Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1893-09-08

1TdsHeS IHIo Another From tOneE
Island - Fifteen Persons Amos
Instantly Killed and Many Others
Hurt--Five Killed on the Harlem
Fifteen dead and several score inju-ed is
the record OF a wreck that occurred at mid
night on the main line Of the Long Island
Railroad in the outskirts Of Long Island
City, n. Y.
1t was the worse railroad disaster that ever
occurred on Long Island. Eleven persons
were killed outright, two died on the way to
the hospital in Long Island City, and two
more died next day in the hospital. One OF
the killed was Colonel z. A. Buck, of the
Spirit of the Times. There were sixteen in
jured in the hospital. and OF these it was be-
lieved that three would die, while the con
dition of several others was very serious.
More than seventy other persons were hurt
and after receiving medical attendance at
the wreck went to their homes.
One account of the terrible accident saws
that at II .03 O'Clock q crowded train of six
cars, drawn by Engine No. 10, left Rockaway
Beach for Long Island City. Twelve min
utes afterward a train even more densely
crowded left Manhattan Beach (COney Isl
and. When just past Laurel Hill station
the coupling of the Manhattan Beach train
broke between the third and fourth cars.
The engine and first three cars stopped,
This was at Habcrnan's crossing. The night
was black as ink.
Trainman Thomas Finn was sent back, but
before he had gone far the train started
slowly and Finn ran after it. and had Just
swung himself upon the rear platform
when the ROckaWay train going at fully
fifty miles an hour, came rushing round the
bend. In less than two seconds it crashed
into the rear OF the Manhattan train. 1t was
exactly As when the crash came as several
watches on the persons Of the dead stopped
at the minute.
The impact WIS awful. The two rear cars
were split from end to end and the third was
lifted from the track and thrown clear to one
side. Fortunately the coupling on the Man
haitian train broke at the same spot as before,
between the third and fourth cars. and the
force OF the blown simply drove the rest
Of the train forward at almost full headWay
Engineer Donaldson did not stop to see what
damage had been done, but pulling the
throttle wide open, rushed his engine and
two cars to Long Island City. few miles
away. as rapidly rs possible. This peculiar
conduct meets with the approval of the Of
fcialS Of the road. who say that if he had
stopped it would only have made the
confusion worse and delayed relief.
Be that rs it may, the alarm had been given be-
fore he reported it. The appeal came from
the Long Island Chemical Works, half mile
from the scene of the accident. It was by
telephone. and the unknown sender prayed
the officials to send all the doctors and am
balances to the wreck. as scores had been
killed and hundreds injured.
At the moment of the death crash every
thing but self preservation was forgotten
Men struggled and fought In the darkness
but it was only for a moment. They became
still again and waited for something more
they did not know what. When it did not
come they aWOko from their apathy and be-
gan to work. They found that the left side
of the two last cars of the Manhattan Beach
train had been smashed to kindling wood.
while the right halves lay their sides
filled with grooming and wounded humanity.
The Kissing steam, the cries of the women
and children and the shrieks and groans OF
the injured were appalling. For nearly two
hours the wounded and dying lay shrieking
and moaning beside the track. Dead bodies
were impaled in broken pieces Of the Man
haitian Beach train. and one man hung across
the seething boilers. The engine had been
stripped Of everything save its cover of steel.
The roof OF the last car of the Manhattan
Beach train had shot forward over the plow-
ing engine of the RockaWay train. carried
away smokestack and cab. and then, such
was the fearful force Of the shock. shot clear
over and through the roof Of the first car Of
the Rockaway train.
Almost before the first horror Of the shock
was over ex-Alderman Patrick White Of New
town began to organize tho uninjured. BY
voice and example he urged them to clear
were taken out they were carried to the slope
IN front Of the tin shop. where. by the light
Of the train lamps. their wo1ndS were hastily
tied up by Drs. Knapp and Godfrey. who
were on the train. They took their coats off
and worked like army surgeons on the field.
In short time a relief train from Long
Island City. with several doctors on board,
arrived nj the scene of the accident. and the
injured received proper attention. while the
dead were conveyed. 20 the morgua at New
town.
The responsibility for the accident was said
to rest between Robert J. Knott the signal
man in the tower were it occurred. and En-
Ginoer COnkrite. who was III the cab of the
Rockaway Beach train. Knott declared the
danger signal was set that should have
blocked the HOckGW&y train. COnkrite
vowed that it was not.
Fatal Collision on the Harlem Road.
On me afternoon OF the same day that
the above terrible accident occurred, u fatat
collision TOOK p,aCo On the New I-Or'- and
Harlem Railroad. Train No - lett the,
Grand Central Station in NewYork. alto. 80
clock am and proceeded northward.
While going around sharp curve near
Dyhenan Station at .35 y. m the train
crashed into train No. 20. which was riIDninc,
southwark also at full speed Each train
mad tour coaches. The two front coaches
and the engine of each train were smashed
into splinters.
me engineers 21i tiremen Of both trains
"SAe hlllcd- One passenger. a young WC-
man. Was crushed to death in her sea< and
seven other persons wcro more or Iess
seriously injured.