The herald., 1897-10-26
DEBRIS DESTROYED BY FIRE
NEW TRACKS BUILT AROUND
THE BREAK
AL Material Evidence of the Horrible
New York Central Wreck Re-
moved From Sight
Associated Press Special Wire.


dawn twenty -four hours after the fright
full happening of yesterday broke upon a
scene of greater litter and property de-
struction than yesterdays sun and last
nights torchlight displayed.
The weary gangs of wreckers were re-
lieved early this morning by fresh ones.
When the wreckers got sufficient tackle
on the sleeping car Glen Alvin to draw
1t up there was much excitement and
speculation, as it was believed that there
must surely be some bodies in the car,
the most deeply submerged of the lot.
When the car had been placed on a
scow and the water run out searching
ptNty went through, and to the relief of
the railroad officials and everybody near
not body was discovered.
Some curious things were found, how
ever, which tend to make the escape of
the passengers of this car seem almost
miraculous Not only were the blankets
and curtains thrown down and jammed
into the front of the car, but seat bot
toms, which at night serve as bed bot
toms, mattresses and pillows and every
movable thing in the car had been
iammed from the side to the end of the
car in a manner that would seem to
almost preclude the possibility of any
person escaping. 1t is believed, however,
that all in the car escaped and as full
score of handbags and satchels were left
in the car, there may have been that
number of passengers.
Some people in the vicinity and the
hotel keeper at Garrison say that they
helped dress some of these people, but
the supposition is that the majority es-
capped with their lives and not their bag
gage and We're taken care of by pas
sengers in the sleepers that remained on
the track, and when taken to New York
city provided with clothes by the rail-
road people. In a stateroom of this car
were a bride and groom, who escaped.
Just to the rear of the car Glenalvin
was the car Hermes, which in the plunge
left it's trucks on the track and landed
on it's bottom in the river in about three
feet of water.
THE PORTER'S STORY
The porter of the car, William Patter-
son, an intelligent and cool-headed man,
tells most graphic story of the wreck
To Col. Ashley W. Cole, president of the
state railway commission, who is max
Ing an investigation. Patterson said:
Just before the accident l was wakened
from doze by the slowing up of the
train and got up. l looked out of the
window, and just as l did so there came
a crash and leap Of the car toward the
river. l was thrown to the floor, but
getting up in moment seized a ham
mer and rushing outside broke all the
windows on the shore side and in a few
minutes got my twelve passengers out
l am positive every one got out, because
there was only a foot or so of water in
the car at the time. When all my pas
sengers got out l began to look out for
others. The car Hermes, just ahead of
mine, had plunged into deeper water, so
that one end was completely submerged,
while the other end was against ours and
trifle higher. l saw people climbing
out Of the high end and am quite posi-
tive that before the car settled into deep
water l got everybody out. Some people
were Scantily dressed. hurried away to
the other cars, and think they went to
New York. After 1 got all the sleeping
car passengers l saw some people from
the combination car swimming in the
river and helped them to safety. l am
afraid that some people who were liber-
ated from the cars all right were
drowned because of the cold water
cramping them"
A POSSIBLE CAUSE
Colonel Cole said today that while the
bank may have given way it was equal
ly possible that the driving rod of the
engine broke and knocked it off the
track.
President Chauncey M. Depew of the
New York Central said this afternoon in
regard to a statement published in an
afternoon paper to the effect that the
company had for some time been watch
ing the place where the wreck occurred,
we'll knowing it's danger:
THAT is SO absurd that I hardly care
to make any reply. We run the New
York Central to make money. AS it's
officials we ride over it almost daily in
the same trains with the passengers.
Now, does 1t seem likely that we are
knowingly risking our own lives? The
only way we can make money out Of the
road is to make 1t safer than any other.
and we spare no expense to do this. l
have wired the state railroad commits
sioners asking them to come at once,
while the matter Is fresh, and make a
thorough investigation. One of the
commissioners was at the scene of the
wreck Sunday, but l want to get all of
them there
WORK FOR WRECKERS
At o'clock this morning the wrecking
company made another search for the
bodies of the engineer and fireman and
Superintendent Van Ettens clerk, Mr..
Mckay. When the diver came up, af-
ter twenty-five minutes, he said: Il
could find no trace of any of the missing
men and don't believe they are near
the engine. I should say that If they
did not jump, and it looks as if they did
not have time, the rush of water through
the cab was SO fierce that 1t fairly swept
them out and drowned them quickly.
would not be surprised if they were half
mile or mile beyond the engine"
Thousands of people, most of them
women, visited the scene of the wreck
today, standing for hours in the drench-
ing rain. The crowd became SO large
that 1t was necessary to rope in all the
space from which the tracks had gone
into the river.
THE DEBRIS BURNED
At = pm, but for burning embers and
twisted rails, it would be difficult to find