New-York tribune., 1885-08-14
KILLED ON A TURNPIKE.
HURLED TO DEATH BY A LocoMorrvE
TWO BROTHERS THE vIcTIMs-A PLACE WHERE 4
GATE OR rLAGMAS 10 NEEDED.

TWO BROTHERS THE vIcrIMs-A PLACE WHERE 4
GATE OR rLAGMAS 10 NEEDED.
Another fatal railway accident, due to The
want Of gate nagman occurred yesterday morning
at Ridgeneld, station the Northern Railroad ok
New-Jersey, ten miles from NewYork Tho station b
on the east side Of the track about 100 feet south OF he
Bergen Turnpike, which from H,boken to Hacksn
sack The travel over the turnpike averages about l25
teams day, aud tho road Is crossed by twcntyfour
trains daily all Of which, with the exception OF two aro
passenger trains. The ticket agent has assistant
He is also the telegraph operator freight agent and
gage master, aud works sixteen hours day. On tho
north side OF the turnpike Is tho freight house, Que
story wooden structure which cuts OF all view OF the
track to the north from person standing on the cast
side OF the track About 300 north Of tho frexht
house, next to which is brick store occupied by +
Brink rhon, the railroad track bends to the east.
AT about $40 q. m yesterday the Rocklsnd County
Express composed Of locomotive. baggage. smoking
and Pullman and six heavy coaches ali flied With
passengers, came laundering down the track from
Englewood at speed OF forty miles
an hour George Merke, age tweuty-six, seeppod
out OF Brnkerhos store and seating himself beside bic
brother Edward ten the scat OF his wagon which
was heavily laden with bottled beer his horses
on walk toward Hackensack, just as tho warning
whistle Of the engine blown 1000 feet away.
Evidently he did not hear the WHISTLE for he kept on
As the horses stepped upon tho track engine came
around the curve ana the fireman saw the wagon. He
spoke to the engineer "Bon" Scribner who pulled the
whstelever with hand while with the other hs put
on the aibrake to its full capacity. The frs few from
the swiftly revolving wheels and tho passengers were
pitched suddenly forward against the But It was
too late. When tho engine reached the crossing the
horses had passed over the track and the wagon
was full upon It. The pilot struck tina wagon ct tbs
fore wheel and threw against the end Of the boiler
Merkle ana his brother hurled from their seats
the former for distance Of seventyfve feet and the
latter fifteen feet further They fell upon side track
with broken necks and backs The horses cut loose By
the shock mady up the turnpike dragging the pole
Of the wagon with them. The collision gave out .
sound like the explosion of boiler torrent Of
beer spouted into the air, and the engine rushed
through It, It entered the cab Windows drenching the
engineer and fireman.
Thousands Of pieces Of broken glass were
shot forward upon the platform and against
glass and thcky scattered over the pretty grass po
beside the track The body Of the wagon dragged
pOssd at the north w wall o
the locomotive was torn OF and the door OF the smoke
there was scarcely foot Of the great machine on which
anything could rest which was not occupied with
down grade for 1900 feet from the crossing before k
could be stopped. Then 1t was backed to the depot,
the passengers got to examine the Of the
cdent. The bodies Of George Merke and his brother
gresnsward. They were both breathing family but
almost instantly each gasped his last Tue end Of the
smoke patched up with boards and the train
reached Jersey City fifteen minutes late.
George Merkle was employed by j. schwinge. bother
of beer at No. PAL Gardenst Hoboken lie lived at No
251 Bloomneldst, Hoboken, with his mother and sister
and young brother, whose only support he was Ho
accustomed to drive the road from Hoboken
to Hackensack twice week selling beer. and was .
hardworking young man, getting up at m. and not
this route for two months and had lately got new
wagon and horses. Coroner g. ID. Schor, ef Leonia,
Fsnshed rers 10 and enpannsea asy for
inquest, which will be held at 945 a. m. to-day.
dertaker from Union Hill, and, the Coroner having
granted permit. the bodies removed 10 Hoboken.
of the residents the hamlet said In the after
naon: This accident Is nothing more than We have
been expecting for long time. There ought to be
gate here. This turnpike Is the main road betwccn
NewYork and Hackensack and Is much travelled, par
tcuary at the time Of the year when gardeners arc
sending their truck market Many OF the drivers
frequently asleep when crossing the track"