Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-07-05
COLLIDLNG ON A BRIDGE.
Runaway Freisbt-Cars Dash Into Reading
Railroad Coal Train.


Early yesterday morning a collision
occurred on the Bound Brook division
of the Philadelphia and Reading rail-
road near Yardleyville. Four men
were seriously wounded, all of whom
were brought to this city and taken to
the Episcopal Hospital. While freight
train No. (53 was side-tracked at Tren-
ton Junction and was doing some
switching shortly after midnight five
cars and the caboose became detached
and started down grade. All the crew
were at the head of the train, except
the rear brakeman, George Mcdonald,
who had been sent back to flag all ap-
preaching trains. BY the time the
detached cars passed Mcdonald they
had got under full Roadway, as the
grade descends at that point ninety
feet to the mile.
Mcdonald Immediately OWNED the
cause of the appearance Of the cars, and
decided TO board the train and stop 1t
if possible. At the risk Of his life and
by great exertion he grasped a passing
car, climbed up, and set the brake. BY
this time the cars had attained speed
Of about forty miles an hour, and his
utmost endeavors could not appreciably
lessen it. McDonald's only hope wCs
hat nothing would be met before the
foot of the hill was reached,
when the cars could be brought
under control. The cars were still
rushing down the grade when he saw
the headlight Of coal train No. III,
which his train had passed an hour be-
fore. Running to the end Of the cars
he signalled the approaching train to
stop and braced himself for the shock.
In the crash he was seriously injured.
At the time of the collision the coal
train was crossing the Delaware-rlvcr
bridge. The company requires that
seven and one half minutes shall be
consumed in passing over this bridge,
so that the coal train was not gong
over eight miles an hour.
The engineer, James Kinney, saw the
signal of the brakeman on the runaway
train and immediately shut off steam,
whistled down brakes, and waited to
| find the cause Of the signal. Seeing it
approach closer, he grasped the sltua-
ton in a moment, reversed the engine,
nut on all steam, and started for the
tender. This was done so quickly that
he had no time to warn the conductor,
who was sitting on the opposite side on
the fireman's seat. When the crash
came the superior velocity Of the freight
train carried il up over the coal train and
the caboose lay on top of the first car be-
hind the tender. The engine was badly
smashed and thirteen cars derailed
smashed, and piled up in a mass upor
the bridge.
Much time was consumed before TIT
injured men could be recovered from
out the wreck, Hardness, the heaC
: brakeman of the coal train, who was oil
the first car behind the tender, wa
found lying on the platform of tn
caboose Of the freight train within tw'
, inches Of the edge. Had he been throw
but trifle further he would have fallel
into the Delaware and been drowned
as he was unconscious when picked up
Brown, the conductor, lay in the cal
q three hours, with a car on top Of him
h before assistance came. Both thigh
: were broken and he suffered excru
a ciatipg pain, expecting every momen
either that he would be killed Will
they were endeavoring to rescue him o
that the train would catch on fire an,
\ roast him alive.
When the wounded men were re
moved from the wreck they were takeI
into Vaudeville station. and left with
out fire or medical assistance of an,
kind until I O'Clock in the morning
!, when they were brought to this city
a Peter Kinney, fireman, and brother O
r. the engineer, was injured, but not seri
q ously, and was taken home by his bro
. ther. The escape Of James Kinney, tn
= engineer, was remarkable.
!. Last night the only rational man ofth
three most injured was Hardness, VIII
was not seriously injured. George Nc
IS Donald, the plucky brakeman, VIII
lives in Somerville, N. j., is sufferin
from confusion and laceration abou
the face, scalp, and back. He is dom
fairly well and will probably recover
= unless he has sustained unknown int,
= nal injuries. Richard Brown, cor
!. ductor, who is married and lives a
q 2l24 Bodine street, sustained frac
ture of the right thigh and leg and con
: pound fracture OF the left thigh, bs
sides other Commissions and laceration:
His case is very critical and his recc
. is very improbable. Patrick Hardness
single, Of 1857 north Second street,
suffering from q confusion about tn
! leg and other bruises. He will probs