The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-01-29
Royal Blue Express Shoots
Like a Bomb Into
Local.
THREE CARS BURST OPEN
At Least Hundred Killed and Injured Flames
Break Out in the Wreck---Many are
Burned Shrieking VainiY for
Help.
(By the Associated Press.)

tby the Associated PreSS.)
NEW YORK. JAN. 2S.-(WEDNES-
DAYo-AT lao THIS MORNING IT IS
KNOWN THAT THERE ARE TWEEN
TY-FOUR DEAD IN THE RAILROAD
WRECK AT GRACELAND, N. ]. SIX
TEEN CHARRED BODIES HAVE NOW
BEEN TAKEN OUT. EIGHT DEAD
WERE EITHER RECOVERED BEFORE
THE FIRE OR DIED AFTER BEING
TAKEN OUT OF THE WRECK.
New York. Jan. 27.-One of the most
appalling railroad wrecks that has &C.
Cured in the vicinity of New York for
many years, the estimated loss of life
ranging from twelve to thirty persons,
took place tonight at Graceland, on the
Central Railway, near Westfeld, when
the Royal Blue Line express ploughed
at top speed into the rear of a local
train.
Immediately after the crash, three
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 be-
lieved to have been consumed.
On board the flyer all the passengers,
dIIAOuSH Uduly Sudkeu up, eSCdpeu uUlu@
jured except for trifling bruises.
The dead taken to 49, morgue at Plain
field are:
EDGAR WILLIAMS. New York law
yer.
c. P. THAYER, of Plainfield, secretary
to Thomas c.. Plat.
HARRY G. HAND. of New York.
HARRY PATTERSON, of Dunnellan.
Il of lot,
THOMAS SCUMMINS. of Plainfield.
ROWLAND R. CHANDLER, of Plain
field.
EDWARD FLYNN. of Plainf1eld.
In addition to this list there are many
charred bodies unidentified, still at the
scene of wreck.
Among the injured are:
William .Geddies, of Dunellen, both
legs broken; George Chandler, spine in
jured 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
the body and head.
The train which was run into left New
York at 5: As and runs as an express to
Boundbrook making stops at Eliza
beth. Westfield and Plainfield Beyond
Boundbrook it runs as a local. The Royal
Blue train left fifteen minutes later, but
travels at high rate of speed and makes
no stop except at.Elizabeth and is sched-
uled to overtake the slower train just be-
vond Graceland, where the latter switches
from the Track 8 on to Track to allow
the Royal Blue to pass.
This evening freight train was block
cd on Track and the local received or
ders TO proceed on the express track TO
Dunellen and there take the outside or
Number 4 track. Shortly after receiving
orders the train had to stop for not pox
which DELAYED it SO that when she got
under way again she was due at DuneI-
len. She had lust started and was moving
slowly when the Royal Blue, travelling
onnarently at full speed, which at that
point usually Appropriated slxty-nVe
miles an hour. crashed into the rear end.
The heavy engine of the Royal Blue tore
its wav into the rear car and at the same
time drove the forward end of that car in
to the rear end of the car ahead. which in
turn was driven into the third car and
This in turn was driven into the fourth
only partly wrecked, but the last three
we're torn to pieces.
The engine of the Royal Blue left the
rails and turned over on her side, the en-
GINGER and fireman sticking to their posts
end Going down in the wreck. Thov are
now in the Muhlenburg Hospital at Plain
fc,d and the engineer is not believed to
have a chance of living more than few
hours.
Passengers on the flyer say the en-
oineer applied the brakes hard a minute
or so before the wreck. The train ahead
had sent fiagman back, but 1T seems
that he was recalled when the train got
under way, and although he left tor
redoes the ROYAL Blue did not heed them
or else was going too fast to stop In the
short distance remaining The man VINO
went back to flag the train had Just
swung into the rear end OF his tram anu
is among the dead. The engine ana the
three worst wrecked cars were plea lnto
an awful heap. containing at least one
hundred dead and injured. From the
mass came fearful cries for aid. MIN
uto later the wreck caught fire from the
frebox of the locomotive. The screams
of the injured In the heaps were intensl-
fed as they found themselves hemmed
in by the flames.
The passengers in the two forward
cars of the first train and all the men
from the express and every one IN the
neighborhood started work at once to get
out the injured before the flames could
reach them At a time while toiling In
the wreckage the flames reached the
rescuers and their clothing took fire. but
they worked on. though in constant
danger Of being killed themselves. Sorle
OF tho injured were burned to death IN
sight of the men who were working witr
desperation to save them. but the flames
soon gained complete mastery of the
two last cars.
The fremen from Westfield we're sum
moned by telephone, but arrived too late
to save many lives. Doctors were called
for from Elizabeth, Westfleld and Plain