Arizona republican., 1902-01-09
MET DEATH IN
 k RAILWAY TUNNEL
Frightful Accident Under a
 New York Street
Fifteen Persons Were Killed and the Death List Likely to be Still Fur ther Lengthened-Nature of the Accident.

New York, Jan. S.-In the New York Central railroad tunnel that burrows under Park avenue in this city. two local trains collided today. Fifteen passengers were killed and twice that number were injured A dozen of tE:e latter were seriously hurt. and the roster of the dead may be extended.
 The dead are: Albert NJ. Perrin. re- gently from Chicago. secretary and second vice president Of tle Union Bas & Paper company, residence New Rochelle. N. Y: E. D. C. Foskett. New Rocheile; A. F. D. Lills. New Rochelle; l.. \. I5ilsdale. New Rochelle; Mr.. A. r. Howard. New Rochelle: Frank Wasburn, formerly cf Chicago. presi- dent of the Union Bag G Paper com pany. residence New Rochelle; William Lcys. New Rochelle. general manager for E. Altman & O.. New York. The odcre Forsardo, New Rochelle; Will- fam Fisher. or Forbes. New Rochelle; William Howard. New Rochelle; Oscar Meyrollitz. New Rochelle. optician in New York and secretary of the New Rochelle Yacht club: Franklin Crosby. New Rochelle; Ernest r. Walton. New Rochelle, broker in New York; H. C. Diamond, New Rochelle, assistant general manager of the American Bridge company. this city: Charles 3. Mars. New Rochelle. employed in tho New York custom house.
 It was a rear end collision between the south Nor.rall local that ran in over the New York. New Haven and Hartford railroad. and which was halted by block signals at the south ern entrance O; the tunnel. and the White Plains local that came by the Harlem branch of the Ne,y York Cen tral.
 The wreck occurred at S:17 a. m. at which hour the trains were crowded by surburbanites. Most of the daa ths. injury and damage were caused by the engine of the White Plains train. which plunged into the rear car Of the motionless train, and was driven through to the middle of the car. smashing it's scats and splitting it's sides os it moved forward.
 The victims were either mangled in the mass of wreckage carried with the pilot. crushed in the space between the boiler and the car sides or were scaldad
 
 broken pipes and cylinders. The engine iu it's final plunge of forty feet carried the rear ear forward and sent twisted iron. broken timbers and splinters smashing into the coach ahead.
 When the reScuers reached the wreck smoke was pouring out Of the entrance tc the tunnel At Fifty-fifth street great volumes of smoke came out of the first Ventiiator. Ambulances came in from the east and west. Ladders were put down from the street, over the iron fence, to the track, and the firemen and policemen and the surgeons were inn n.odiately at work. It was very dark in the tunnel. which filled with smoke and steam, making the work of rescue very difficult. The locomotive of the White Plains local was hidden in the rear car Of the South Norwalk train. The maimed and injured were crawling from the wreck, some more badly in jured than others being assisted by the more fortunate passengers.
 The cause of the wreck is not yet known. So far as can be learned the Harlem train stopped at the entrance to the tunnel to allow the New Haven train to pass, following the latter in two minutes. For some reason the New Haven train was stopped by the block system because of something wrong aEead and was crashed into by the coming Harlem train. Officials claim tie proper signals were given by the fagm2n to the wrecked train. which. however. failed to stop. The Harlem train was on time. The tunnel where the wreck occurred was two miles long from Fifty-fifth street.
 Superintendent Franklin said that so far as he has been able to discover. ,.g tlna White Plains train is to blame. He declared that when the South NoTwaik traif, stopped. the fiagman ran back into the tunnel and. beside placing torpedo on the track. he endeaVored to flag the oncoming train. The tu1- nel was clouded with steam and smoke while the snow. which fell through the air shafts. tended to ob- scllre the view. Engineer Wischo and Fireman Chris Flynn were arrested. The signal man was also detained for a time. but was released.
 Superintendent Franklin has issued a sta tenent as to the accident, in which he declares that the blocl, sig nais at -FTfty-uinth street were obeyed by the New Haven train, but that the engineer of the Wbite Plains train dis- ] ree,a reed them ''Tne torpedo on the tract: went off" said the supcrinten- dent. but he did not stop, even though the fireman called to him to do so The system of block signals is such that it is a physical impossioility for the signalnlan to make his light declare, the track free If another train is on the block.
 District Attorney Jerome visited the wreck and personally examined many witnesses. The state railway com mission has also annoUnced it's inten tion to make an investigation. and similar intent was expressed by the