Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1903-01-30
AN AWFUL WRECK.
Twenty-fom Lives Lost by Col
lision on Jersey Central.
Royal Blue Express Crashes Into n
Local Train Near WesLfeId, N. j.
Three Shattered Coaches
Take Fire - Passengers
Burned to Cinders.

most appalling railroad wrecks that
has occurred in the vicinity of New |
York for many years, the estimated |
loss of life ranging from IL to 80 per-
sons, took place last night at Grace
land, on the Central railway of New
Jersey, near Westfield, n. j., when
the Royal Blue Line express plowed
at top speed into the rear of u local
train.
Immediately after the crash three
of the shattered cars of the local
trair 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
consumed.
On board the flyer the passengers,
although badly shaken up, escaped
uninjured, except for trifling bruises.
The train left New York ait 5:45
and runs express to Bound Brook,
making stops at Elizabeth, Westfield
and Plainfield. Beyond Bound Brook
it runs as a local. The Royal Blue
train left Is minutes later, but trav-
els at a higher speed and makes no
stop except Elizabeth and is sched-
uled to overtalle the slower train
just beyond Graceland, where the lat
f, ter switches from track No. 3 onto
track No. to permit the Royal Blue
to pass.
Last evening freight train was
| blocked on track No. and the local
received orders to proceed on the eN-
press track to Dunellen and there
take the outside or No. 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-
len. She had just started and was
going slowly when the Royal Blue,
travelling apparently at full speed,
which at that point usually approxi-
amtes IS 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 of 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.
IhC Cht5lllC VI ltOSdl DUO 1Clb
the rails and turned over on her side,
the engineer and fireman sticking to
their posts and going down in the
wreck. They are now in the Mullen"
berg hospital at Plainfield and the en-
gineer is not believed to have a
chance of living more than a few
hours.
The engine and the three worst
wrecked cars We're piled into an aw-
full heap, containing at least 100 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 in
tensified 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 at once to
get out the injured before the flames
could reach them. At times while
toiling in the wreckage the flames
reached the rescuers and their cloth
ing took fire, but they worked on
though in constant danger of being
killed themselves. Some of the in
jured were burned to death in sight
of the men working to save them
but the flames soon gained complete
mastery of the two last cars.
The firemen from Westfield We're
summoned by telephone, but arrived
too late to save many lives. Doctors
were called for from Elizabeth
Westfield and Plainfield and there
! were score on hand. The parlor
cars of the Royal Blue train We're
converted into temporary hospitals
The dead as they We're taken out
, were LAID in row alongside the tXack
until means could be found to convey
| them to Plainfield.
The firemen after time mastered
the flames. Then the wrecliage was
attacked again and the work of re
, covering the bodies was begun. Ou
, of the first car eight bodies were TAX
, en- The sight while the wreck wa.
, burning was horrifying. Men coult
be seen in the wreckage pinned fas
= amid the timbers of the ears ant
struggling to be free while the flames
roared around them. The rescuer
were helpless to aid them, as they al
; ready had been driven from th
wreck by the names.
One of those who tried to take ou
: man pinned in found that he wa
: held down by one leg near the ankle
k and, seeing that it would be useles
r to do anything else, is said to hav
h finally severed the mans leg an
S then carried him to one of the parlo
cars. Both rescued and rescuer wer
t badly burned.
e At 1:4o o'clock this morning it i
e known that there are "a dead in tn
f railroad wreck at Graceland. SiXtce
d charred bodies have been taken GU
q Eight dead were either recovered be
fore the fire or died after being take
out of the wreck
n A Terrific Explosion.
y Scranton, Pa, Jan. 2s.-Thirtee