The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-09-06
DEATHS
CROSSING.
Awful Accident on the Rail
at C0hoes, N. Y.
TROLLEY CAR CUT IN TWO.
passengers Hurled to Death With
n out a Moments Warning.
EIGHTEEN DEAD AND TEN DYING.

The Trolley Car, Crowded to Overlooking,
Was Crashed Into by a Train on the
Delaware and Hudson Railroad - The
Passengers Were Merry Party Return
ing From Labor Day Picnic--Bodies
Terribly Mangled and Dismembered-A
Scene of Horror.
e Cohoes. N. Y. Sept. 6.-An appalling
disaster occurred in this city last night.
Shortly before 8 o'clock a trolley car
of the Troy City Railroad company
was struck by the night boat special
Of the Delaware and Hudson railroad,
Hudson river bridge, which connects
this city with Lansingburg. and its load
Of human freight Was hurled into the
air. Eighteen of the IS passengers are
dead. and at least ten IL the remainder
will die.
The cars entering the tity From 4 tan-
Singburg were crowded with passer-'
gers returning from q Labor Day picnic
at Rensselaer, Park, pleasure resort
near Troy. Car No. 1872. of the Troy
City railroad was the victim Of the
disaster. It came over the bridge about
1885 o'clock. laden with 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 and Hudson road, which
runs north and south at this point,
cross the two tracks of the trolley road.
The tracks of the street line run at
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 each motor car conductor
TO stop his car and go forward to OBJ
serve 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 oc-
casion, for all events prior to the crash
are forgotten by those who were in
v0lved.
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
alightest warning. The car was upon
the tracks before the train lOomed 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 bis throttle. but in
vain With a crash that was heard for
blocks the engine crashed into the
lighter vehicle. This effect was hor-
GIb1 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 overnow-
ing, 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
degree, and every human being In that
section of the car was killed.
| The scene was horrible. Bodies had
been hurled into the air and their head
Tess and limblcss trunks We're found in
some cases so feet from the crossing.
The pilot of the engine was smashed.
nu aiiio ''s "rechdse .,, .ne n'a'
FL coipses VI wv "o.i'e"
Bers ol 'ne ''a',' su,ie't' nv ,,Io'' ,, ia
auui'''i ~ ''o'en. et'', a. Nv ',s. nc
ao''y Vi the p"sSense'' M, ~, 'lI .,o'y
car were young peoP'e' ihe' 'h''"ueu
"any "o'''e"'
, After the acciueht inc p,oouy eo'pses
were placed in boxes and taken to a
nelshporihs mn sieo' MANY VI 'ne'''
were unrecos''zapie. lhe clash was
irghttul III lts results' iiea"'ess "o
men with gay summer dresses pa'heu
IN thelr own ana the pioou Vi othe'S,
limps "ltnout trunks Or any means VI
Identifying TO Whom theY belonged.
Women's and mems heads with crushed
and distorted features; bodies crushed
and fiattened; these sights constituted
q spectacle most horrible to behold.
The train of the Delaware and Hud-
son road immediately after the acci-
dent proceeded to Troy. The engineer
slated that he dia not see .re car uhIl
he was upon it. He tried TO prevent
his train from striking the car but his
Efforts were frultless. HIS tram was
going at very high rate or speed at
the time. In consequence or the eau
tion taken by the trolley road to as
certain If the tracks were clear at TINS
crossing, the engineers OF trains nave
always felt safe In running at hlsh
rate of speed. The engineer th'nks that
the motorman, When he saw the tram
was upon him, tried to get beyond the
n n