The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-11-03
FREIGHT TRAIN
WRECKED
Caused by Slippery Condition
Of TIM Track.

APPNAy NNASAVH
Of TIM Track.
Wildcat Freight Crashed into Four
Cars that were being Drilled
with Yard Engine-Eneine Demol-
ished and Tracks Torn Up for
Distance of 100 Feet - Trains
Passed Over East-bound Siding
Until Tracks were Cleared the
Next Morning.
What proved to be one of the most
expensive wrecks ever recorded on
this part of the Lackawanna railroad
occurred on Tuesday morning at a
point almost directly over the Whip
pany river and about 900 yards east
of the depot. A heavy freight train
known as "wild cat'' and drawn
by engine No. 266, came down the
grade from Morris Plains at 1925,
while the yard engine with Engineer
Nate Bowdish, was drilling freight
cars.
On the main east bound track were
two box cars and two gondolas, which
had been left there while coal car
was being drilled on side track
leading to Eckley's mill. The wild
cat train was tagged at the bend near
ly half mile above and was seen by
the engineer. The latter shut off
steam and applied the brakes. but the
slippery tracks caused by wet leaves,
and the momentum of the heavy train
on down grade, prevented the brakes
from holding, and with crash that
was heard mile the freight train
ploughed it's way through the four
cars.
Engineer Charles Parks and Fire
man Henry Mcconnell jumped to save
their lives. Parks received a scalp
wound and was cut about the face,
while the fireman escaped without
scratch.
The locomotive was thrown over on
its side and was almost demolished.
Two coal cars were completely
wrecked. Several cars loaded with
lumber were derailed but only one,
an empty gondola, was precipitated
down the steep embankment. A
Swift Chicago beef car, loaded, lay
on its side near the edge of the rail
road bank. The tracks were torn up
for distance of hundred feet and
all. trains were obliged to pass over
the east bound side track during the
day and night. Two wrecking crews
and band of Llaborers succeeded in
clearing the main tracks at o'clock
Wednesday morning. Several of the
wrecked cars were burned after their
contents had been removed.
As result of the disaster the yard
engine was effectually "bottled up"
and there was a delay in the delivery
of freight. Not until the next day
were the regular freight cars on
switches moved to the station so as
to be accessible to persons having
freight on board.
In the wrecked train was carload
of cattle shipped by Sire Brothers of
Morristown. Two COWS were found
dead and had apparently been tram
afled to death. Several others were
ID as ed, presumably in the same way.
Y I De tulhlh-Te unloaded and taken to
! one one in ,oI% rey Il while the two dead ami
iNaS were buried near the scene of
the wreck.
Despite the storm hundreds visited
the scene of the accident during the
day and many comments were made
as to how the wreck had occurred.
AS is customary at such times, many
stories were related in nearly all of
which the management was blamed.
Whatever may have been the cause of
other wrecks on the line the circum-
stances in connection with Tuesdays
disaster here show conclusively that
the fiagman displayed the proper sig
nal and the brakes were applied as the
engineer thought in ample time
The fact is, that ON the six cars equip
ped with air brakes, which were ap-
piled, the wheels continued to slide
for quite distance on the tracks.