Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-20
ard fireman viii be the. subjec. OF investigation
in or,ior to determine upon whom the blame
for the calamity rests.
RESCUlNG THE INJURED.
Terrible Scenes ut the Fourth Avenue Tunnel
In New York.


Terrible Scenes at the Fourth Avenue Tunnel
in New York.
NEW YoaK, Feb. 20, p.m.-Four more I'M
recognized bodies have been taken from tie
wreck at the 4th avenue tunnel and sent to the
morguc. These are all the bodies known to be
in the wreck.
right across from the scene Of the accident. was
called among the first and climbed down into
the dreadful smoking hole where the fire was
raging He stood by the imprisoned fireman
while the work Of rescue was going on and
prayed with him.
In all my days l never saw 90 horrible q
thing" he said.
When the end Of the car was smashed in
and the dead were reached, Father Walker re-
manned watching the process Of recovering the
bodies Surgeons stood by ready to help, but
no sign OF life appeared The dreadful masses
of burned flesh were laid on the southbound
track and hoisted up to the street through
the air-vent on stretehcrs. Policemen at the
head OF the gnp pulled them up and laid them
down in the little park that encircles the air
vents and covered them decently with horse
blankets. AS one after another was brought up
the crowd in the street increased and the police
found difficulty in holding back.
LABoRs OF THE FIREMEN.
Down in the dark tunnel squads of smoke
begrinied fremen labored with hooks and axes
on the wrecked car. The rear end Of it had
been fairly pulled to pieces before the fret of
the dead was reached. As the men worked
further forward toward the middle of the
car car aided a by policemen and train hands
announced that the hook or ak had struck
another corpse. The light of dozen lanterns
was flashed into the dark depths whence soon a
a shape was brought forth. before which the
ranks Of workers and the idlers alike gave way
fall hant- IL 81 -
the track.
THE BODIES PAR-BoILED.
Every fresh body brought out steamed, as if
it had been par-boiled in addition to being
burned. Half dozen fire engines had pumped
streams Of water into the gap before wreck
could be approached. Surgeon McGovern
had joined Father Walker in the
tunnel. As priest and surgeon knelt
by each of the bodies laid at their feet, turning
up the dead face and vainly hunting for some
sign OF life or hope, the groups on the tracks
held their breath, and some rcverently un-
covered their heads.
None, was the brief verdict of the doctor.
quickly given in each case. mo life." And
policemen took up the limp burden to send it
up to the air above. While the heap Of wrecked
seats and burned upholstery and twisted and
broken iron grew upon the southbound track
under the work Of the fremen's axes, gangs
OF trainmen were laboring to raise
the deralied switch engine and put il
back on its track The engine of the New
Haven accommodation had already been
pulled out Of the wreck and back to the depot
yard. hundred feet further north were the
six remaining cars of the shop train. The plat
form aud rear end of the one that had been
next to the wrecked car was crushed like an
egg shell.
COMPLETE WRECK.
more complete wreck than the telescoped
car it would be impossible to imagine. Even
the massive trucks were shivered absolutely
into splinters Only the middle of it preserved
its original shape and external appearance, and
upon it the number ''3g'' was to be read by the
dim light Of the lanterns in the tunnel and by
the still DINNER rays that struggled down
through gaps in the smoke and darkness under
the ground.
NO PASSENGER KILLED.
Stories Of great loss of life on the o'clock
New Haven accommodation ran from mouth to
mouth about the uptown streets, while the
dead were being hoisted up to daylight. They
were all alike untrue Not single passenger
on that train was hurt and even the engineer,
Louis Fowler, escaped with Sigh. scratches.
John Hauckc, one OF the injured. died at the
hospital this afternoon.
FREIGHT TRAINS COLLIDE.
LAcHULE, QUEBEC. Feb. 20.-About O'Clock
this morning two freight trains collided two
miles west Of st. Hermi, completely demolish-
ing both engines and several cars. Doth en-
ginecrs ana the fremen were injured and one
man killed.