The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-25
TRAIN PLUNGED INTO RIVER.
The Roadbed Slid from Under
the Buffalo Special.

the hilled were -EuRtneer ana
Fireman went Down In Their Cnb-Many
OF tho Deaths Duo to Notwithstanding
Esca pea nnd storios or Rescue-The Di.as-
ter Ono or the Worst In the History or tho
Road. aud the Cause or 1t . Mystery
An Inspection OF the Gap SCENE to In
dictate That the whole Structure OF tho
Rock. became Unsound and slid Down tho
Hill into the Hudson RIver-The state Rail-
The worst accident on the New York Central
Railroad since the New Hamburg disaster
OF 1871 happened yesterday morning. just be.
fore daylight. between Garrison's and High
lands. The official statement of the COM
pany shows that at least nineteen persons
lost their lives, and probably as many more
we're injured. The wrecked train. the Buffalo and
New York special, was running along a level and
straight stretch OF track when, without an in
stant's warning. and for some reason so utterly
unexplainable as to almost warrant a suspicion
that the railroad embankment was blown up,
the solid bank gave way. carrying with it q wall
Of stone more than a yard thick, and the engine
and six of the cars OF the heavy train plunged
into the Hudson River.
1t all happened in amoment. In less time than
it takes to tell it the water was rushing into
the cars. and the passengers-most Of them
awakened from sleep. panicstricken and shrek
ing for help-were rushing hither and thithor
trying to escape from what seemed certain
doGth. There were some among the panic
stricken ones who quickly recovered their pres-
ence OF mind. and It ia due to them that the loss Of
life was not greater. With axes and such tools as
were in the cars. they broke the windows and
cut their way out.
The scene for half an hour after the wreck was
almost indescribable. Half of those who were
rescued were still panic.stricken when they
were landed safe on shore, and some OF them
were almost crazed with fright. 1t was with
difficulty that they were restrained. The scene
OF the wreck is on the opposite side OF the river
and about q mile below West Point. The official
statement Of the company concerning 1t is as
follows. 1t was made last night by General
Superintendent Van Etten:
OFFICIAL ACCOUNT or THE DISASTER.
The accident to train 46 this morning, two
miles south Of Garrison's, was caused, to the best
of our belief. by the embankment slipping into
the river under the weight of the engine. Why
this cmbankment, which has stood for forty
years or more. should give out Mt this particular
time is unaccountable. Trains in both direo-
tions had passed over 1t within fifteen minutes
of the time the accident occurred, one north.
bound within thirty minutes.
THE engine and tender went into the river,
Dragging with them the express car. tho com.
bined baggage and smoking car, the day coach.
and three sleeping cars. leaving three ~slecpers
standing upon the rails. There were upon
the train ninety.six passengers. FIVE train.
men. and eight employees, 100 persons
In all. Possibly thero was also an em.
ployee OF the general superintendent's office,
who was on the engine. or these ninety are
known to DO alive. eight OF them injured. none
seriously, the greater number very slightly.
Sixteen bodies Of dead have been recovered.
Eight OF these are Cinnamon and hard to
identify. Two OF the others are up to this time
unidentified. The engineer and fireman are un.
doubtedly under the engine. Possibly the en-.
ployce OF the general superintendent's Office is
also under the engine.
1.-THE Merritt wrecking derrick is on the spot,
and will endeayor to locate the engineer and
fireman as soon as possible. A diver from the
Merritt & Chapman Wrecking Company has
been at work since ! p. NJ. and has been
through all the cars submerged, and is positive
that there arc no more bodies In the wrcckape.
The number of passengers agrees In all of our
reCords.'
The list of dead, as furnished by the railroad
company, is as follows:
DECKER lor BoEHEHl, W. s., of Newark, n. Y.
FoyLI, j., engineer Of train, OF East Albany.
GREER, II. A. Tor 4, A. GRERNEL. architect. OF Chicago
MCKAY. A. g.. Of 90 East ll2th street. private secre
tary to General superintendent Z. Van Elton Of New
York Central lprohablyl.
MEYERS, W. II. o., OF PaSsaic. M.
RILEY, THOMAS, of st, Louis. Mo.
TAGuSA, GIUSEPPE, OF Albion, n. Y.
THOMAS, j.. fireman OF train. OF East Albany.
WILLIAMS, SAMUEL, OF Buffalo, n. Y.
Woman. unidentified. from Buffalo.
Woman, unidentified. from Hudson. NJ Y.
Eight Cinnamon from Buffalo. OF whom two
were identified 40:
/ WONu GIH.
HoP sISG.
The list OF injured. according TO the same