The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-09-13
FRIGHTFIL RAILROAD ACCIDENT.
TWO TRAINS Ru>H TOGETHER AT
LONG ISLAND CITY.
Three Wen Killed aud n Number I'm
jurcd-The Air-Brakes
Fail 20 Work.

time. A flushing train was about 10 leave
the station and the signal was up requiring
the Manhatian-Beach train 10 stop. But
the air-hrake failed 20 work, the car-brakes
were set only in part, and the two trains
came in collision. Three passengers on
the Manhattan Beach train were killed, one
was so badly hur; that he may die, and
many received slight injuries. The Iri-
bunc gives the following details OF the &C
cident:
The accident took place within a hun.
dred wards Of the station at Hunters
Point. ATOP. VI. a train % eight ears left
Manhattan Beach for New York, carving
few passengers. The first stopping-place
wa q; Shocpshead Bay. where. at the race
track Of the Coney Island Jockey Club, a
large number OF persons had assembled in
the afternoon 10 witness the races. The
train from the Beach arrived al the race
course in time 10 bring over 600 persons 20
the city. ON account ~ the large attend
Suce al the races the train was de-
laved somewhat longer than was
expected. and. in consequence, Thorn
n Middleton. the conductor. ordered
Thomas Glenn, The engineer, 20
make up FOR The lost time. The speed Of
the train WIS accordingly increased. I'm
mcdiaiely behind the locomotive and tcn-
der wa a parl0r-car, in which were con-
siderable number Of ladies and gentlemen.
The remainder 81 the train was composed
81 the open cXcursion-cars which the rail-
WAYS running 10 and from Coney Island
use during the summer season. II was
twenty minutes before O'Clock when the
depot al Long Island City was seen 10y The
engineer. As he approached the Third
avenue crossing he saw the engine-dlscs
alorg the tracks In front OF him change
from white 10 red, warning him OF
danger. lie blew the whistle FOR
=" down brakes" and the conductor
and brakemcu put all their strength
into the task Of lessening the speed Of the
rapdly-moving train. The engineer i'm
meGiatelv tried the air-brakes, but found.
10 his horror. they would not work quickly
enough. The space which las between his
engine and the network Of switches and
tracks that was spread before the depot was
lessening with fearful rapidity. Again the
engineer whi,tled 10 the trainmen 10
tighten the brakes. hut II was too late.
4 dark mass lay awaiting him or the same
track that he was on. The headlight Of an
outgoing Flushing train cleaned in front
Of him. and be saw the glare Of the light
growing brighter and brighter. Long be-
fore this he had closed the throttle-valve Of
his engine, but the momentum Of the train
va, 80 great that II forced The locomotive
ahead with a fatal swiitncss.
At last Glenn saw that all hope Of stop
ping his train must be abandoned, and
realizing that death would follow il he stood
AZ bis post he sprang from his cab and fell
upon hs breast on the ground. Then
there was 4 crash rs the two engines came
together. and dense volume Of steam and
smoke arose from the wreck.
THE SCENE AFTER TIE CRASH.
The scene which was presented 10 the
yard-hands, who had watched the trains
crash into each other without having it in
their power 10 prevent the collision. was a
terrible one. The heavy engine OF the Man
haitian train had lifted the locomotive Of
the Flushing train completely from the
track and had flung II n though il had
been made Of cardboard many feet 10 the
left. The shock Of the collision to the
Flushing train was broken by the deralling
Of the locomotive. and the cars Of this
train were simply sent back into the
depot. from which they had started
a few minutes before. The Manhattan
Beach train. however. was badly wrecked.
The entire fore part Of the engine had been
smashed, and the wheels IN their reyOlu-
tions splintcred the ties and thrashed the
ground with the broken pistOn-rods. The
parlor-car had been telescOped 10y the open
car at its rear. The comparatively light
guards Of the coach had been crushed in.
and the heavy platforms ofthe eXcurs.on-car
protruded through one OF it, sides. Then, 10
add 70 the horror, the oil-lamps exploded
and set the woodwork on fire. The flames
spread rapidly until a stream Of water
hoo l.t-r,r rfrfa4 Nt.sffF
upon the tire Then il wa, eXtinguishcd.
Beyond the splintering Of The front plat
form Of the third car no further damage
Wa done 10 the train. When the crash
occurred there was "A rush on the part Of
the passengers Of both trains out OF the
cars upon the track. They formed a
crowd that rapidly grew larger a. the news
spread that q train had been wrecked with
in the depot. 1t was some time before the
police arrived, aud longer still before as
sistance was received from the hospitals.
But the uniniured passengers did not
await the arrival Of medical aid before they
made efforts 10 extricate the dead and IN
jured from the ruins. As the smoke cleared
a hand was seen hanging from a window
Of the wrecked parlOr-car, and then DR..
W. X. PRYOR, Of No. l07 east Thirty-Gith
street, this city. crawled out from the
dtbriS and called for rope, saying that
there were two men within the car who
had been injured and were bleeding to
death. A clothes-line WAS handed him,
and he went back into the car in COM
pany with Or. W. J. Burnett, OF Hunters
Point. When they reached the interior
Of the coach they found that their assist
ance came too late 10 save the life OF
Edward Bernius, for the hemOrrhage from
A.. a nd - NO
rnct. But over in the corner OF the car,
with the entire weight Of the iron-bound
platform 81 the excursion car resting on
his legs. sat Robert Smith, grooming from
pain, but still conscious. He said in a
husky voice: For Gods sake, get me out
Of this" and the doctors went immediate
" 10 his aid. A. soon a. they looked al
the poor fellow thsy knew that he was fs'
tally hurt, and that, although they might
succeed in releasing his body from the
crush Of the train, they could not save his
life. The two legs were 80 securely
pinned that they would have 70 be
amputated. When Smith was told OF this
desperate resort he clinchod his teeth and
said. "GO ahead" The knives and saws
performed their duty. and the man never
WINGED. All he asked Tor was a glass OF
water. Smith wa taken after the alnpu-
tation Of bis legs, 10 the conductors room
ID the station, where he lived twenty min
utes and died In the arms Of Detective
Mcdonald. o. the railway company. Then
the bodies OF the two dead men were taken
in an undertaker's wagon 10 the Morgue
on Fourth street
HOW sOhE PASSENGERS ESCAPED.
There were few persons in the parior-
car. Or. Pryor sat directly opposite TO