The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1902-01-11
IN THE HARLEM TUNNEL.
Terrible Rear-End Collision in the
Tunnel Leading Out of
New York City.
SEVENTEEN KILLED AND FORTY INJURED.
The Engine of the White Plains LO-
cal Crashed Into ana eiescope
the Rear of the NOrwalk Accom-
mediation, Which was
with Passengers.

New York, Jan. S.-A New York e.
Harlem local passenger train ran into
the last car of a New York, New
Haven & Hartford train, known as
the Norfolk accommodation, in the
New York Central tunnel between
Fifty-sixth and Fifty-seventh streets,
this city. The wreck occurred about
q block and a half from the mouth
of the tunnel.
The shock of the collision was
plainly heard by people passing on
Park avenue above the tunnel. Sew
eral of them ran to give the alarm.
In ten minutes everybody at police
and fire headquarters was at work or
ganizing relief to be sent to the spot.
From fire headquarters, n dozen
blocks away, a hook and ladder truck
was rapidly dispatch to the scene of
the accident, with several fire COM
panies. The reserves from East Fiji
ty-first street and Grand Central po-
lice stations were turned out on the
run. A hurry call was sen to Belle
vue, Flower, the Presbyterian and
Roosevelt hospitals, and in ten min
utes a dozen ambulances were hurry
ing with a corps of doctors.
When the rescuers reached the
wreck, smoke was pouring out OF the
| entrance to the tunnel at f1fty-hfth
| street, and great columns of smoke
| came out of the first ventilator a
half block north. Ambulances came
in from the east and west. Ladder
were put down from the street over
the iron fence to the track and h
firemen, policemen and surgeons
were Immediately at work.
1t was very dark in the tunnel,
which was filed with smoke and
steam. The work of rescue was,
therefore, difficult. The locomotive
of the While Plains local was hidden
in the rear car of the South Norwalk
train. The MANNED and injured were
calling from the wreck. Some, more
badly injured than others. were be-
ing assisted by the more fortunate
passengers.
The work of rescue was further I'M
peded he normous crowds which,
in spite of police vigilance, swarmed
Alto the tunnel through its many en-
frances. or crowded about the open
ing at the surface.
The first of the injured taken from
the wreck was a She was
carried to the Woman's hospital.
Here, as we'll as at other points, prep
arations were hurriedly made to
take care of the wounded as rapidly
as they were brought to the railroad
station. A passenger on the Harlem
train said.
"Our train was held at the Harlem
end of the tunnel for two minutes to
allow the New Haven train to pass
us. Then we proceeded. Suddeni
there was n terrific crash and we
were hurled from u seats. Inc
shock was followed by the roar OF
escaping steam and the cries OF the
wounded.
"A core of men passengers got ou'
of the windows and ran to the front
of our train. The confusion ana NOISE
were awful. Our locomotive nae
ploughed half way through the last
New Haven car. / saw several WON
on taken out of the first wrecked
car"
Eugene Herold, of Rochelle ParK
one of the passengers on the Dan
bury, gave this accoun OF the acci
dent: .
wv were sitting quietly in next u
the last car and there were only on
or. two unoccupied seats. There wa
the usual morning crowd. There wer'
five cars.
..There were several women in IN.
car and also in the last car. We hat
been stalled at Fifty-seventh stree
for some time. Suddenly there cam
a terrific crash. The lights in tn
car went out. There was q roar o
grinding steel and wood. and
chorus of shrieks. l looked back ant
saw the car behind teiescoping owe
the rear of our a and through tina
, mix-up plunged a roaring locomo
tive.
81 was thrown on my face by tn
: Jolt and | felt some blood !splashe
over my forehead. Sitting smok
: and steam seemed to rise all arount
! and looking back l could see mai
gled persons crawling about throug
the mist. Then suddenly the ca
took fire where the locomotive was
\ "Our one idea was to escape.
found a friend of mine right in fror
: of me. He cried: Open the window
I for Gods sake l turned to the viii
I dow and found the glass had all bee
shattered by the collision. "
climbed out. l saw several person
I almost covered with blood crawlin
about"
The response of the police and fiji
It departments to the call was promp
n and within an incredibly short tin
n nearly 300 firemen, ambulance 81
a geons and trainmen were in Il
smoke and steam-filled tunnel wor
ing desperately to get the bodies
the dead, and the wounded passe
gers from the wrecked trains. Abo
the scene of death on the drivewa
Y. on both sides of the tunnel, we