The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1898-09-15
DEATH RODE THE RAIL
Appalling Disaster at Cohoes,
New York.
TRAIN STRIKES A TROLLEY CAR
Eighteen Passengers Killed and More
VIII Die-Happy Pisknickers Sud-
denly Hurled Into Eternity.

Cohoes, N. Y, Sept. IAN appall-
ing disaster occurred in this oity to-
night. Shortly before o'clock troll
ley-car Of the Troy City Railway Com.
pany was struck by the night-boat
special of the Delaware s. Hudson at q
crossing at the west end of the Hudson
river bridge. which connects the city
with Lansingburg. and its load Of
human freight was hurled into the air.
Eighteen Of the So passengers are dead.
and at least 10 Of the remainder will
die.
The cars entering the city from Ian.
singburg were crowded with passengers
from picnic at Rennsaelaer's Park,
pleasure resort near Troy. It was car
No. 1919 OF the Troy City railway that
met with disaster. 1t came over the
bridge about 1880 O'Clock laden with q
merry party Of people, fresh from the
enjoyment Of the day.
The crossing where the accident oc-
CURED is at grade. Four tracks of
the Delaware & Hudson River railroad,
which runs north and south at this
point, cross the two tracks of the troll
ley road. It was the hour when the
New York boat special, train which
runs south and connects with the New
York city boat at Albany, was due to
pass that point. Tracks of the street
lines run 1t grade from the bridge to
the point where the disaster took place.
In consequence of this fact, and fire.
quent passage OF trains, it has been the
rule for each motor-car conductor to
stop his car and 60 forward to observe
the railroad tracks and signal his car to
proceed if no trains are In sight. It
cannot be ascertained whether that rule
was complied with on this occasion. for
all events prior to the crash are foigot-
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 rate OF
speed. The accident came without the
slightest warning. The car was upon
the tracks before the train doomed in
sight. and no power on earth could have
saved Ii. The motolman 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 struck into
the lighter vehicle. The effect was
horrible. The motor Car parted in two.
both sections being hurled into the air
in splinters. The mass Of humanity,
for the car was crowded to overffowing,
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
section was killed. The scene was hor-
rible. Bodies had been hurled into
the air, and their headless and limbless
trunks were found, in some cases. so
feet from the crossing.
The pilot of the engine was smashed,
and amid it's wreckage were the manned
corpses Of two women. The passengers
Of the train suffered no injury, except
shock. The majority Of the passen-
gers on the trolley-car were young
people. They included many women.
The train Of the D. & 81. R. R. acci-
dent proceeded to Troy. The engineer
stated that he did not see the car until
he was upon it. He tried to prevent
his train from striking the car. but his
efforts were fruitless. 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 caution taken by
the trolley road to ascertain if the
tracks were clear at this crossing, the
engineers of trains have always felt
safe in running by at high rate of
speed.
The engineer says that the frat he
knew that the car was coming was when
it hove In sight at the corner OF the
street, at which the crossing Is situated.
He was but short distance from the
car at the time. It was utterly impos-
sible to bring the train to standstill.
He thinks that the motorman, when he
saw the train was upon him, tried to
get beyond the danger line. The grade
VI tlIIu CIOS0SuS ouo t0O 6pCOO nj W1ilCu
his car was going also made it impossi-
BILE for him to stop before reaching the
tracks. II was the front end Of his car
that was caught and crushed. and he
was killed outright.
The following bodies we're identified:
Archie Campeau. James Temple, Ed
ward Barney. Mrs. John Craven, Miss
Kittie Craven, Mrs. John w. Sutcliffe.
Joseph Sense, Nellie SWEET, Is years Of
age, Mrs. Eliza McElroy, Mrs. James
Taylor, Miss Winnie Craven, James
Liner. Mrs. Ellen scaw and John Tim
mina
Drowned In Lake Erie.
Buffalo, n. T.. Sept 7.-Frank and
John Name, l6 and ~ years old, re-
spectiyely, and Geo. Grass, - years
old. were drowned while bathing In
Lake Erie. There was . heavy sea ON
a