Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-10-28

Garriaon's, N. ", Oct. 25. "A New
York Central railroad train plunged
into the Hudsun River three miles
south of Garrison's just before day
break yesterday, and 10 persons we're
killed.
This village is a summer resort, in
Putnam county, 30 mileH north OF New
York City. IL is opposite Vest Point.
There was nothing to presage the
accident which SO suddenly deprived
the 10 unfortunates of life. The train
left Buffalo on Saturday night. II had
progressed nearly nine- tenths Of the
distance toward its destination, and
the first streaks of dawn wore appear
ing when the locomotive plunged into
the muddy depths of the river.
Neither the enginemau nor the fire.
man will ever tell the story of that
terrible moment, for, with his hand
upon the throttle, the eugineman
plunged to the river bottom and the
fireman, tuo, met death at his post.
Behind them came an express car, a
combination car and three sleeping
cars, and these piled on top OF the
locomotive.
1t is known that the atmosphere was
a trifle foggy and that tine track was
not clearly visible. but if there was
any break in the lines of steel when
the accident occurred il must have
been of recent happening, for only an
hour before heavy passenger train,
laden with human freight, had passed
over IT. This section of the road was
supposed 10 be the best on the entire
division. There was heavy retaining
wall along the river bank, aud while
the tide was hign, it was not un-
nrecedented.
What seems to have happened was
that beneath the tracks and the ties
the heavy wall had given way, and
when the great weight of the loco
motive struck the unsupported tracks
it went crashing through the wall and
topped over into the river.
Then there happened what oil the
railroad at almost any other time
would have caused disaster, but now
proved blessing. As the train
plunged over the emhankment the
coupling pin that held the last three
of thu six sleupers broke and they
miraculously remained on the torn-up
track. 10 that way GO livcs we're
saved.
OF aye witnesses there vera none ex-
Lept the crew of tugboat PASSING
with a tow. They saw the train with
its lights as it came flashing around
the curve and then saw the greater
part of it go into the river. Some OF
The cars with closed windows floated
for time and the tug whistlipg for
help, started TO the rescue.
A oE thr
that remained on the track and ran into
the yard of Augustus Carr's house, near
the scene of the accident, He shouted
1.-The train is In tho river; all our pas
sepgers are drowned "
fn fow minutes Mr.. Carr had dressed
himself. and, getting boat, rowed
with the porter TO the scene, AS they
turned a corner in the bank they came
upon the express car and tho combina
tion car floating about 90 feet from
rhore, but sinking every minute.
Several men were taken from tbs topt
Of these cars and efforts we're made tC
rescue those inside. 4 few were gotter
out, the passengers left upon the track
making a human bridge to the shore t.
carry the wounded men.
The day coach and smoker had gont
down IN the deeper water and rescue
for their occupants was impossible. III
the smoking car the conditions mus
have been awful. The car turned com
nletely over and the passenger end of j
was in the desp water, while the bag
gage end stool up toward the surface
The men in the lower end must have
fought like tiends for brief period,
for the bodies when taken out we're {
mass of wounds.
When the wreckers got sullicien
tackle On the aleeping car Glen Alpint
to drag it up there was much excite
ment anu speculation, as it was believed
there must surely be some bodies il
this car, the most deeply submerged o
ths lot When the car had been PLACED
on the scuw, and the water had rur
out of it, searching party wen
through, and, to the relief of the rail
road officials and everybody near, not {
body was discovered. Some curioui
things we're discovered, however, which
tends to make the escape Of the pas
sengers i this car almost miraculous,
Not only we're all tho blankets and cur
tains thrown down and iammed int
the front of the car, but the seat hot
toms, which at night served as bed bot
toms, the mattresses and pillows and
every movable thing in the car hat
been jammed from side to side and from
end to end of the car in manner .ha
would seem to almost preclude the pos
eihility of any person in the car escap
ing. 1t ia believed, however, that al
in this car escaped, and, as there wer,
full score of handbags and satchels il
the car, there may have bsNn that NUN
ber of passengers.
In the stateroom OF this car were
bride and groom, who escaped with th,
others.
Just to the rear OF the Gleu A lpini
| was the car Hermes, which, in thu
plunge, left it's trucks on the track anC
landed on its bottom in the river, bu
in only about three feet of water. Tht
porter OF this car. William Patterson
an intelligent and cool-headed man
tells the most graphic stcry of tn,
wreck and one which will probably ht
found to be the nearest lucid explana
tion of how go many sleeping people
were miraculously saved from death
He related the story to Col. Ashley W.
Cole. the president of the State Rail
road Commission, who is making at
investigation. He said
"Just before the accident / wal
awakened from doze hy the slowing
uE of the train. and got up, thinking
we were nearing Peekskill. looket
out of the window, and, Just as | die
SO, there came a crash and The lean o
the car towards the river. / wa
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