The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-01-28
SCORES
DEAD AND
INJURED.
The Royal Blue Ploughs
Through Local Train.
FOUR COACHES
WERE TELESCOPED
WreCkdge Caught Fire and
Men Burned to Death.
NARROWING WERE
SCENES WITNESSED
NARROWING WERE
SCENES WITNESSED
In Sight of Those Who We're Working
to Save Passengers Who Were De-
voured by Fierce FIames-Ex-
press Was Running at Top
Speed When Awful
Crash Came.
(By Associated Press.)

NEW YORK, Jan. 27.-One Of the
most appalling railroad wrecks that has
occurred In the vicinity OF New York for
many years. the loss Of life being more
than twenty.fo four persons. took place to-
night at Graceland. on the Central Rail-
road OF New Jersey. near westfeld. n.
j.. when the Royal Bluo Line Express
ploughed at top speed into the rear Of a
local train.
Sixteen charred bodies have now been
taken out. Eight dead were either re-
covered uefore the fro or died after being
taken out Of the wreck.
Immediately after the crash three scat
tered cars Of the local train took fro,
Of tho wounded. who were pinned fast
in the wreck. Many bodies ar believed
to have been consumed.
On board the flyer all the passengers.
although badly shaken up. escaped unin-
jured except FOR trlf1ing bruises.
TIE DEAD.
The dead so far identified are:
Is Edgar MILIaIAM, a New York law
YER
6. p Thaysr, Of Plainfield, secretary tc
Thomas c. Platt.
HARRY G. HAND, OF New York city.
HARRY PATTERSON, of DuncI6n.
GEORGE z. REED. of Scotch Plains
THOMAS CUNIIN, OF Plainfleld.
ROWLAND r. CHANDLER, of Plain
hald.
EDWARD FLYNN, OF. Plainfleld.
In addition to this list there are many
charred bodies. unidentified, stlll at the
scene of the wreck
Those injured are:
A n,or,r fle IN it,rad are.
William Geddies, of Dunellen. both legs
broken.
Gaorge Chandler, spine injured.
Charles Long Worthy, injured all over
body.
Mrs. Belch, both legs broken and body
crushed.
Mary Ryan. injured about head.
William Van Venter, cut about body
and face.
Everett Reighton, both legs cut off.
Miss Lizzie Keller, scalp torn off.
Percy Irving Dunellen legs crushed.
Mrs. Quelean, bruised about body and
head.
The train which was run into left New
York at 6:e5 o'clock and runs as an
express to Bound Brook, making stops
at Elizabeth. NVestheld and Plainield.
Beyond Bound Brook is runs as local.
Ine Royal blue leIL llteeN iihiutce AIhtei, ,
but travels at high rate OF speed and
makes no stop except at Elizabeth. and
is scheduled to overtake the slower train
Just beyond Graceland, where the lat
ter switches from track 3 on to track
to permit the Royal Blue to pass.
This evening a freight train wns
blocked on track 4 and the local re-
ceived orders to proceed on the express
track to Dunellen and there take the
- o,,t- t,Nrf Iyy =
ter receiving orders the train had to
stop for a hot-box. which delayed 1t so
that when she got under way again
she was due at Dunellen.
AT TOP SPEED.
She had Just started anL was MOVING
slowly wien the Royal Blue. travelling
apparently at full speed, which at that
point usually approximates sixty-flve
miles an hour. crashed into the rear end.
The heavy engine Of the Royal Blue
tore Its way into the rear car and at
the same time drove the forward end cf
that car into the rear end of the car
ahead, which in turn was driven into the
third car and this in turn was driven
into the four 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 anu lIelildll ot'Shh'b " -|i'Sii
posts and going down In the wreck. They
are now in the N1uhlenberg Hospital, at
Plainkeld. and the engineer is not be-
lieyed to have a chance OF living more
than a few hours,
FLAcrArAN KILLED.
Passengers On the flyer say the engineer
applied the brakes hard q minute or so
before tho wreck, The train ahead had
sent a fagman back, but 1t seems he
was recalled when the train got Indar
way, and although he left torpedoes. the
Royal Blue did not heed them or else
was goin too fast to stop In the short
distance remaining The man who went
back to nag the train had Just swung
ln.o the rear end u his train, and is
among the dead,
The engine and three worst wrecked
cars were piled Into an awful heap. con-
tanning at least one hundred dead and
injured. From the mass came fearful
cries for aid.
WRECK CAUGHT FIRE.
A minute later the wreck caught nre
from tho FIRE box OF the locomotive. The
screams of the injured in the heaps Were
intensified as4 they found themselves
hemmed In by tho flames. &5
The passengers in the two forward cars
Of the first train and all rhe men from