New-York tribune., 1901-05-12
ENGINE FALLS INTO CREEK
NARROW ESCAPE FOR MEN ON A FRUIT
TRAIN-MUCH TRAFFIC TIED UP.

serious accident was narrowly averted yes
terday afternoon the Harlem River DIVISION
Of the New-York. New-Haven and Har'ioiu
Railroad. when Train No. so. known as tie
Boston fruit express. fell through open bridge
over West Farms Creek. five hundred feet west
OF Westchester-ave, West Farms. No one was
injured
The train had twenty-seven freight cars
loaded with various kinds of fruit The engine
was in charge of George u. Cook, of No. $50
East One-hundred-an -thirty-eighth-st. Ihe
train left the Harlem River yards at O'CLOCK
Until II neared the bridge II running at
high rate of speed. AS is the custom. the speed
was slackened at the bridge. The bridge Is
about 80 feet long and % feet high.
AS the train approached, the bridge tender
Joseph Dali. who lives in West Farms. opened
the draw TO allow the tugboat West Farms 10
pass up the creek. Just before the train reacheo
the bridge Cook. the engineer saw that the
draw was open. Not having time to stop MS
train. he applied the airbrakes and he ana MS
fireman, Birdsall. jumped from the engine Just
IN time 10 their lives.
The engine fell over the bridge abutments anu
struck In the mud. The remainder Of the tram
bumped against the engine and remained on the
track AS soon Cook and Birdsall recovered
from their fright, they. with the conductor and
They found that the headlight and smokestacK
of the engine were buried in the water.
An effort was made TO find Dali. but It was
said that ne could not be found.
Trains for the Morris Park racetrack are run
on this division Owing to the accident all
trains last evening were sent to New-Rochelie
and then by the main line TO the Grand CentraI
Station.
Dali. the bridge tender. said that he was not
to blame for the accident. He added:
The tug came along before the express was IN y,
sight I knew she coming, however as II
was close TO her time. and set the signal so she
could not get through. / did my duty and am
not to blame.
J. s. Zimmerman is the signal man In the
tower. about five hundred feet east OF the bridge
He says a train came through at 3:O4 p. n' ana
as soon as the cabOOse got off the bridge thH
bridge tender asked for an unlock" to let the
bridge be opened. He says he just then received
a message from Oak Point that No so was on
fits way.
II refused the unlock he continued. "and the
bridge cannot be opened without an unlock un-
less II be forced As soon as I got the message
from Oak Point, sat down 10 make out some
requisitions. Then I noticed the engineer lean
ing out Of his cab as the express went by. ana
people were excitedly waving their hanos az
him. I saw that the brakes were on but the
momentum OF the train was so great she could
not stop before the locomotive got TO the edge
OF the draw that l saw open. The
locomotive went up to the edge. toppled back and
forth. and then went over"
Assistant Superintendent Brady said the loco
motive would be toppled over into the mud so
the road could be cleared. II they could not
then pull II out, the locomotive would be
broken up.
The tender was taken from the engine and
saved a giant derrick and wreck!ng
crew began work at Il o'clock TO get the locomO-
tive toppled over. but it was said II might take
twenty-four hours to get IL out of the way.
Mr. Brady would not say anything about who
was cupable IN regard to the accident. An In
vestigation would be made TO determine that.
He did not order any dismissals or suspensions.
Mr.. Brady said that the passenger trains from
the Harlem station 10 Barlow. Pelham Manor
and NewRochelle were tied up, as well as the
freight trains from Oak Point.