Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-01-29
INTO LOADED CARS
Engine of Fast Express Crashes
into Slower Passenger
Train.
FROM IL TO 50 KILLED
Many Burned to Death in the Wreck
age--A Large Number Iniured-Hot
Box Had Delayed Front Train
Express Was Running e5
Miles an Hour.

New York Jan. 2,.--One of the most ap-
paling railroad wrecks that has occurred
in the vicinity Of New York for many
wears, the estimated loss OF life ranging
from T. to 80 persons, took place tonight
at Glacoland on the Central railroad of
New Jersey, near Westheld, y. j.. when
the Royal Blue line express ploughed at
top speed into the rear Of local train.
immediately after the crash three Of
the shattered cars of the local train took
Are. 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.
although badly shaken up. escaped unin-
jured save for trihing bruises.
The local train left New York at 445
and runs express to Bound Brook, MAX
ing stops at Elizabeth Westield and
Pla'nteld. BEYOND Bound Brook it runs
as local. The Royal Blue train LETT j
minutes later but travels at a higher rate
of speed and makes no stop except at
Elizabeth ana is scheduled to overtake the
slower train Just beyond Ciraceland, whero
the latter switches from track three ON to
track four to permit the Royal Blue TO
pass.
! The engine and the three worst wreck
ed ears were piled into heap containing
at Last one hundred dead and injured.
From the mass came fearful screams
for aid. \ minute later the wreck caught
| fire from the fire box of the locomotive
| Tho screams of the injured in the hcap
were intensified as they found themselves
homned III by the flames
The passengers in the two forward cars
of the iirst train and all the men IN the
express and every one in the ncighbor'
| hood started work at once in trying L
got out the injured before the hame'
could reach them. At times while toiline
! IN the wreckago the flames reached then
Innd their clothing took fire. but they
worked on III constant danger OF being
KILLED themselves. Some of the injured
were burned 10 death in sight Of thC
wrlld-bc reScuers. who stood by then
as long as possible but the flames sooi
gained complete mastery of the two last
cars.
The nrcmen from Westleld Were sum
moned by phoro but arrived too late t.
save many lives Doctors We're called from
Elizabeth. Wcsttield and Plainlield anc
soon there was score on hand. The par
lor cars of the Royal Blue line train were
converted into temporary hospitals. Tho
dead as they were taken out, were laG
in n row alongside the track until mean.
could be found to convey them to Plain
field.
This evening freight train was blocked
upon track and tho local received or
dcrs to proceed on the express track t.
Dunnellen ana there take the outside o,
number four track. shortly after reCciv-
ing orders the train had to stop for a hot
box, which delayed it so that when II
got under way again it was due at Dun
ncen. The train had just started and
was moving slowly when the Royal Blue
| travelling apparently at full speed. which
at that point usually approaches IA miles
an hour, crashed into the rear end.
The heavy engine of the ROYAL Blue
tore its way into the rear car and at tho
same time drove the forward end or 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
fourth car from the rear. The fourth car
WAS only partly wrecked but the last
three were torn to pieces.
Tho engine Of the Royal Blue lett the
rails and turned over on ITS side the en-
gineer and fireman sticking to their post'
and going down with the wreck They are
now in the Muhlenberg hospital at Plain
field and tho engineer is not believed &c
have IL chance Of living more than few
hours
Passengers on the flyer say the en-
ginecr applied the brakes hard Just min
ute or so before the wreck. The trair
ahead had sent Il fiagman back hut il
seems he was recalled when the train go
under way and although he left torpedoes
the Royal Blue did not heed them OF
else was going too fast TO stop in the
short distance remaining Inc man VINO
went back to Nag the train had jus
swung on to the rear end of his train ant
is among the dead
| The firemen after time mastered thu
flames, Then the wreckage WAS attacks
| AGAIN and the work of recovering thu
bodies begun. out of the first car ciGh
hodies were taken, The sight while thu
wreck was burning was horrifyins Mel
could he seen in tho wveckaGe pinned fas
amid the thinkers of the cars and strus
Cling to be free while tho flames roare'
around them. The rescuers were helples
Ia aid thin, as they had already beer
burned and scorched In the fire before de
sistinr from the work of rescue. One o
those who tried to take out man pinne'
in found that he was held down by on
leg near the ankle and seeing it wou
be useless to do anything is said to hay
finally severed the mans leg and the
carried him to one of the parlor cars
both rescuer and rescued were burned.
When the engine ploughed into the rca
car 1t partly split the car open and at tn