New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-27
A LUCKY ELEVATED WRECK.
TWO TRAINS CRASH TOGETHER, BUT NO
ONE SERIOUSLY INJURED.
AN ENGINE AND TWO CARS PRACTICALLY DE-
MOLIsHED-A THIRD CAR KNOCKED OFF THE
TRACK-MANY PASSENGERS THROWN
FROM THEIR SEATS AND SOME
OF THEM BRUISED


There was a serious accident on the Sixth-ave.
elevated road last evening during the busiest
hour. but with the usual luck that attends mis-
fortunes of this kind on this road. there was no
loss of life There was plenty of opportunity to
kill and MAIN large number of people, and it
is remarkable that every one escaped.
The accident happened at the intersection Of
Nnth-ave. and the Boulevard just above Sixty
fourth-st At this point there is switch, which is
used TO convey the Ninth-ave. trains which do not
carry passengers above Fifty-ninth-st. from the
up track to the down track. This switch runs
for about two blocks between the two tracks,
and after an uptown Ninth-ave. train lets It's
passengers off at Fifty-ninth-st. the train is run
up to the Sxty-fourth-st. switch, and is there
sidetracked and held until the down track is
clear and SAFE and it is then run to the Fifty
ninth-st station on the down track. Then. after
taking on passengers, it is started downtown.
A few minutes before o'clock last evening
an uptown Ninth-ave. train which left South
Ferry about $50 o'clock, stopped at the
Ffty-ninth-st station and all the passen-
gers got off. The train drawn
by Engine No. 45, and it ran up to Sixty-fourth-
St., the last car being above the switch. The sig
nal was then given to tn. switch-tender in the
signal-box near Sixticth-st., to open the switch.
He pulled a lever which opens the switch and
at the same time turns red light on an iron post
in front of the switch, that it can be seen by
the engineer of a train approaching from the south.
The engineer Of the Ninth-ave. train
received signal from the conductor that
all was clear in the rear, and he
started the train slowly backward upon the
switch. The Ninth-ave., train was closely fol-
lowed up to the Fifty -nnth-st station by Sixth
ave- train, which turned into Ninth-ave at
Ffty-thrd-st This train had to stop and wait
for the Nnth-ave. train to let of its passengers
at Fifty -ninth-st and when the Ninth-ave.
train pulled out from the station, the Sixth-ave.
train came up and stopped Only two or three
passengers got off, and it did not
remain standing more than thirty sec
onds. 1t followed on after the Nfnth-ave train.
running at about halt speed. Nearly all the
seats were taken in the Sixth-ave train, and In
some of its four cars there were passengers stand
ing in the aisles
The Sixth-ave. train had five blocks to run be-
fore reaching the switch where the Nnth-ave.
train was leaving the up-track, and it moved over
this short distance at a speed that appeared dam
gerous to several people who it from the
street below The Sixth-ave. train should have
come to a full stop at Sxtythird-st. in obedience
to the red light at Sixty fourth-st, but instead of
doing this 1t kept on swiftly moving toward the
train which approaching it upon the same
track. 1t has been often demonstrated in rail
roading that two trains cannot pass each other on
the same track, and in this instance there was no
exception to the rule. The Sixth-ave. train go
ing at nearly full speed crashed into the side of
the Ninth-ave train with terrible force, and the
result was disastrous at least to of the roll
ing stock of the company
HOW THE WRECK WAS MADE.
At the time of the collision
one car of the Ninth-ave. train had passed on to
the switch, and the engine was driven between this
and the next car. There were four cars on this
train, driven by Engine No Sc. The crash was
terrific and the air was filled with splinters, the
sound OF breaking glass and the screams of passen
gers There was no one on the Nnth-ave. train.
except the brakeman, and in the forward car of
the Sixth-avc. train there were only few vacant
seats. The fourth and third cars of the Nnth-ave.
train were turned their side, and
fell partially upon the switch and down.
town track The weight OF the
third car was sustained by heavy girder that
braces the up and down town tracks.
1t is wonder that both cars did not fall into
the street. The front and trucks Of the
fourth car were thrown in an opposite direction
from that in which the car fell and carried away
n part of the railing that guards the foot path
along the up track and fell into the street about
ten feet from the elevated structure within
about two feet Of the horse-car track of the Boule
ward line.
NARROW ESCAPE OF A HORSECAR
car was passing at the time filed with
people and the truck fell just behind it. 1t was
narrow escape and the passengers left the car and
ran wildly around screaming if they had been
hurt Dennis Mahoncy the car driver, was
also affected by tho confusion and whipped up
his horses and dashed mady away.
Engine No. As WAS turned so that the body OF
the engine rested on the track. and the wheels
swung i'll mid air both sides Some of the
tubes connecting with the boiler were broken, and
the roar of the escaping steam added to the eX-
element. Ben Matthews wns the engineer
shaken up, bat escaped without serious injury
Matthews was thrown from the engine and landed
the front platform of the car behind HIS
by broken glass Ellin came within an ace Of
being dashed into tho furnace, the door of which
was open. The other two cars and engine on
the Ninth-ave. train stayed on the track, and
were not much damaged
PANIC ON TIE sIxTH.AvE. TRAIN.
In the Sxth-ave. train there was the widest
confusion Passengers were thrown out Of their
seats and were sent sprawling over the floors
The car Immediately behind the engine received
the greatest shock 1t raised bodily from the
track When the wheels left the rails 1t toppled
over toward the right side, and only for the rail-
tng which the company put up reluctantly
short time ago, and the heavy
iron switch-post on which was the
signal light, it would have fallen into the street
II stopped at an angle of forty-five degrees, and
the passengers thrown TO the right side OF
the car and were thoroughly mixed up
Everybody shouted and yelled and in the efforts
10 get olt of the the weaker ones were trampled
upon. Fortunately there were only few women
in the car but they had hard time of il, as
shc rcn seemed TO have forgotten the chivalrous
Treatment that should be accorded TO women and
left them to their fate. There were some brave
spirit. among the men. who after leaving the
ear and seeing that there no immediate
danger, FASTENED back and half carried and
dra gscd the women TO place OF safety.
Carlotta Paxton, young woman, who is said
to work at Macy's and lives at One-hundred-
and-hrst-st near Ninthave., was carried out In
q fainting condition. She WAS injured In the back
but after she had been restored To consciousness,
bo dccIined IN on IN "A hOsDifal and went home