The Portland daily press., 1891-02-21
TERRIBLE CRASH UNDER THE GROUND.
A Passenger Train overtakes An
Empty Train.
And Tries to Climb over Il on the
Same Track.
Fire Added TO the scsne-sx Per-
sons Killed.

NEW AOhhs February zU-A teTEiDlo cOl-
lision between trains occurred In the tunnel
OF the New York Central and New York &
New Haven railroads this morning. One of
the trains caught fire and there was deplor-
able loss of life.
At 7.15 the New Haven local passenger,
North bound train approached the station at
Eighty-sixth street. A mist filed the tunnel
the lights had partly failed because the snow
and hail prevailed. A train of empty sleep
ing cars was ahead on the same track as the
New Haven train. This was run into by the
New Haven local, going at high rate of
speed.
EnglneerFowler Of the NewRayen train did
not see the train ahead until he nearly
touched 1t. When he did he put on the auto
matte brakes, but 1t was too late. Fowler aud
Wellington, his fireman. jumped from the
engine as 1t crashed into the smoker, aud the
to take take care Of his engine. The tunnel was was
filled with wreckage by the collision. A mo-
ment after 1t occurred light switch engine
ON the down track ian into and Jumped
the track, and turned partly across the tun-
mel. There were six men on 1t, but none
were hurt. The telescoped cars. a mass OF
broken timbers and splinters, took IRE I'm
mediately. The smoke attracted the atten-
tion Of people in the neighborhood. Those
who were near heard shrieks and calls Tor
help and rendered all possible assistance.
Two fire alarms brought six engines, which
soon began playing on the flames. Ladders
were brought and let down through open
ings and soon burned and GREATNESS men,
ccal black with smoke, with clothes blazing,
began to crawl up through the air vent.
When no more came up the firemen went
down with axes and hose and broke into the
wreck from which the flames were rising.
Out Of the broken window OF the last car,
where the engine Of the accommodation train
pinned him fast, hung man crying wildly
for help. No other cry rose from the pile.
A dozen axes smashed the woodwork that
held him and he was taken cut He was
Car cleaner. The work Of taxing out the
dead then proceeded. Every body brought
out was steamed as If parboiled In addition
to being burned.
1t was hard work to identify the remains.
Mr. Nellie Supple of So Ninth avenue, was
found by her son at the Eighty-eghth street
police station. He knew her only by her fin-
ger ring, which was all the flames left upon
her body. Another victim. man, was
found with both lower limbs burned off. 1t
Is not likely that the names Of all the vic.
tins will be known till a census of the en-
ployes in the yard Is taken and the missing
ones accounted for. Without exception all
were employed directly or indirectly by the
organization known as the Grand Central
Station and most we're car cleaners.
Nine bodies were recovered from the wreck
and sent to the morgue. They were all so
badly burned as to make the features unrec-
ognizahle.
The names of some of the Injured are:
JOHN HANCKE, badly hurt about the
head
DANES CoULDRED. colored. injured in
ternally.
MATTHEW LYNN and WILLIAM BROWN.
j. j. BELLEHEN Of Boston, one arm was
broken. He has some marks or scratches on
the face. he Is at Chambers street hospital.
About the Signals.
Superintendent Shepard, of the New Ha-
ven r00d, says that Engineer Fowler and his
after the accident. Both claim that the sig.
nails showed clear that they were white
lights. Neither knew of the existence Of the
yard train until their engine crashed into 1t.
vIhe The statement made BY Vice Presiaent
accident happened in what Is known as the
the Harlem line, operated and managed by
the organization known as he grand central
station. This includes all tracks between
Haven junction. There is general
manager Of this line elected by the Central,
Harlem and New Haven roads. He has en-
tire control OF the operations OF the line be-
tween the points named. ID his report of
fireman Of the Hew Haven train claim that
the signal was clear. The operator says he
had not cleared the signals, and his state
ment Is substantiated by the track walker
and the track foreman, who say they saw
at I'D street the danger when the New Ha-
ven train passed. The signals are inter-
locked, and 1t is impossible to clear the I'D
street signal when train is in that section,
which was the case on this occasion.
Latest from the Disaster.
NEW YORK. February 20.-It has been
officially reported that the number Of the
dead Is six, four men and two women, all Of
whom were burned almost beyond possi-
bllity Of Identification.
The fire was caused by the scattering of
Goals from an upturned Baker heater. Two
Wagner sleepers and two other cars were
burned up.
The faulty working OF the signal is now
said to be the cause of the disaster.
Traffic was delayed ten hours on the main
line. Traius were sent through side tunnels
and none were over three hours late.
Engineer Fowler has been arrested and Is
held without bail.