Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-06
TERRIBLE DISASTER
Crowded 1roIey-caT Struck BY
a Fast Railway Train
EIGHTEEN PEOPLE KILLED.
4! Least Ten Others viii Die Of
Injuries Received.
FRIGHTFUL MANGLING OF BODIES.
HcadIess and LfmbIess Trunks
Found in Some Cases Fifty Feet
from Scene OF Accident-Many of
the Victims Women.
the Victims Women.

COHOES, n. Y, September 5.-An APP
palling disaster occurred in this city
shortly before O'clock tonight. A troll
ley car Of the Troy City Railroad Com
pany was struck by the night boat spe-
cial of the Delaware and Hudson rail-
road at a crossing at the west end Of
the Hudson river bridge. which connects
this city with Lansngburg. Eighteen OF
the thirty-five passengers are dead. and
at least ten Of the remainder will die.
The cars entering the city from Lam
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 rail-
road, was the victim of the disaster. II
came over the bridge about 7:S5 o'clock,
laden with a merry party Of people.
AZ PERILOUS CROSSING.
The crossing where the accident occur
red is at grade. Four tracks of the Della
and south at this point, cross the two
tracks of the trolley road. IL was the
hour when the night-beat special, train
which runs south and connects with the
New York city boat at Albany, was due
to pass the point The tracks Of the street
line run at q grade from the bridge to the
point where the disaster occurred. In
consequence of this fact, and because Of
the frequent passage Of trains, It has been
the rule for each mOtor-car conductor to
stop his car and go forward TO observe
tho r4flrn41 fpqplFg aud gignql his
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 forgotten
by those who were involved.
THE AWFUL CRASH.
The motor-csr was struck directly in
the centre by the engine of the train,
which was going at high speed. The car
was upon the tracks before the train
loomed in sight, and no power on earth
could have saved it. The motorman evil
IDENTIFY saw the train approaching as he
reached the track, and opened his con-
trOlier, but in vain. With crash that
was heard for blocks the engine crashed
into the lighter vehicle. 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
oVerfloWing, was torn and mangled. Those
i'm 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.
HORRIBLE MANGLING.
Bodies We're hurled into the air, and
their headless and limbless trunks were
found. in some cases, fifty feet from the
The pilot Of the engine was
smashed, and amid its wreckage We're
the manned cOrpses OF two women The
Of the train suffered no injury
beyond violent shock
The majority Of the passengers OF the
trolley-car were young people They in
cluded many women.
The injured were taken 10 the city hos
pital. and To the Continental knitting
mill. the former not having sufficient
ambulance service to care for them all.
The dead were placed in boxes and
taken 10 a neighborng mill-shed. Many
were unrecognizable. The crash was
frlghtful in its results. deadless women,
with gay summer dresses, bathcd In their
own and the blood Of others; limbs without
or any means OF finding 10 whom
they belonged: women's and mems heads,
bodies crushed and fattened.
THE ENGINEERS ACCOUNT.
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 IL. He tried 20 prevent his
train from striking the car, but his ef-
forts were fruitless. His train was going
AZ a very high rate of speed at the tme.
ia was some minutes late. and was try
nd TO make up lost time. In conse-
,uance Of the caution taken by the troll
ev road TO ascertain If the tracks wege
lear at this crossing. the engineers Of
rims have always felt safe in running
nv at a righ rate Of speed. The engineer
savs that the first he knew that the car
was coming was when 1t hove In slght at
the corner OF the street at which the
,rossing is situated. He was but snort
distance from the car at the time.
NOTORMAN KILLED OUTRIGHT.
t1a thinks that the motorman. wha1
no saw the train was upon HIM urea 10
-, revond the danger line. The grade
~ this crossing and the speed az whlch
his car was also going made 1t imposslble
ror him 10 stop before he reached the
oeIavyare and Hudson tracks. IL was
The front end of mis- car that caugnt the
crash. and he was killed outright.
EIGHT BODIES IDENTIFIED.
I'm IN 10 o'clock eight bodies had been
dentified. all residents Of Cohees except
one.