New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-25
DEATH LURKED IN THE FOG
TRAINS CRASH TOGETHER.
THREE COLLISIONS ON THE ELEVATED
ROADS.
ONE MAN KILLED oUTRIGHT-MANY INJURED
AND MORE TERRIBLY FRIGHrENED-EvEN
THE STREET CARS RUN EACH OTHER
DowN-MANY NARROW ESCAPES ON
THE FERRYBoATs HUMPING
AND WRESTLING ALL OVER
THE RAY

| IhE FE4Rhf bOAIS HUMPING
AND WRESTLING ALL OVER
THE BAY
Several persons were hurt by collisions of ele
waited trains in Ninth-ave at One-hundred and
fourth-st, at 1897 a. m. yesterday, and the fright
and excitement among the passenger.
on three trains nearly caused panie
The thick fog was the cause OF the acci.
dents as it was not possible to see objects more
than twenty feet from the eye in that part OF
+ the city at the time. The accident occurred on
the down track and the south-bound trains were
crowded with passengers.
train drawn by locomotive No. 72, in charge
of Conductor Sperring and Engineer Rhodes, had
stopped at the observation-disclosures station
to let on more passengers. IL was Sixth-ave
train and it was followed closely by train Of the
same lae, drawn by locomotive No. PSI, in charge
Of Conductor Phillips and Engineer Crawford
Just the first train was about to pull away
from the station the second train approached with
slackening speed, and there was crash Many
passengers were flung from their seats on both
trains by the shock of the collision. Several
struck their heads, arms or hands against the
windows and broke the glass Others received
cuts on the face or hands from the broken glass,
while others were bruised in falling Both trains
bad come to a standstill after the shock and from
the first train the passengers rushed to the plat
form Of the station.
SECOND SHOCK FOLLOWS FAST
In the second train the passengers were penned
up, and their terror was increased by another
shock. The train was struck by a Ninth-ave.
train, which followed it, Locomotive No "A
drew the Ninth-ave. train and Engineer Spring
steen, who was driving it, was unmindful Of
danger when the train rounded the high curve
at One-hundred-and- tenth-st He did not see
the second Sixth-ave train standing Just north
Of the one-hundred-and- -fourth-st station until
he was close upon it, and no had left the One
hundredaud-sixteenth-st station before the agents
along che line were warned By telegraph Of the
first collision. Springsteen made effort TO
stop when he saw the train ahead of him, but
10 was too late TO prevent the second crash. His
locomotive ran into the rear car OF the Sixth
ave train with so much force that the car plat
form and the drawbars OF the locomotive were
broken.
The passengers on the Ninth-ave train were
shaken and scared by the shock, but few OF them
received any injury, and none OF them was hurt
seriously In the middle train the second shock
worse than the first Frederick w. Lander,
the guard on the rear car, was hurt by both
collisions. The lrst shock threw him headlong
through the glass panel OF the door. His head
and right hand were cut severely by the broken
glass The second 1ung him against seat and
his leg and back were hurt. Among the women
who were hurt were Mrs John Flynn. of No. li6
wost One-hundredth-st.. and Miss Handlcy, OF
No. 1O4 West Onc-hundred-and- third-st. Their
faces were cut slightly by broken glass.
young woman who refused TO tell
her name was dung against a scat and some Of her
T.ft a1 hofn cha
was removed from the train and friends took her
home in coach Philip ShuberL OF No. 1,73o
Tcnth-ave had Just got on the train at the station
when the first collision knocked his head against
the doorway OF car lie was insensble for few
minutes. but was able to 60 homo later and thought
he had not been hurt seriously. Another man,
who stuck his head Though window and received
an ugly scalp wound. went home without telling
his name.
AN OFFICIAL ACCOUNT OF THE CASE.
At the Office OF General Manager f. X. Hahn, of
The Manhattan Railway Company. an official state
mont Of the occurrence was made substantially as
follows;
five standing at tho Ono hundred and fourth
g.; station on the south track II was struck BY a
BY Ninth. ave. train OF four cars All tho engines
and cars wore moro or less damaged and some damage
sxpense has DOT been computed. While the disabled
trains were being removed TO the nlddle track at
minutes occurred 10 soutirbound traffic Tho Inn
mediate cause OF tho collision was heavy fog Yhleh
rolled up At about 30 a m. and appeared to bo
local h It's density between one-hundred. and fourth
md ono hundred and twenty. fifth ,s'S The com
sm poyed to protect travel 10 log and who in clear
lays arc used for track repairing, watching, etc
eighty one mile from the place OF the col
fartSd M toward One-hundred and -fourthst While
N their way the collision occurred The method Of
signalling Is to Psce stations 9 tbs b stations to
rain had gone by certain number OF minutes be-
This IS done BY y hSdSns Ss n up Sae' two or three
he train passes BY, the engineers always being In
fty-ffth sts there twentyh OF these sfgpanen
seans about nss Tee M men be 20 eoSataS Siat9n The rule
as been in forco for several years
IL was conceded at Colonel Hams Office that
he collision could not have occurred il the first |
rain bad not been delayed little longer than
sual or IL the second had not been running |
head of time, or If slight delay in starting
he first train from the uptown terminus had not
rought the three trains closer together than
he ordinary hesdway, which at the time was
yo minutes The engineers conductors and
yards were ordered to report 60 Colonel Hahn
ftcr their trains were got out of the way.
LEAPING TO INSTANT DEATH
In the dense fog which shrouded Brooklyn u
ltal accident occurred on the Kings County
cvated road at Nostrand-ave and Fulton-st.
collision took place between two trains, and
the panic a number of passengers sprang from
le forward one TO the platform which it was
pwly leaving. One of them, Samuel Kniffen
No. a23 Ralph-aye., jumped past the end Of
10 platform, being deceived by the log, and
hl into the street. lie fell almost thirty feet
id his death was almost instantaneous
The forward train was drawn by Engine NO.
}, in charge Of Engineer Patrick Downs. 10 was
st getting under way as Engine No, 30, Engineer
'interbottom, ran into the rear OF the -FOUR cars,
hich were all crowded. Both trains were NOV
g slowly, but the engine crushed INTO tne coach
as TO block the tracks for ball an hour.
niffen was sixfy-fve years OF age carriage
inter by trade, and was going TO MS ,IK WorK IN
yrtlc-ave He left wife and four cnildren.
neral Manager Goundie said OF the acciuent' I
II was unavoidable The trains IN = ri.sn nours nours
low each other on three minutes hesaWy, =, illee
delay OF the trains save sucl as tno NJ Va
lted, and red lights shown in the ioaL p,ae,ort
| suppose the fOg Obscufcd them uon D hhVW
8 that IN such fog should stop ruliIhink Hto n
her. but n would greatly incOnvenlencs tne PuoHc