New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-15

uuOu the trains. Inc only lntormatlon tndl
was got that was thou int to be Trustworthy was as
to what tho engineer OF the GarrytOwn tram had
said. THIS was Told to reporter by an o'hgial VINO
refused to allow his name 90 be used. lie sub
stance of it was that the engineer when he came
into the depot said: " We were running at mole
rate rate of speed, and az the engine rounded the
curve saw tho red light of the express tram cnU
oil the steam aud pulled the ar brake, bnt tRe
distance was so short that the brake had hardly
taken hold until the engine struck the car | sup
pose shall be blamed By some people out any one
vino knows that part of the road knows that
dozen ar brakes could not have stopped the tram
in time"
Mr.. CURTIS'S AND Mr.. BREVOORTS STORIES.
George William Curtis whc had been ar Albany
attending meeting Of the Regents of the State
University, was returning 20 Staten Island ycster-
day when seen by TRIBUNE reporter, to whom he
told the following story:
81 was in the third car from the rear the Mime
haha. " hen the train reached Spuytcn DuyvI 10
stopped, for what reason doesn't seem
70 be definitely known. There were
several rumor- in regard to it, As an old traveller,
usually get out when train stops Bat I sat
quietly last evening. ! asked the porter why We
stopped. He replied that we stopped a signal. l
still sat in my chair. 7 should think ten minutes
then ] heard wbistng. 1 supposed a train
wa, coming from New-York, thinking it hnprob-
able that one would he coming from the other way.
had no apprehension because did not doubt THAT
fine necessary precautions had been taken.
thought the train was coming
the other side of us 1t was only a moment
or yyo before the train was on us. At the moment
OF the collision the shock was plainly perccptblc.
but il did not throw me off nv feet or ujure NE in
any way 4 young woman near mo Wa, thrown
into historical commissions. ] rose and went for
ward [ was the first person to 20 out Of the car.
4 water-tank stood against the door. Having
: a.. . tlto / int thp
snow Looked back and saw smoke. great crowd
had gathered around the cars, which We're evil
IDENTIFY burning. | was scarcely five minute, from
the time felt the shock when the cars were IN
flames. The burning cars looked like fiery furnace
heard people calling to the passengers to go back
and get the things they had left III the cars; so ]
went back. On my arrival there found J. Hamlin
Pobb. His hand was done up in handllerch eff
and there was considerable blood on him. | had
some court-pastcr in my pocket and with that |
dressed his hand. Then | saw man
sitting down in the car evidently in pain,
leaning his head on his hand. asked
him if could do anything for him. He said he had
been hit on the back of the neck by a beam. There
were several gentlemen cut and bruised, but none
seemed to be severely hurt | then fastened to the
burning ear. They were throwing snow on tie
fire II was impossible to hear anything, the noise
was so great Several were inquiring about Sena-
tor Wagner. We stayed there about an hour after
theshock ! saw no official person. We seemed TO
be utterly helpless.
lit was incredible that there was such criminal
mIsmanagement on the part Of those who had the
res possibility Of running the train. We were
anIy ten minutes perfectly still on that curve and
at the end of those ten minutes train which was
known to be a short distance behind us came crash
ing into us with these fearful results. 1t IS only
.IafA fbaa
situation Our got merely the impact from the
end OF the Empire, winch was the next
car. The most I could find ont was that
five persons were killed. | saw Senator
Wagner before the accident, hut not TO speak to
him. | tcrgraphed home AT the very earliest mo-
ment think no one IN my car was seriously Injured.
Where the responsibility lies IT Is impossible 10 say
The conductor OF the tram was bound 10 use every
possible prccautiOn when we stopped at Spuyten
Duyvil The immIneuce of the peril was such that
he should have made sure that the slgnal was
gwen. lie had only one thing 20 do ami tat was
10 look out tor the safety OF the tram, and he knew
that another tram was behind Us.
james Carson Breyoolt and his wife were also
passengers on the train. TRIBUNE reporter OH
tanned ne following account OF the accident from
Shorty Shortly after turning of the main road at
Spuyten Duyyll, came to a full stop. No eSpla-
nation OF the stop could be obtained. There were
several conflicting reports. We mad been delayed
there about fifteen Minutes | was standing IN the
car Vanderbilt the fourth or htth from the rear.
/ wa, talking to friend, when heard sharp
whistle. and was about to remark, Our
train is starting when at that instant
We received shock tina, threw Us both Oh the
floor. While suuc Of our passengers were gong to
the rear 10 ascertain what damage had been done
one ot the train employees ran past the ear shout
lug. For GoI~ sake pull the rope to sep ualc tne
tram for hc rear cars are buInug' pnHed tine
rope and in % few seconds our tram moved
sl6wl, on abou. 100 feet. then 10 iked out
tow rd the roar saw the Burning cars, with
crowd ol people pushing az them with poles aud
ladders, and snow thrown "u the Gals 10y boys.
Two gent lcIuru came into our car at tuat uWt VINO
| had lost their hats and vaiI-es. They were badly
cat lbs dying glass hey could give rs uo clear nc,
/ count o. what had happened. One OF The meu said
! fl4. The seats of TIE Empire, i'm which he was,
seemed 10 close up around him, ana he could not
/ tell US 10y what outlet lie got Out oil the car
Wneinr. hy door Or window. On the journey to
! NeW-Ior, rumOis Of the death OF Senator Wagner
/ and the bridal couple were alternately confirmed
ana coutradIctcd / lie tram was uuuvC essauIy large
| for the number Of passenger and the htOppage at
! Npuytcu DuyNii was too long. While We we're
there heard that rod hight had not been sent tar
enough up the track anu that II could not be seen
! hy the IarrytoWn tialu owing to "A high bank which