The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-06-21
4 DEFECTIVE SWITCH
Causes a Horrible Disaster on the
Manhattan Beach Road.
aINE PER.ONS WERE KILLED.
And Dozen out of tho Hundred Injured
May Die-lrain left the track In the
1unneI-Everybody Jumped-A Num-
Der Killed In Mad Rush to Escape.

NEW YORK, June 2l.-A Manhattan
beach train, loaded with hundreds of pas
sengsrs on the way from Shecpshead bay
track to the Bay Ridge ferry last evening,
was wrecked at the Ocean parkway tunnel
Ut Parkville. Over 100 persons were seri-
ously injured, were killed. and dozen
may die from the effects of their injuries
Those killed were:
Patrick Daily, court officer In Third dis
trct police court, New York. crushed to
death beneath car in the tunnel
William Pringle, residence unknown,
wss beheaded-
Robert Curry, New York policeman, 652
West Fourteenth street, died In half an
hour after the accident.
Henry Spink, city marshal, attached to
Jefferson market court.
Unknown man.
T. J. McDonegal of Philadelphia died at
6eney hospital.
Fred johnson, West Seventeenth street,
this city.
An unknown man also died at Seney
hospital
Bartholomew, died at the same institu-
tion.
The Train Was Deraiisd
at the entrance to the tunnel under the
Parkway bouleuards, Parkville, by de-
fective switch. Four cars went off the
track. Men who rode upon the steps of
the open excursion cars were hurled
against the side Of the tunnel and ground
under the wheels.
All the ambulances of the Brooklyn hos
ptals were called out to carry the injured
to hospitals. The injured were those who
were riding upon the steps and those who
jumped
The track is double, but in the tunnel
the two tracks come together. To the
south Of the tunnel about 100 yards Is a
switch operated from a tower on the west
side of the tunnel.
This switch consists of two lengths of
rails and was intended to prevent a col
lision. Should the switchtendsr see that
two trains were likely to collide In tho
tunnel he could throw the west bound
train from the track into the ditch by
means of the switch. Switchman Garry,
q years old, was in charge of the switch
when the accident occurred. A youth
with bicycle says that as the train ap-
preached the switchtender
Started Up From . Sleep
and pulled lever, and the rumble and
jar of the four derailed cars was heard.
There Is ditch on the right hand side
of the track, and the embankment rises
abruptly at an angle OF about 80 degrees
The men who sat upon the steps on the
right hand side Of the cars we're jsmmed
against the earth, and their feet and legs
were caught under the steps
General Superintendent Blood was at
the scene within 20 minutes after the acci
dent He took off his coat and directed
his attention TO the railroad men.
Switch Operator r. 3. Mctiarry was ar
rested and taken to Gravssepd. He took
his arrest in dazed sort Of way.
The accident delayed trains more or less
on all the branches Of the Long Island
railroad At Coney Island the story of
what had happened was known long be-
fore the Inst train trft. This made most
of the passengers timid, and a. result
when another accident happened to one
Of the trains running from ths race track
while it was running into the depot, there
was considerable excitement. The train
consisted of an engine and eight cars. 1t
was loaded as full as possible with passen-
gers. AS 1t made the last switches In the
yard four of the cars left the track. AS
the cars went humping over the ties the
passengers leaped from their seats The
train was running slowly, however, and
no one was injured