The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-06-21
CITY MEN IN IT.
Suburban Patrons Injured
In the Coney Island
Wreck.
B. LAIRD AND Mr.. COP WOUNDED
Other Jerseymen on the Scene, IN
Gliding a Jersey City News"
Reporter, Escaped.

The Long Island railroad train that was
wrecked at Parkville with a load OF pas
sengsrs from the Suburban rae last
evening carried several Jersey City men,
two of whom, William 3. Laird. a son OF
Druggist NJ. R. Laird, and M. Cop. OF
Grand street, near Paramount avenue.
were severely injured. Mr.. Laisd's left
foot Is fractured. Mr.. Cop has q disio-
Gated shoulder. Both are at home.
Others In the wreck, but unhurt. were
Building Inspector Macarthur, Captain
John Graham, John Atkinson and a
JERSEY CITY NEWS reporter.
The accident occurred at Parkville.
whore the Manhattan Beach branch OF
the Long Island railroad passes through
a tunnel under the ParKville Boulevard.
The railroad has two tracks. but In the
narrow tunnel they run together upon a
single trestle. On the east side OF the
tunnel is a dead SWITCH" which is
operated from a switch tower on the
tunnel. The only use of the
dead switch is to throw a train
coming from the west into a ditch II two
trains should meet where the tracks
come together in the Tunnel. Either
uIOa2u buC CAkOt0oohQ6R ~
r. S, McGarry or by accident the d cad
switch was opened after the locomotive
and two cars had passed 1t. The other
four cars of the train we e dItchsd. The
coupling between the third and fourth
cars broke. The first three stopped In
the tunnel about 100 yards from the last
three cars.
SAT ON THE STEPS
The cars derailed were oDen excursion
cars with steps running at the sides. Tho
steps were crowded with people sitting
and standing. Messrs. Laird. McArthur,
Graham aud Atkinson sat together on the
steps on the right hand side of the nth
cur. the middle OF the last three. They
were thrown violently upon the embank-
ment, but only Mr.. Laird was hurt. Mr..
Cop was also riding on q step and was
thrown on his shoulder. Patrick Daily.
who wore a Third district court
special policeman" shield. sal near the
Jersey City men. He was caught between
the steps and the earth, drawn down
under the wheels to his death. Another
man was held by the wheels on both leg,
above the ankle. The passengers stood
on The embankment and lifted the car.
The mar then pulled put his legs leaving
his feet behind. He declined u drink OF
whiskey, and drank water. He died on
ths way to the Norwegian HOSPITAL.
RELIEF FoR THE INJURED.
HIItldlu d.. IluGCuluk VI nv. o~o w Csu
Twentv-seveuth estreet. sat near the
JERSEY CITY NEWS reporter in the third
car. He jumped in the tunnel, and the
rear truck of the car ground him to death
In the ditch.
The Jersey City men took off their coats
and worked hard in relieving the wound :
ed until all were removed.
Switchman McGarry was arrested. He
denied Ii car~elessness.
"A NOQnO man on a hfcVcl9 told the
crowd he saw the switchman throw the
switch after the train struck it. The
swftehman appeared to wake from sleep.
lie said. The lead switch is usually left
open and a danger signal sounded when
the switch was ndisplaced. Engineers
were governed oy the signal II appears
az II McGarry had made the switch all
right, aud waking from a nap threw it
open.
DR.. Rector. who is attending Mr.. Laird
and Mr.. Cop. thinks they will recover
without permanent injury.