The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-08-23
WRECKED ON THE ERIE.
Freight Ran Into a Landslide and Pas
senger Train Followed.
ACCIDENT DUE TO CL0UDBURST

The Engineer and Fireman Killed and
Many Injured - Passengers Hurled
Down a Thirty-Foot Embankment-
fire Added a New Peril-Thieves From
Port Jervis Loot Baggage and Clothing.
PORT JERv1s, N. Y. (Specia).-The Erie
passenger vestibuled train No. 7. for Buffalo
and Cleveland, leaving. Jersey City at 7.3o
o'clock. was wrecked and burned two miles
east Of Lackawaxen, only two cars escap-
Ing the flames. The train consisted OF
mail car, express car. cafe ear, and three
Pullman cars. The wreck occurred during
a storm which caused q landslide. An
east-bound Erie freight train was first
wrecked, and the passenger train plunged
into the freigh: wreck. The engineer and
fireman Of the passenger train were killed,
and fifteen passengers and number OF the
crew OF both trains were Injured. The
killed are Stephen Ontwater, engineer. and
Frank Sells, fireman, both OF Port Jervis.
The wreck. W hich occurred shortly be-
fore midnight, was preceded by cloud.
burst and storm which lasted two hours.
A section OF the hank fell on the east-bound
tracks directly In front Of the freight train.
Several trees went down with the rocks and
the earth, and the freight cars and engine
were turned over directly across the west
bound tracks OF the Erie Road. Sixty
freight cars constituted the train, th oueh
only twenty-five we're derailed, and
the debris was piled up on the westbound
tracks just as the No. Buffalo aud Cleve-
land express put In an appearance, run.
ming at the rate OF fifty miles an hour. The
engine Of the express train crashed into
the wreck, and the baggage and mail car,
combination and buffet car, and two Pull.
man sleepers were piled up on the tracks
Immediately In front OF the wrecked freight
cars. The first sleeper was split into two
parts as result OF the accident, and the
passengers we're thrown thirty feet down
bank. Fire at once broke out and four
cars OF No. and nine OF the freight carr
were burned.
Baggage Master Becker, who found
himself under the baggage ear door, re-
covered consciousness to discover that he
was alone in the heart OF the wrecked pas
senger cars. He managed to crawl frou
his position only to find blaze starting in
front OF him, while hnIf Of a car was some.
how braced up Immediately over him. He
called for assistance, but there was no re.
sponse. Then he saw the passengers who
had been hurled down the thlrty-foot en-.
bankment, endeavoring to extrlcate them.
selves from the debris and make their way
up the bank. They were clad only In their
night clothing, and many OF them were
bleeding and moaning.
At once the uninjured passengers and
members OF the crew began systematic
work Of rescue. Blankets were brought
In from the Pullman cars and wrapped
around shivering. hysterlcal women and
nalf conscious men. Word was tele.
graphed to Port Jervis, a relief train was
at once arranged for, and Dr.. Cuddeback,
DR.. SwartGrt, DR.. Johnson and several
trained nurses returned for the purpose OF
caring for those needing immediate assis.
tance. The relief train soon reached the
scene OF the accident, and nenrly all OF
the injured persons were removed to the
hospital.
Several thieves from Port Jervia, who, Il
Is supposed, reached the scene OF the wreck
on the relief train, ransacked the clothes
OF the passengers during the period OF e1.
citement F. Vieu, OF New York, lost cloth.
ing containing $500 In bills and gold
watch. F. s. Fitzpatrick, OF Denver, lost
S100, a gold watch, q diamond pin and a
diamond stud. On the wav to the hospital
he noticed a man wearing his trousers.
Together they went through the pockets,
but found the money gone. The man said
the trousers had been given him by one OF
the trainmen, but claimed that the money
and valuables must have been taken before
he received the present OF the clothing.