The true Democrat., 1898-09-10
MOST FATAL ACCIDENT.
EIGHTEEN KILLED OUTRIGHT AND TEN
MORE WILL DIE.

A Train Crashes into a Trolley Car, Laden
Mostly with Young Women, with Appal-
ling Effect..-A Heartrending Scene at the
Wreck.-.Blame Cannot be Placed.
CoHoEs, N. Y.-An appalling disas-
ter occurred in this city shortly before
8 o'clock Monday evening. Shortly
before that time a trolley car of the
Troy city railway company was struck
by the night boat special of the Della
ware and Hudson railway at q crossing
at the east end of the Hudson river
bridge, which connects this city with
Lansingburg, and its load Of human
freight was hurled into the air. Eigh-
teen of the thirty-fve passengers are
dead, and at least ten of the remain
der will die. The cars entering the
city from Lansingburg were crowded
with passengers returning from a labor
day picnic at Rensselaer, Park, pleas
ure resort near Troy. The car came
over the bridge about 1886 o'clock
laden with a 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.
In consequence of the down grade
of the street line at this point and Of
the frequent passage of trains it has
been the rule for each motor car con.
ductor to stop his car and go forward
to observe the railroad tracks and sig
nal his car to proceed il 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 forgotten 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 motorman
evidently saw the train approaching
as he reached the railroad track
and opened his controller, but
in vain. With a crash that was
heard for blocks the engine struck the
lighter vehicle. The effect was horri-
BILE. The motor car parted into two
sections, being hurled into the cir in
splinters. The mass of humanity, fol-
the car was crowded to overfowing,
was torn and mangled. The scene was
! horrible. Bodies had been hurled in.
to the air and their headless and limb
less trunks were found in some cases
; fifty feet the crossing.
; The pilot of the engine was smashed
and amid its wreckage we're the MAIN
ed corpses of two women.
The passengers of the train suffered
J no injury in addition to violent shock
The majority Of the passengers of the
: trolley Car were young people. They
included many women.
Within ten minutes after the collis
ion fully one-half of the population Of
e the city wele surging about the vicin
4 ity in an endeavor to ascertain if rela
tives we"e among the unfortunates
{ Many of the corpses were unrecogniz
0 able. The crash were frightful in its
q results. Headless women, with ga,
q summer dresses bathed in their owl
: blood and the blood of others; limbs
: without trunks or any means OF iden
r tifcation, were scattered about. Wo
t mems and mems heads with crushed
j and distorted features; bodies crushed
s and fattened; these sights constituted
G q spectacle horrible to behold.
/ The train, Immediately after tn
J. accident, proceeded to Troy. Th
e engineer stated he did not see the ca
l. until he was upon it. He tried t
o prevent his train from striking tn
y car, but his efforts were fruitless.
e He was ten minutes late and wa
d trying to make up lost time. In cor
g sequence of the caution taken by th
n trolley road to ascertain if the track
3. were clear at this crossing the eng
d neers have always felt safe in runnin
k by at high rate of speed. The Ell
1t gineer says that the first he knew thl
Is the car was coming was when he hoy
in sight at the corner of the street
the crossing situated.
c. 1t was utterly impossible for him
ly bring his train to o sta1dstill. F
m thinks that the motorman, when
+ i saw that the train was upon him, tri'
~ m to go beyond the danger line. T.
re grades of this crossing and the spe'
q at which his CIR was going also MA
he it impossible for him to d, SO befo
We he reached the Delaware aud Hudso
" It was the front end OF his car th
ut caught the cash, and he was kill
n, Is outright.
ke Germany Denies 1t.
OH Drn,,~ n&o;o1a &c 41o fo~o,or