The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-02-09
WRECK ON A BRIDGE.
rERRIB1EREsULro COLLISION
on a Bridge over the narltan a. New Brups-
wick, Now Jsrsey-on Cars Catch Firo-A
wall Paper Factory and Dwellings
Destroyed-Loss oyer 81 10000

New Brunswick, N. j., Feb. lat
o'clock this morning an extra freight trair
from Philadelphia, owing to broken
truck, stopped on the bridge over the RarI
itan river for repairs. While waiting, the
through Southern fieight, which left Phil
adelphia at 1o:So i. NJ, came dashing along
through the city, and not until within five
hundred feet OF the caboose Of the extra
did the engineer see it.
The brakes were applied, but TO no pur-
pose. The engine Of the freight struck the
caboose OF the extra. telescoped 1t and
struck an oil tank, of which there were
four in the train, and an explosion followed
Immediately. The burning oil and
wrecked cars were thrown over and down
from the high bridge into the streets be-
low. .N
The burning oil ran through the cutters
and down the streets into the canal. This
being covered with ice, the oil ran over the
ice down the canal TO the wall paper man
featuring establishment OF Janeway 4 Co.
This was soon totally destroyed, and seven
dwellings opposite. In the immediate
vicinity OF the collision and Just under the
long railroad bridge, a building used as a
box factory by the Consolidated FruitJar
Company was destroyed. The flames then
spread to the main factory Of the company,
which was wholly destroyed.
By 6this morning the flames were under
control. The wood work OF the bridge was
burned. The damage to that structure is
not yet estimated. Engineer French and
Fireman Harrison, OF the regular freight,
jumped from their engine when they saw
the inevitable collision, and escaped with
but q few bruises.
The brakeman was on the front of the
train. Frank Dumas, OF Kensington, Pa,
failed to jump, and was carried down. In
the wreckage into the street below and
roasted TO death. Patrick Dougherty, jr.
. young mechanic OF the city, foolishly
entered the burning building OF Janeway
& Co., in search of;his tools, and has not
been seen since. It is feared he, too has
been victim to the most terrible fire this
city ever had. But for favoring wind the
whole the whole manufacturing part OF the
city would have been destroyed. AT no
point on the whole road could the acci-
dent have occurred Mt so disastrous a
place. Burning oil and cars were literally
poured over and flung upon the roofs Of
establishments. Only the
battered locomotive and an unexplodedl
oil tank stand upon the track.
1t is now thought that two brakemen on
the oil train were also burned to death.
The loss is estimated at between $500, 900
and 81, 100000. Fire engines were sent to
aid the burning city from Elizabeth and
Jersey City. Only one span of the bridge
was damaged. The bridge was the finest
on the Pennsylvania road, All travel on
that road is greatly delayed, as long de-
tours have to be made.
The loss on Janeway 4 Co. g buildings,
stock and plant is $4,000; insurance,
sGl 900. The Consolidated Fruit lar Com
pany's loss is $500, 900, fully insured. 4
? The. loss by the railroad can not be |
for lack OF Willingness on. the
part Of officials to impart information,
The loss on the dwelling houses Is SIC 1000.
The insurance Is distributed among a
large number OF companies. The bridge
was not weakened, and trains are now
running on time One OF the burned
buildings was o stable containing NUM-
Der OF horses, all OF which were burned to
death. The accident was caused by the
the carelessness OF telegraph operator in
not giving the proper signals on the east
side OF the Raritan.
Six hundred men are thrown out OF
work temporarily. Janeway & Co. had
orders for S450,000 worth OF goods for the
spring trade.