Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1902-01-15
TRAINS CRASH IN Tunnel
About Fifty Pers2ns Killed and In
iurcd in New YORK City.
LOCOMOTIVE BU3IED IN A CAR

tilc New York Central Railroad Fun
nsi-Ensinccr Fails to SEQ Signals
Coaches Cn;ci Fire--work o. ,snscuc.
New York City. Fifteen persona
were killed ana two score severely in
jared rs q result o. ieac-cnd coiii-
sion in the south end OF the
New Yoris Central tunnel ct Fit.y-
eighth street. The South Norwall; To-
Cal, due here at S.1I Il. m, stopped just
after emerging from the tunnel. 10
Act another train bc switched. The
White Pains local, due here at s. 10 Il
NJ. crashed into 1t from behind. The
White Plains engine crushed lis wa.
through hall the length OF the rear
car Beneath thc tremendous weight
of ,ne engine many passengers were
trapped and scalled TO d2ath by es-
Gaping steam in tho darkness OF the
tunnel. Unaccountable blunder OF an
SnGinee". who disrcgarded signals.
which he says he did not sec. arc held
to be responsible for the accident-the
worst railroad disaster that ever oc-
CURED OH M@nhatt3n Island.
The list OF the dead is as follows:
RI. Franklin Crosby. OF New Rochelle;
il. G.. Dimon. OF New Rochelle: Will
tam Forbes, OF New Rochelle: Theodore
Fijaardo. OF New Rochelle: y. u. {.
F'osLett. OF New Rochelle; u. G.. Hins-
dale, OF New Rochelle: Mrs. \. l.. How
nrd. OF New Rochelle; William How
ard. OF New Rochelle: William Lcys.
OF New Rochelle; Charles Il. Mars. OF
New Rochelle: y. Edward Hunt Mills.
III.
Optician and iewcle;' in New York and
residence in New Rochelle; y. NJ. Per
rim, of New Rochelle; Frank Wash
burn. OF New Rochelle; Ernest +. Wal
ton. OF New Rochelle.
When the crash came wild rush
was made - get out OF the cars by the
uninjured and men and women fought
TO get through the doors. Some climbed
through the windows. needless OF hro-
Ken glass. and all seemed 10 have lost
their heads. Women tainted from the
shock and had to be carried out o: the
cars. The crash OF the collision and
hiss OF escaping steam added to the
panic. The splintcred glass and wood
1cll In showers about the cars. and the
tunnel was choked With steam and
smoke. The debris of the wrecked
ears vas scattered over the tracks,
md in the first moments of panic those
who managed to get ont OF the ears
did not know where to go. Many who
were injured made their way through
thc tunnels to the StarWIyS below the
south end: some walked to the Grand
central station.
Most of the dead had been killed IN.
rtantly. though 4 few died shortly NJ
rward Some were taken from tho
ar windows in 4 dying condition and
<be most powerful slimulants admins
tered. but OF no avail The wounded
were removed 10 various hospitals.
and the pressure at some OF them was
so great tnat extra surgical help had
10 be summoned. The survivors rushed
to telegraph stations TO inform their
families o. their safety. These mes
sagcs or safety were the first OF any
sort relating 10 the wreck to reach
New Rochelle. the homo OF most OF the
sufferers. Very soon afterward the
station was crowded with inQuirers.
many OF them hySterical
Some one who Witnessed the COL
sion turned in fire alarm The
firemen made record time in resnond-
ing. but it was IN hour before the first
person was taken from the wreck.
Tie wrec!la%e and debris choked the
tunnel. The only way TO get ut the
injured was through the air holes.
Firemen. climbing down ladders with
their axes, chopped bolos in the car
roofs Ind dragged ont the living and
dead. Ropes had to be passed around
Che bodies oc IT m. o. the injured to
raise them.
Cornelius Vanderbilt was one of
The first to reach the wreck. He at
tempted to climb down q ladder into
the tunnel, but policeman stopped
him, and ne walked away without
toiling the policeman who he was.
This is terrible terrible" he cried
OF all the heroes OF tho wreck the
chief is Peter Murphy. Pinned under
four other victims The fIcmen told
MIN they could no, get him out without
cripplirC tho others
".All right" hc said. "savc them first"
( was half al hour before lie was ex-
tricated
Coroner Schocler arrived 10 make an
Investigation early in tht day. and he
hold sort OF preliminary inquest in
the station house. He and District At
torncy jerome examined the engine
crew and tho signal man. Engineer
WiSkGr was HELD for ;hc Grand Jury
without bail. anI the fireman was re-
leased under 5000 bail The signal
man was DISCHARGED.
Ten years aco Il casualty OF n some
what similar character. though far less
calamitous in Its results. was followed
by the Indictment of The higher ofii-
cidlS OF the company involved. The
Almly lighted. miSorGaly ventilated
Central Railroad tunnel has been a
menace and scandal for years. PUN.
lie spirited men have predicted just
such horror as now has hapncned
rs 4 res1it OF the volumes OF coal
smoke ard steam that choke the tunnel
during the iucessant passage of incom.
Ing and outgoing trains. obscming in n
misty vapor ah cautionary lights and
block signals