The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1902-01-17
fatal WRECK IN A TUNNEL
Trains Come Together Underground
in New York City and Fifteen
Persons Are Killed.
ATLEAST TWICE THAT NUMBER INJURED
p,nic I'm Darkness Ensues, But Res
orar. Quickly Descend by Aid OF
ladders Escaping Steam burns
Many - Accident Caused ny AA-
rineer Disobcylng Signals.

New York, Jan. 9.-1n the New YORK
Central railroad tunnel that burrows
under Park avenue, this city, two local
trains collided Wednesday. Fifteen
passengers were killed and twice that
number were injured. A dozen OF the
latter were seriously hurt, snd the ros-
ter of the dead may be EXTENDED
Trains Were Crowded.
It was a rear-end collision between
South Norwalk local that ran In over
the New York. New Haven & Hartford
railroad and was halted by block sig
nails at the southern entrance OF the
tunnel and a White Plains local that
ca me by the Harlem branch OF the Ne"
York Central. The wreck occurred at
SLY a. m., at which hour the trains
were crowded by suburbanites' Most
of the death, injury and damage was
wrought by the engine OF the Whlte
Plains train, which plunged into the
rear car of the motionless train ana
was driven through to the middle OF
the car, smashing the seats and FUR
nishings and splitting the sides as IL
moved forward. The victims were
either mangled in the mass OF
wreckage carried at the pilot, crusneo
in the space between boiler or car sides
or scalded by steam which came Kissing
from broken pipes and cylinders. The
engine in its final plunge OF 40 feet
carried the rear car forward and sent
twisted iron, broken timbers and SPIN
tiers crashing into the coach ahead.
Work of Rescue.
Lights were extinguished and from
the wreckage and darkness came the
cries of the injured and calls for as
sistance by those who escaped. with
in a few minutes the work of rescue,
marked by heroism and sacrifice be-
gan. Alarms that brought every avail
abe ambulance in the city, the police
reserves of five precincts and the fire
men of the central eastern district or
Manhattan were sounded at once
With police, fremen and surgeons came
q score of volunteer physicians and
half a dozen c,ergymen. Ladders were
run down the tunnel air shafts ana the
firemen and police attacked the debris
with ropes and axes. Passengers a.
ready had rallied and were trying to
release those imprisoned in the DEBRIS
Engineer Blamed.
Superintendent Franklin has issued
a statement IS to the accident. in which
he declares that the block signals at
Fifty-ninth street were obeyed by the
New Haven train, while the engineer
of the White Pains train diSregarded
them. "The torpedo on the track went
off," said the superintendent, but he
didn't stop, even though the fireman
called to him to do so. The system of
block signals is such that it is phys
ical impossibility for signa!man to
make his light declare the track free
if another train is on the block
Hold Engineer and Fireman.
Late in the day the coroner ques-
toned the trainmen, holding court at
a police station. The inquest was held
behind closed doors, and as result of
it Signalman Flynn was released, while
Fireman Fyler was held in bail of S.
600 and Engineer Wischo without ball.
The railroad company furnished bonds
for FyIer and Wischo was taken to the
Tombs prison.
The Third Accident.
j. H. Franklin said this is the third
accident in the New York Central tun-
mel. The first took place in November,
1882, when 20 persons were killed. The
second occurred February 20, 1891,
when six persons were killed and many
injured.
Result of Family Row.
Gales burp Ill., Jan, lid Cheney