The Portland daily press., 1898-09-06

Cohoes, N. T., September GA trolley
car of the Troy City railway company
was struck by the night boat special Of
the Delaware & Hudson railroad about
s O'Clock tonight at crossing at the
west end of the Hudson river bridge,
which connects this oity with Lansing
burg, and its load of human freight was
hurled into the air. Eighteenaof the 35
passengers are dead and at least ten OF
the remainder will die. The cars enter
ing the city from Lansingburg tonight
were crowded with passengers returning
from Labor Day parade at Rensselaer,
Park, a pleasure resort near Troy. Car
No. l9a of the Troy City railway was the
victim of the disaster. 1t came over the
bridge about 7.35 O'Clock laden with a
merry party. The crossing where the
accident occurred is at grade. Four
tracks of the Delaware and Hudson road,
which runs north and south at this point
cross this two tracks of the trolley Rad.
1t was the hour when the night boat
special, a train which runs south and
connects with the New York city boat at
Alb any, 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 took place. In consequence
Of this fact and Of the frequent passage
of trains it has been the rule for eacn
motor car conductor to stop his car ana
go forward to observe the RAILROAD tracks
and signal his car to proceed II 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 forgotten by those who par
ticipated.
The motor car was struck directly in
the centre by the engine of the train,
which was going at high rate OF nsS.ast sPseu;
The accident came without the sl1gntest
warming. The car was upon the tracks
tefore the train loomed in sight and no
power on earth could save 1t. The motor
man evidently saw the train approaching
as he reached the track and opened MS
lever in vain. With a crash that starIleo
people for blocks around, the locomoGlve u, 3
crashed into the lighter vehicle. Inc
motor car parted in two, both sections De-
ing hurled into the air in splinters. Inc
mass Of humanity was torn and mangled.
The force of the collision was experienced
to the greatest degree in the front part Oh
the car and every human being IN Ona6
section was Killed.
The scene after the accident was nor
lay about. Bodies had been hurled into
the air and their headless and limbiess
trunks were found in some cases 5O feet
from the crossing. The pilot OF the
engine was smashed and amid Its wreck
age were the MANNED oorpsas OF two wom-
en-. The shrieks OF the wounded, the
eroans of the dying added to the horrors
of the scene.
The passengers of the train suffered no
injury other than q violent shock. The
majority of the passengers OF the trolley
car we're young people. They included
many women.
The accident, taking place almost with
in the heart of the city, caused the wild
est excitement. The passengers OF the
car were mostly Cohoesisrs, returning to
their homes. Within ten minutes after
the collision, fully one half of the popu'
lation of the city were surging about the
vicinity in an endeavor to ascertain II
relatives were among the unfortunates
The injured were taken to the city hos
pital and to the Continental knitting
mill. :,
The bloody corpses were picked up in
boxes and placed in neighhoring mill
shed. Many of them were unreoogn1za-
BILE. The crash was frightful In its re-
suits. Headless women with gay summer
dresses bathed in their own and the blood
of others; limbs without trunks or any
means Of identifying to whom they be-
longed; women's and mems heads with
crushed and distorted features; bodies
crushed and flattened-these contributed
o horrifying spectacle.
The train of the Delaware and Hudson
road Immediately after the accident,
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
a xery hiRh rate Of speed. He WAs some