The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-12-26
CAUSE OF THE DISASTER.

The terrible disaster was due to the
carelcssness OF Brakeman Albert L.
lIorrick, OF tho Buffalo express, which
was lying still below Hastings. Herriclz
fled and has not yet been found. He
lett his uniform in the train and put on
his citizens clothes.
From the official report given out to-
day BY Third Vice President Webb, OF
the Central road, train No. I04, which
LETT New York at 6 6:40 p. IN. last night,
stopped at Dobbs' Ferry to make some
slight repairs on the engine. The dis
tant signal was thrown out and the fol-
lowing train, the Buffalo and Niagara
Falls special, which left here at $50 D.
H., was stopped about three quarters OF
a"milo south of Dobbs' Ferry station.
The conductor OF No. 40 Immediately
sent brakeman Hcrrick back to signal
the coming trains. lie proceeded as
far as the station at Hastinga. He went
inside and talked with the station mas
Ter, waiting for the Cincinnati and St.
Louis express, No. Z, which lett the city
ut So'clock. While Horrick was stand
ing near the door tho st. Louis express
whizzcd past, running at the rate of
lorty miles an hour.
RECEIVED NO WARNING.
Engineer ]. Donohue, OF the st. Louis
express, received no warning whatever
OF the presence OF the Buffalo express
on the track ahead until he was almost
OIL the train. He reversed his engine,
put on the air brakes and jumped ior
his life. The engine OF No. crashed
into the rear sleeper, "Gibraltar," OF
the Buffalo special with terrific force.
There were twenty-five people on tho
sleeping car Mt the time
Tho coroner viewed the bodies at tho
scene OF The disaster to-day and they
will be brought to this city by the
relatives.
The ballast Of the New York Central
Is OF stone. Here and there between
the tracks arc great blotches of blood,
dried and clotted, two and three feet in
diameter. The sight is sickcning. All
that remains to-day to tell tho story OF
the irightiul disaster is tho tin roof OF
the Wagner sleeping car Gibraltar.
This is lying in 4 smouldcring mass at
the side OF the track where the disaster
occurred. The rest OF the car was
burned up. The trucks Of the car and
all the other movable wrcckage, rs well
rs the damaged cars have been removed
BY tho wrccking trains OH the New
York Central road. When theSt. Louis
express crashed into the sleeping car
Gibraltar, which was in tho rear OF the
Niagara express, the engine was COM
plctcly lost in the interior OF tho sleep
ing car. The heavy wood and iron
work OF tho Gibraltar was reduced to
splintcrs.
A TERRIBLE SCENE.
There were eighteen passengers in tho
Gibraltar and all butthrce Of them were
killed or injured. The kissing OF cscap-
ing steam and cries and groans OF
wounded and dying passengers could be
heard long distance. The appeals OF
tho wounded and the cries OF the diving
wcro heartrcnding. A moment later
the Gibraltar took fire. Tho hands OF
both trains quickly recovered from the
Momentary shock and rushed to the aid
OF tho imprisoned people. Tho ,passcn-
gers from both trains followed suit and
soon score OF persons had organized
themselves into relief party. One af-
tc: another tho wounded and diving
were taken out. Axes were torn
from the cars and by tho light OF lamps
and torches men began to chop away
tho burning wood work OF fsthc Gibrai-
tar They were urged on by the cries
oftho injured and diving people within.
Some OF the uninjured passengers hur-
rlcd back to the depot at Ilnstings to
summon help and stop any other trains
that might be coming. ~
l,rMANsvULrEni=s GET iS THEIR WORK.
10 addto the horror OF tho occasion
thieves gotto work and began to ROB
the injured passengers. How much
they secured is not known. 1t was
not known that thieves wcre among the
injured ut the time OF tho accident aud