Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-02-27
Trains Collide i'm a Tunnel.

NEW YORK, Feb. 2i.-On Friday last
there was a collision OF two trains in the
middle Of railroad tunnel through Fourth
avenue. near Eighty-ffth street, in this
city.
An accommodation train from the
Grand Central depot ran into "A train carry
ing only employees, which was on the way
10 the yard at Mott Haven. The train was
the Boston express, the cars of which were
on their way 10 be cleaned. The tunnel
was filled with fog and smoke and was so
dark that scarcely anything could be seen.
The accommodation was running at the
rate OF about thirty miles an hour and car
ried l25 persons. At "A point about half
way between Eight-fourth and Eighty-fifth
streets the engine ran into the rear of the
Boston express sleeper wrecking the
smoking car and driving IL partly through
the palace car 10 which il was
coupled. Both trains came TO stand
still within quarter of a minute.
The tunnel was filed with wreckage by
the collision, and moment after it
occurred a light switch engine on the
down track ran into it, jumped the rails
and turned partly across the tunnel. Six
men were on il. but none were hurt
The telescOped ears, a mass OF broken
timbers and splnters. We're piled up under
one Of the roof openings of the tunnel and
taking fire Immediately the smoke attracted
the attention of people in the neighborhood.
Those that were near heard shrieks and
calls for help. Civilians and policemen
climbed over the railing Of the small park
that surrounds the opening and looked
down upon the wreck.
crowd quickly collected aud all poss.-
10 ufesn aIa...
brought six engines, which soon began play
ing on the flames. Ladders were brought
and let down through the opening, and the
rescuers began TO search for the dead and
dying.
As the fire was put out and they were
able to get inside the cars, the scenes pre-
sented were fearful Dead and roasted and
broken bodies in all sorts of pitiable atti-
tudes were among the debris of the interior.
But one was not dead. Between the head
of the locomotive and the end OF the car
into which it had smashed was suspended
by the shoulders the body of man whose
legs had been torn of. His clothing had
al burned off and his body partly roasted.
He was still alive. a fireman touched him
and from the head above the end of the car
that damned him against the locomotiva =
came moan and the words: For Gods
sake leave me alone and let me die" The
strong men were forced 10 turn away mo-
mentarilly in horror. 1t took twenty min
utes to extricats the poor fellow and carry
him TO the surface. He died before an ex-
animation could be held. Every fresh body
brought out steamed as If il had been par
boiled in. addition to being burned The
dead were finally lifted up through the
openings in the tunnel and carried away.
the injured were sent to hospitals. and after
ten hours work the tracks were cleared.
The Tiled number SIX persons. five men
and one woman. Three others were very
seriously injured.
Engineer Fowler of the accommodation
was arrested and committed without bail.
He and his firemen declare the clear signals
were out. Neither was seriously injured.
The accident happened on what is known
as the Harlem line, which is operated and
managed by an organization known as the
Grand Central Station.