The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-10-25


! ON its sidc. The water rushed in and almost
instantly the lights went out. I knew wo
were IN the river. and the car seemed 10
plow through the water for soms time af-
ter 1t was submerged. Tho car was tilted
over on one eide and managed to reach
the fAnllght overhead and cling to It until
help came heard people on the back part
LOT the car grooming az II they were pinned
fast It was so dark could see no one, ana
II think the passengers must have drowned
like rats After while heard people on
top OF the car and an axe crushed through
the roof. The noise Of that axe In the splin-
tered timbers made the sweetest music
ever heard in my life. Soon they had hole
cut In the roof and pulled me out through
1t. man and boy Gather and SOM were
also rescued In the same way, but know
of no other occupants OF the coach escap-
Ing The car at this time was floating. Out
fast filling with water. and wc were put
ashore in rowboat. am sure my friend
Myers, was drowned
Augustus Kahn, a German living near the
scene of the wreck, gives this description:
1T was about i've minutes before 6
o'clock when I was awakened by come one
In my yard calling for help. Looking cut
OF the window saw sleeping car porter
who shouted. For Gods sake, man. II you
own boat come quick; our train is In
tho river and people are drowning
dressed myself, and, accompanied by the
porter. got into my boat and rowed around
the curve to where the train was In the
| river. When we reached tho scene the
cars were submerged nearly to their rooie,
the engine being entirely out of sight, and
the crews OF the tug boats were making
efforts TO save the passengers The first
man saw them take out VAS, I think,
'ho agent vi tue express car The i1rSt
persons we succeeded In rescuing we're two
Cinnamon. who were sitting on the roof
Of the smoker One had his arm broken.
We Dnt them ashore and then took three
more persons off the top o. another car.
Some people In their undcrclothes were
nttt Of h.. -.
the crews OF the several tugs One man
on shore with an arri torn off was diving
and we made HIS last moments as comfort
able ea possible. | wait 10 say that tho
porters. although frightened, showed great
bravery and saved many lives"
one OF The trainmen who survived the
disaster made It his first duty to run to
the nearest signal tower to telegraph for
help The place where the wreck occurred
10 rather isolated. 1t Is at the entrance
OF the Kings Cut, three miles south OF
Garrison and Ave miles north OF l'eekskill.
Two other express trains we're follow
ing close behind the Inflated State express.
and the engine OF one Of them was sent
to Garrison for General Manager Toucey,
who Ewes there, while the other engine
hurried to Peeksklll for medical aid. Mr..
Toueey was tho FIRST official OF the railroad
to reach the scene. The engine which |
brought him there steamed to Cold Springs
and returned with four doctors. In the
meantime, iive other physicians had ar |
rived, and all the doctors were soon ut |
work among the injurel
or the horrors In the combination car
when II left the track and struck the |
watef, perhaps tho best account ls had |
from the story of Herman Acker OF Peek
skill. the baggage master ana mail as
sorter Acker was suffering badly from
shock An, when seen by the correspondent |
he graphically described the horror as fol-
lows,
"Jonn Shaw, n general agent for the
Westcott Express company. and myself |
vera In the compartment whom suddenly |
there was terrible bump and then rush
OF water ard forced us townri tho cell |
ing. The car seemed TO turn over. and
had filled with water to within foot of
the top. When we struck, the car whitfield
completely around, the compartment where
the Chinese were being under water. willis
our end was tilted up. We swan around
and got hold OF a ventilating opening. and
noting the situation, got an axe from a
tool box which was alcat and smashed a
panel In the end Of the var. We crawlod
through the hole to the roof of the car
and row boat came out and took us
ashore"
Acker has been railroadcr many years.