The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1903-02-04
An Appalling Disaster on a New
York Suburban Line.
SCENES WERE HEART RENDING
An Express Train, Going at the
Rate of Sixty-five Miles an
Hour Ran Into n Local
Train.

| pldCc Moiludy ulRnU, Jan. 20, dU trace
land on the Central railway of New
Jersey near Wcstfeld, n. j., when
the Royal Blue Line Express ploughed
at top speed into the rear end OF a
local train.
Immediately after the crash three
OF the shattered cars of the local train
took fire, rendering impossible the
rescue of many of the wounded, who
were pinned fast in the wreck. Many
bodies are believed to have been CON
sumed. On board the Flyer all the
passengers, although badly shaken
up, escaped uninjured except for Jritl-
ing bruises.
The train which was run into New
York at 5:45 nd runs as an express
to Bound Brook, making stops at
Elizabeth, Westfield and Plaintield.
Beyond Bound Brook it runs as To-
cal. The Royal Blue train left fifteen
minutes later but travels at "A high
rate OF speed and makes no stop ex-
ccpt at Elizabeth and is scheduled to
uvertake the slower train just beyond
Graceland, where the latter switches
permit the Royal Blue TO pass.
Monday evening Il freight train was
blocked on track number four and the
local received orders to proceed on the
express track to Dunellon and there
take the outside or number four track.
Shortly after receiving orders the
train had to stop for hot box which
delayed her SO that when she got un-
der way again she was due at Dunel-
Ion. She had just started and was
moving slowly when the Royal Blue,
travelling apparently at full speed.
which at that point usually approx
mates 60 miles an hour, crashed into
the rear end.
The heavy engine of the Royal Blue
tore its way into the rear. car and at
OF that car into the rear end of the
car ahead, which i'm turn was driven
into the third car and this i'm turn was
driven into the fouth car from the
rear. The fourth car was only partly
wrecked but the last three were torn to
pieces. The engine of the Royal Blue
left the rails and turned over on her
side, the engineer and fireman stick
lng to their posts and going down in
the wreck. They are now i'm Mullen
hurg hospital AT Painted and the en-
glneer is not believed to have n chance
Of living of more than few hours.
Passengers on the Flyer say the en-
gincer applied the brcakes hard
minute or SO before the wreck. The
train ahead had sent flagman back.
81
train to stop in the short distance re-
naming got under way and although
he left the torpedoeS the Royal Blue
did not heed them or else was going
TOO fast to stop in the short distance
remaining. The man who went back
TO flag the train had just flung into
the rear end OF his train and is among
the dead. The engine and three
worst wrecked cars were piled into an
awful heap containing at least one
hundred dead and injured. From the
mass came fearful cries for aid A
minute later the wreck caught fire
from the fire box of the locomotive.
The screams of the injured in the
heap were intensified as they found
themselves hemmed in 10y the flames.
The passengers in the two forward
cars of the first train and all the men
from the express and every one i'm the
neighborhOOd started to work at once
to get out the injured before the
flames could reach them. AT times
while tOiling in the wreckage the
ilameS reached the reScuers and their
clothing took fire, but they worked on
though, in constant danger OF being
killed themselves. Some OF the in
Jured were burned to death il. sight
Of the men who were working with
desperation to save them, but the
flames soon gained complete mastery
of the two last cars
The iiremen from WeSttield We're
summoned by telephone, but arrived
too late to save many lives. Doctors
welc called from Elizabeth, WeStficld
and Plainticld, and there was a score
on hand. The parlor cars of the
Royal Blue train were converted into
temporary hospitals. The dead as
they were taken out were laid in a
row along side the track until means
could he found to convey them to
Plalnlied The iiremen after a time
''''''NNl't tiit lIdIltSs i Iltll UIlc WRECK
age was attacked again and the work
OF recovering the bodies was begun
Out of the first car eight bodies
were taken. The sight while the
wreck was burning was horrifying.
Men could be seen i'm the wrcCkape
pinned fast amid the timberS of the
cars and struggling To be free while
the flames roared around them. The
reScuerS were helpless to aid them as
they had already been driven from the
wreck by the flames. One Of those
VINO tried To take man pinned i'm
found that he was held down by one
leg near the ankle and seeing it would
be useless TO do any thing else is said
To have finally severed the mans leg
and then carried him to one of the
parlor cars. Both rescued and reScu-
erS were badly burned.