ffth street | down. It was likewise stopped and started by signals at One Hundred and Tenth street and Ninety eighth street. At Eighty sixth ! street the train was signalled to halt again. Within a minute, and perhaps within half minute, afterward it's rear was run into by ! the Harlem rapid transit train. ''The rear brakeman of the New Haven 1 train, Robert B. Robbins, jumped off as soon as his train stopped, and went back with tor pedoes and red lantern to signal the liar ] lem train. He had got back only about 15O fact and hoG r,toa &1o track, when the advancing train was almost upon him. He had just time to save his life by rolling into manhole.
 George B Rood, the conductor of the New Haven train, who was standing the platform of the rear car, saved himself by
 jumping off into a manhole, about fifteen feet in the rear.
 ''The accident was caused either by the en- gineer of the Harlem train misunderstanding or disobeying signal to stop at Ninety eighth street. or by failure to give the proper sig nal at that point. Which of these two things occurred have not yet been able to ascer- tain. The accident occurred on property under the management of General Superin- tendent Toucey, of the New York Central MT. Toucey is at present absent from this city,
 THE DEAD. William Howes, of Mt. Vernon, died from his injuries at the Grand Union Hotel yester-
 day afternoon.
 UnknOWn woman
 The dead body of Madame Eugenie Aubert,a school
 teacher at Mount Vernon 1t repe rted, had been
 found.
 INJURED.
 Hered Neiks New Jersey, hurt on the face and left
 knee
 Thomas Logan, Mount Vernon, bruises on face.
 H. o. Houghton, of No. 267 West Forty street.
 scalp wound.
 = Houghton. jr., his son. ankle broken.
 A number of the injured persons brought
 down in special cars to the Grand Central depot,
 whence they were taken to the Grand Union Hotel
 close by. At the hotel everyth possible was done
 for their relief Cot beds placed in large room
 the ooS, and there all the male sufferers were
 cared for temporarily. The women who were brought
 to the hotel were taken to rooms the door
 Tho following is the list of the ,jured hotel:
 Alonzo Bray, of Mount Vernon, shirt manufac-
 turer at No. 7l3 Eighth avenue, New York He
 sustained injuries to his head fracture of the
 leg.
 James Harper. of Mount Vernon. His back is in
 jured and he is hurt internally.
 William Brinckerhof, of Mount Vernon. a broker
 at Na 52 Broadway. He is dangerously injured his
 skull being fractured. Later 1t is believed that he
 will recover.
 William Howe, of Mount Vernon, who suffered seri-
 internal injuries. At noon he reported to be
 in critical condition. Later his pro- | l,@raaJ