The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-10-16

WRECK ON RHE CENTRAL
Fourteen Cars and Two En-
gines Demolished Near
Claremont Station
TWO TRAINS COLLIDE
Engineer De GTof's Miraculous
Escape-Superintendent Ped
die Investigating.

A train wreck occurred on the main
line of the Central Railroad of New Jer-
sey, near the Claremont station, at 2:30
o'clock this morning, which resulted in the
demolition of two trains of over fourteen
cars and two engines. At this point the
Central Railroad has four tracks. Over
these tracks run the cars of the various
divisions of the Central Railroad of New
Jersey, also the passenger and freight
trains OF the Philadelphia and Reading
ton is bridge of block signals. The
other end of the block is over half a mile
distant In the direction of Greenville.
,,bit AZ a;S9 9 9,eioek & this morning a Phiiadsl-
drawn by Engine No. AT, in charge of
Joseph Spangler, came along on the outer
or southernmost track. At point few
hundred yards west of the Claremont sta
tion. the train was switched on to the
track next adjoining. When the engine
was opposite the station Spangler stopped
1t to await Instructions. This left his
train half on one track and half on the
other with one car in the switch. While
the train was standing in this position, a
Long Branch freight train drawn by En-
Slne No. COS. in charge of Engineer
Frank De Croft. came bowling along
track No. 2. De Croft either did not see
nails which were set on both blocks He
never slackened the speed of his engine,
which crashed at full speed into the car
at the switch and tore into the car ahead
OF 1t. The collision overturned and
wrecked all the other cars of the PhiIadel-
phla and Reading train and several OF
those on the Long Branch train
The engine of the Long Branch train,
with De Croft in the cab, was swerved
about by the force of the collision and
overturned. falling across three of the
four tracks. De Croft escaped, how, is a
mystery to all. save himself, as he went
home after the accident and has not
since been seen or interviewed. The cars,
which were filled with dry goods, grocer
les, candy and general merchandise and
several fiat cars on which were a number
of valuable coupes and carriages were
completely demolished, and their con-
tents were scattered beside the tracks.
Several cases and bales of goods were
thrown by the force of the collision near
ly fifty feet into the swamp which borders
on the roadbed
The wreck was reported at once to Di-
vision Superintendent Peddie, who order
ed out a large wrecking Grew and went
himself to the scene of the wreck to per-
sonally Superintend the removal of the
debris. He ordered all through trains to
York Railroad, and the mosquito route.
as a line across the meadows, which is
only used in cases Of emergency, is CALI
ed, between Jersey City and Elizabeth,
where they connected with the main line
again. The local trains for Bayonne and
stations used the remaining
track. Traffic was not seriously impeded
by the wreck
Superintendent Peddie began rigorous
as soon as he arrived upon
the scene. He learned that both block
signals were properly set. This would
place the full blame for the wreck upon
De Croft Even If he had not seen the
signals. the light at the station must have
disclosed to him the standing train. at
noon some of the wrecked cars have been
removed, but the wreckers had noe sue
ceeded in budging the enormous engine.
Being unable to move it by ordinary
means they are pulling 1t to pieces