Daily Republican., 1890-05-21
More About tho Wreck.

The accident on the Delaware Rail-
road, near Kirkwood, on Monday even-
Ing. had tho effect ef attracting u largo
number OF persons to tie scene yestcr-
day, and hundreds stood gazing at the
broken mass Of cars, which show the
force with which the train was precipi-
tated into the canal. The engine aud
all the cars are badly wrecked, and the
canal boat, with about 200 tons OF coal
Is sunk. The coal can be recovered, but
the boat 10 90 badly damaged that It is
doubtful II It can be repaired. Ex-
perienced judges estimate the loss to the
railroad company at over $l00, 900, as 10
addition to the destruction OF their
proporty. they will be held responsible
for the blocking OF the canal.
There are conflicting opinions In refer
enco to the cause OF the accident, some
contending that the signal light vas out
Of order and showed = clear irstead OF .
red light down the track. There ars
| Others who maintain that the Fight was
all right, aud that the red light should
have been seen plainly up and down the
track. These persons say that about the
time In the evening that the accident oc-
CURED there is q peculiar misty light In
the vicinity cf the canal, which mas the
effect Of noutralizing the rod light Of the
danger signal, SO that the train hands
| were led to believe that 1t was white
light until the engine was too close 10
the draw to stop.
The train was half an hour behind, and
although II 10 stated that 1t was 0nly run
ming at rate Of about ve miles an hour
1t 10 probable that the speed was much
greater and that everything possible was
beiug done to reach Kirkwood In time To
ALLOW the south-bouud passenger train
] to pass. The accident happened at Z. SO
O'Clock, and passenger train No. 81 wsi
due At kirkwood, about one mile and @
half from the canal. at 7.30. This fac,
gees far toward raising the suppositior
that the train was being run at . muct
greater rate Of speed than 10 claimed.
At tho pace where the accident oc
Cured there Is . trestle about 900 fee
long. under which the canal passes. TL'
draw Is over 100 feet IRON the south enc
Of this trest!e work, and 1t, the same a
the approaches, is supported by stor
piers.
The canal 10 fully ffty feet below tn
bridge, and.at the time of the acciden
tug was passing through, drawing oil
| canal boats laden with coal, and tw,
small schooners. Three OF the boa,
r had passed. through, and the barge Fly
r Captain kutch, was almost throug
, when the engine came crashing down
The engine went partly over the boai
the from. striking the opposite bank
while the rear part and tender rested oil
the boat. In an Instant tho cars cam
crashing down on top of ths eugiue
| sinking the boat to the bottom Of th
canal.
There were fourteen cars In the train
s eleven Of which were regulars and thre
coal cars. As stated yesterday, two q
I the cars were loaded with aheep an
+ calves, . number OF which were killed
y The engine is tightly wedged in th
} canal with the tender hanging over II
As the cars came over they crushe,
against the engine which formed soli
bumper, breaking the first that struck
to pieces, but ss they piled in the fore
of the shock was broken and the rt
ma,nder OF the cars rolled over on top q
those already piled on the engine.
A contract has been given by the com
pany to a arm of riegers OF Phladelpbi
to raise the engine. They and their me
are already on the ground, having g0R
down on . special train yesterday. The
will be assisted by the railroad hands
and It 10 probable that . large numbe
of the hands from the shops In this cit
will be seut down on Sunday.