Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1882-01-19
HORRIBLE ACCIDENT,
Two Trains on the Harit M River
Road near New York Tel, scope and
Barn with &reat Loss of Life.

Il
Road near New York Tel, scope and
Barn with &reat Loss of Life.
New YORK, Jan. 13.-The Chicago
express train leaving Albany at 2:4O
this afternoon, with many members of
the legislature on board, was run into
by the Tarrytown special train about
a quarter of a mile east of Spuyten
Duyvil junction with the Harlem main
line. The two reay cars, Wagner's
drawing room cars, of the Chicago ex-
press, were telescoped and set on fire.
1t is reported seven bodies were taken
from the wreck. Senator Wagner, it is
feared. is burned, as he was last seen
entering the drawing room car, Idle
wild, few minutes before the collision
The facts Of the accident are these:
The express from Chicago to New York
reached Albany % minutes late. Ow-
ing to the great crowd of legislators and
others who desired to leave the capital
fifteen additional cars were put on.
eight of them being palace coaches.
Two extra engines were attached and
the train got under way. 1t was filled
with all men of note and prominence
both in the republican and democratic
parties. The Tammany hall delegation
was about the last to arrive at the de-
pot, and as all other cars were filled
| they took the rear car (Empire).
The train got under way, and when,
at East Albany, the signal to stop was
received and the palace car Idlewild
| from Troy was hitched on at the lear
of the train. There were some ten
passengers on board this car. The run
was made safely until Spuyten Duyvil
junction was reached at o'clock,
when a heated axle made necessary
stoppage to gain time to coal. Con
ductOr Hanford ordered Brakeman
Melins to signal the Tarrytown special,
which left Tarrytown at 6:35 P. NJ. and
Spuyten Duyvil station at 7:07. The
latter train was in charge of Conductor
Evans. Melins apparently did not
signal properly, and the Tarrytown
special, which ran at the rate oftwenty-
five miles an hour, came around
the curve out Of Collins Cut, and
struck the rear palace car Idlewild,
in which were twelve passengers
Tie engine ran under the platform into
the car and drove the Idlewild into the
Empire with such terrific force as to
render it necessary to cut it out with a
saw and axe. The stove and lamps in
the parlor cars were upset and ignited
the woodwork and upholstering. The
passengers were jammed between the
seats and sides of the car and held
while the flames rose around and en-
veloped them. OF twelve passengers
in the 1dlewild nine are dead. One
has been takeM in the ambulance to
the Ninty-ninth Street Hospital, pro-
badly fatally injured. Another, lady
passenger, Miss Mary Daniels, 25 years,
of Sherwood House, New York, who
was returning from visit to Vermont,
is badly scalded about the arms and
breast, and is lying at the hotel near
the scene of the accident. Oliver B.
Kealy, stone manufacturer of Spring
City, Pa, had his right arm burned to
crisp, and was also burned about the
body. He was taken out of the car by
Detective Dokin and died at midnight
at hotel
Among the passengers were a young
couple named Valentine, from Ben
nlngton, VT, who were married Thurs
day evening and were on a wedding
tour. They were 19 years of age each,
and were accompanied by the groom's
father, 4. B. Valentine, who escaped
uninjured. Both of the young couple
might have been saved but for the
desperate clinging Of the young bride
to her husband.
No other bodies were identified up
to 80 A. N. 1t is stated that Senator
Wagner was seen on the car at POugh-
keepsie and not since. Senator Wagner's
son was at the wreck, looking for his
father. J. D. Ransome, Of the Hof-
man House, is also missing. The car
burned brightly until the last vestige of
wood was destroyed.
A later dispatch gives the list of the
dead as folloNS:
Senator Wagner.
Park Valentine, agent, q Bennington
street.
Mrs. Valentine, North Adams, vt.
Oliver B. Keely, Spring City, Pa.
d. L. Ransan, guest of the Hoffman
House.
Rev. II. Morichael, residence not
given.
Miss Brown, 334 Third street, New
York.
An unknown man.
All the injured with the exception of
Miss Mary Daniels, guest Of the Sher-
wood House, were able to go home, and
no list was kept by the police. Miss
Daniels was severely burned; but will
probably recover.
Police Commissioner Nichols who