New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-12
A COLLISION IN MID-AIR.
ONE ENGINE HURLED FROM THE ELEVATED
TRACK TO THE PAVEMENT
TT srsrKEs WAGON AND SMAsHEs IT TO
SPLINTERS - THE ENGINEERS
NARROW ESCAPE.

,sad near Observation-Disclosures. between
regular south-bound passenger train ana
switch-enGne. and with the usual good luck that
attends accidents the elevated roads. no one
was seriously hurt, though carload OF passengers
got lively shaking up. There was gross care
l-ssness somewhere. There are three tracks on
the elevated road between Eighty-ninth and One
undred-and-twenty-nnth stS, the thlrd track
beinc in the centre between the regular tracks
II is used to lay up the cars during the hours
when the traffic on the road is light There are
two switch connections TO the centre track, one
hcinC al Observation-Disclosures -ninth-st. and the
other between One-hundrcd- md eighteenth and
Northumberland nineteenth stS. and as the cars
are nut in service they run upon the main
tracks by small drill engine. The drill engine
is No SO and Charles f. Deutsch, Of No. lO3
Academy-st. Long Island City, is the fireman, and
John r. Metz of No l04 East Seventy-slXth-st,
is the engineer.
Metz received an order from the station at one
hundreds twenty -ninth-st. to take one OF the
cars from passenger train and lay 1t upon the
centre track. lie his engine up 10 rear OF
the train, picked up car, and ran south to the
switch at ne-hundred-ande lghteenth-st Inc
switch was opened and the car was left on the
centre track When the switch is turned so that
il opens 10 the centre track red signal. which
works automatically, is displayed on the west
track at Observation-Disclosures The
switch cannot be opened without showing the red
signal, which is a warning to all trains going
south 10 come TO full stop. The drill engine
ran about two blocks north on the centre track
and then returned to the observation-disclosures
eighteenth-st switch, which had been left open
Engineer Metz knowing that the red signal was
up for his protection, sent the putting little engine
at a liv1y run across the switch without a
f1ara
was train coming toward him the down
town track until ii was too late to reverse his
engine and get ont of the way This was one
of the regular passenger trains, consisting of an
engine and four cars, under the charge of Joseph
Sweeny Of No. 324 East Eghty-fourth-st en-
gneer and William A. Whitbeck, conductor
The red signal hung directly before Swceny's eyes,
but the speed of the train was not slackered. ii
he had been looking ahead he could not have
failed to see the signal. and it is only charitable
70 suppose that he was looking the other way, and
did not the danger sign
Sweeny did not notice the drill engine on the
switch until he within about fifty feet of it.
Then he put on the ar-brakes which checked
the speed of the train. but the distance was too
short TO bring it TO a full stop. The cylinder Of
tie passenger engine struck the rear end OF the
drill engine with terrific force. The cylinder
head was blown out and the crashing cngircs were
enveOped in a cloud of vapor. The momentum
of the heavy passenger train carried the drill en-
gne along in front of il for about forty feet, and
il was then pushed off the track into the street
The engine turned over in the air and landed on
top of Harris GCrlmans paint wagon, which was
standing in front Of the store No 2,l74 Third-ave
The wagon was broken into spnters and some
hot coal from the engine set the wood on fire.
Through hole which had been made in the boiler
fhe with n terrible and the
Jpopc i'm the neighborhoOd We're alarmed and
came running out of their homes TO SEQ what was
the matter. Some rang n fire alarm, and the
engines came dashing Ut and added to the excite
mcnt and confusion. Their services were not
needed
The fireman, Deu,sch. jumped from the drill en-
CINE before il was struck and escaped with few
slight bruises The engineer. Metz. was not so
fortunate. He also jumped. but did not 90 far
enough. His feet caught in the coa-boN
and lie was dragged forty feet with his head
humping the ties. His scalp was cut severely III
several places When the engine fell TO the street
he was pushed on the opposite side OF the track
and landed safely on the platform between the
tracks. and thus escaped being crushed 10 death
under the iron wheels of the engine, which ran by
him about / 90 feet before il could be stopped
The engineer and fireman on the passenger e1glnc
stick 10 the machine and were slightly bruised
by heng thrown against the coal-bOX The drill
engine was total wreck but the passenger engine
can be easily repaired.
The accident occurred at an hour and place
when there only a few passengers on the
train. The sudden shock threw them from their
scas,. and one passengers elbow was driven
through a window. His hand was slightly cut
with the broken glass The passengers remained
the train. and were carried 10 the Onc-hundIed-
and-siNteenth-st station, where new engine
obtained from the ward. The cars
were not damaged. The travel the
downtown track DELAYED for an hour and
thrcc-quarters, while the rails. which had been
twisted straghtened. section of The |
foo,path and railing were torn away. and tins
all the damage done 10 the structure
Superintendent Campbell. who took charge |
OF the workmcn in clearing the track refused 10 |
70 Manager Hahn Mr.. Hair said thai he had |
heard Of the accident. and that soIle was |
evidently 30 blame. Whose fault II was could
only be determined after the statements Of all
into the companys Office Mr. Ham said that |
The affair would be thoroughly investigated, and |
That great care would De taken lO' 10 nave 1hc |
accident repeated.
Sweeney declined TO make an detailed state
mcnt for publication when seen last night by a
Il have already handed in nv defence TO the
officers of the road he said, and Will tell
Rolng more at present '"SrI was S'S% ton
near the switch engiue TO -, stop in
time 10 avoid a colIIi't ne t%[gct %
snould Dc shown al dista e at least three
blocks In This il was >"tn unth was
within block of The engine. ere was no cN-
element panic amon2 the passengers on our
lfaIn have been thirteen years in the service
Of the company and this is the first accident mat
has been laid 10 my account
EI GGrERyGR GOODLLL 4 CANDIDATE
Boston. Jan. H. (Spccial.-The latest sensation In
The senator,hip contest in New Hampshire IS the re