The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-06
A Locomotive PlungeS Into a
Crowded Street Car.
EIGHTEEN PERSONS DEAD.
Mass of Humanity, Torn and Mang-
led, and Many Injured.

Cohoes, n. ", Sept. SAN appnII-
ing disaster occurred in this city
shortly before 8 o'clock tonight.
trolley car of the Troy street
Railroad Company was struck by
abe night boat special of the Della
ware and Hudson railroad at "a
crossing at the west end of the Hud-
son river bridge, which connects
this city with Lansingburg.
Eighteen of the thirty-five pass
cnrers are dead, and at least ten of
the remainder Will die.
The cars entering the city from Ian
sngburg were crowded with passengers
returning from a Labor Day picnic at
Rensselaer, Park, a pleasure resort near
Troy.
Car No. 1872 of the Troy City Railroad
was the victim of the disaster. 1t came
over the bridge about 7:25 o'clock laden
with a merry party of people.
The crossing where the accident occur
red is at a grade. Four tracks of the
Delaware and Hudson road which runs
North and South at this point, cross the
two tracks Of the trolley road.
It was the hour when the nightboat
special, a train which runs south and con-
meets with the New York city boat at
Albany, was due to pass that point.
The tracks of the street line run at a
grade from the bridge to the point where
the disaster occurred.
In consequence of this fact and of the
frequent passage of trains it has been
the rule for each motor car conductor to
stop his car and go forward 10 observe
the railroad tracks and signal his car
to proceed if no trains were in sight. 1t
cannot be ascertained whether that rule
was complied with on this occasion, for
all events prior to the crash are forgot
ten by those who were involved.
The motor car was struck directly in the
center by the engine of the train, which
was going at high speed. The car was
upon the tracks before the train doomed
in sight, and no power on earth could have
saved it,
The motorman evidently saw the train
approaching as he reached the track and
opened his controller, but in vain.
With a crash that was heard for blocks
the engine crashed into the lighter vehi-
Gle. The motor car parted in two both
sections being hurled into the air in splin-
tiers.
The mass of humanity, for the car was
crowded to overlooking, was torn and
mangled.
Those in the front of the car met with
the worst fate. The force of the collision
was there experienced to the greatest de-
gree and every human being in that sec
non Of the car was killed. Bodies were
hurled INTO the air, and their headless
and Ambless trunks were found in some
cases, fifty feet from the crossing. The
piot of the engine was smashed and amid
It's wreckage were the manned corpses of
two women
Inc passengers on the train suffered no
injury in addition to a violent shock
The majority of the passengers of the
trolley car were young people. They in
Ilded many women.
The injured were taken to the city hos
pllaI and to the Continental knitting mill,
'"e former not having sufficient ambu-
lance service TO care for them all
Inc dead were placed in boxes and
taken to neighborlng mill she'd Many
were unacceptable. The crash was
lHghtful IN its results. Headless women
WIN gay summer dresses bathed in their
own and the blood of Others limbs with
our trunks or any means of identifying
20 whom they belong; womens and mems
heads with crushed and distorted features;
bodies crushed and flattened.
The train of the Delaware and Hudson
road Immediately after the accident pro-
e'eded TO Troy. The engineer stated that
De did not see the car until he was upon
H. He tried TO prevent his train from
Striking the car, but his efforts were
Huitless. His train was going at very
high rate Of speed at the time He was
some minutes late, and was trying to make
up lost time. In consequence of the eau
uon taken by the trolley road to ascer-
tam if the tracks were clear at this cross
ing, the engineers of trains have always
leIt safe in running by at high rate of
speed. The engineer says that the first he
Knew that the car was coming was when
Il hove in sight al the corner of the street
al which the crossing is situated. He
was but short distance from the car at
the time. He thinks that the motorman,
"Aen he saw the train was upon him,
could not get beyond the danger line.
The grade of the line and The speed at
"hich the car was going also made il m
l'9sslDle for him to stop before he reach
81 tne Delaware and Hudson tracks 1t
as the front end of his car that caught
1s crash, and he was killed outright.
90 l o'clock eight bodies had been
entitled all residents of Cohoes except