New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-06
PRICE THREE CENTS.
A SMASH-UP ON THE BRIDGE.
TWO CROWDED TRAINS IN COLLISION.
SEVERAL PERSONS INJURED. SOME sERIoUsLY-THE
GRIP AGAIN AT FAULT


pavement and everything slippery to walk and dIsa
greeable to handle The cable Of the Brooklyn Bridge
Railway was exposed to ali the influences OF tho
weather, and the action Of the rain upon 1t to
render 1t moro than usually difficult for the much
maligned grip to maintain its bold. Early in the
morning the tide OF laborers and artisans begins TO
from Brooklyn to New-York, and every train the
Bridge Is crowded. After O'Clock brokers' tradesDen
make the throng that forces its way aowly
through the gates. and the crammed to their
utmost limit with passengers. The crowd takes up
every available inch OF space upon the platforms
train of two long cars, Nos "a and 20. showed
out of the Brooklyn station s:45 yesterday
ing, crowded described Brakeman strouse stood on
the front platform No. 26 As the switch engine sent
the train the place where the cable Is held up In
order that the grip may seize It, srouse twisted away
vigorously on the wheel that controls the grip. Tho
cable partly caught between the jaws. which failed
to hold securely But The grip Of the second which
Brakeman Roche managed graspedthe cable securely and
the train drawn along by this grip only. Under
favorable circumstances when the cable Is dry and the
overloaded. grip is sufficient to take train
the crest OF the Bridge, from which point II rolls
easily other incline. In the present the
cars along the anchorage the first and
through safely As 1t began the ascent Of the
steep grade of the middle sran Brakeman wech. who
WAS OH the platform, noticed that the cable was
slipping Three bells were rung to inform the brake
men in front of the fact and they put every
ounce OF their strength into the effort 70
tighten the grip But tho slipping continued
and it was evident that the train could not
get over highest point Of the middle span Tnc cable
then dropped and the back under control
OF the brakes.
Another train containing Nos 80 and Is had left
the station minute and half behiud the Brake
Baker the front platform saw the signals from
ahead and drop the cable and run back
before the approaching train. This was done.
In the apparatus used on these cars the
u,co botl Orip brak
When twisted in direction the grip is tghtened;
when reversed. tho cable IL dropped and the brakes
applied When the change has 70 be made. as In the
present case. while the train is on steep grade. con-
siderable headway Is accumulated By the train IN its
downward before the brakes can begin TO act
As a result the second train began rolling down the
grade at good rate OF speed
Still third train, consisting OF three short cars, Nos.
: ) and /. coming out OF the station. Brakeman
Courtney was the front platform. The brakemen
were all busy in securing the grips OF their respective
cars. When Courtney realized the fact that the second
train was coming back MIN. the signal to stop had to
be repeated from to All these circum-
stances resulted in failure to act quickly
The train was brought stop, but rot until the
backwarIrollng train Of two was close at hand
The grade at this point is heavy and before the last
train three began to run back under the influence
Of gravity the second train upon It. Brakemen
Jackson and Meyers the two Nos 30 and - Of
the second train were twisting the brakes
with all their strength their train had lurcd such
headway that it slid along the wet rails atony slightly
reduced velocity. the viaduct they slid and came
crashing into the the solid masonry OF the
anchomge
The platform Of ear No Is utterly smashed,
the doors and were broken and the whole
frame OF the wrecked. Some time before tho
collision occurred the frightened passengers Of both
trains fought their way over one another In the
effort to get far as possible from
tho point OF danger. Their success in doing
only thing that prevented many horrible ahs fot
10 stood the platforms Of the cars ID
and g which bore the brunt OF the shock and out
alive. Tue first train came down slowly under control
Of the brakes and stopped few feet from the others
The scene lively in the extreme. Men, women
and children climbing over the railings
on the walk and roadway. crowd OF Oot.passengers
gathered about the Panc-s,rcken occupants o.
the tramplng each other in their haste.
Blood ricking from the faces and hands OF those
who had been by the flying fragments glass Those
who had escaped without hurt and maintained their
presence OF mind, were endeavorng TO help
the Injured, aud crowd OF trainmen
at work with axe aud bar : trying to free one
poor man who had been crushed between the At
length ne was liberated and the allowed to
roll slowly back into the station. The remaining
gers transferred and the damaged Nos. To- 80
and :, were taken to the repair shops.
The persons injured by the smash up follOws:
BAKLR, FRANK. OF Carrost and sixth-ave, Brooklyn,
home lie is sixty years old and dealer IN silver
BRISTOL. C. r. W.. clerk. employed in New-York was
on his way to his place OF business. lie was badly
bruised about the boiy and was Obliged to return
his home No 3l4 Evergreen-st.. Brooklyn.
DwrER JoHN. OF Eghteenth,st and sixth-ave, Brook
lyu He injured in the back and spine and
what internally, but not seriously. He Is an Irish
about @ EeSeer ysST' S S 6e Hanover National
Bank. He was caught In the jam and his leg torn.
He returned to his home without assistance.
MYERS SAMUEL s.. JR, who is "a brakeman the road,
was standing with Victor schaumberg when the
SSr or the middle train n lie % was ihrown Violently @
to one side, being Knocked senseless His knee was
Injuries were in the lower part Of his back II is
violent fever set In In the afternoon He did not
regain consciousness until after he had been taken
was conveyed his home No. 53s Gates-ave.
Myers Is about thirty years Of age ana unmarried
way for some tne and the most Implicit conf
dence was preed IN "a e,m; Inn; a., Visit to his house
Portable as possible. but he was troubled with pains
running through his Oses ana kidneys ana WIN aches
were troubled over tho fever that had set In, and
doctors statement. Myers unable to give any
account OF the accident beyond remembering that no
irious. was fghty in his mlnd and knows little aOOut
the occurrence Ho was well cared for. Annie
the sister OF the injured men. herlovers
side. She had come from her brother az the
hnd her lovers injuries almost bad She
%Gs sos, Rcre Sesyrepalpg and She was led
away. Myers himself acted brayely. seeming to be
xlous about the ures Of his friend schlum-
berg than about his own. -
was cut In the temple. she was able TO walk home.
SCuAUMBERG, VICTOR, age nineteen, HVes ~ NO 3J5
Smith-st with his widowed mother, brother aud
sister lie was the most seriously hurt OF all lie
was standing the rear platform OF the last of
Tie middle train when the collision occurred. and
was thrown between the two cars aud had h.s right
lee badly crushed The tranmen aud 9th, rs worked
a. minutes to eX iricate him. He taken 10 tho
Homeopathic Hospital, No 100 Cuiuberlauds
ar brooklyn, In ambulance. An cXamini
,fion of his limb showed that the foot was crnsltd
The circulation had stopped and the limb colt.
'rhe physicians Immediately proceeded 10 amputato
the leg below the knee The patient giveu
hyuerdomtc injections OF morphine His condition. is
considered serious by the surgeons, ami the
best OF treatment will be necessary TO
save his life. His brother was in the re-
ception.room OF the hospital and cried bitterly
when TRIBUNE reporter asked him about MS
brother. He said my brother said that he was