Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-28

ANA u n hAAo"h ~ eAN N"N@NH
in the railroad wreck at Graceland, N. J.
Sixteen charred bodies have now been
taken out and eight others were either re-
before the FIRE or died after be-
ing taken out Of the wreck.
NEW YORK, Jan. 27.-one of the most
appalling railroad wrecks that has occurred
in the vicinity Of New York for many
years took place tonight at Graceland, on
the Central Railroad Of New Jersey. when
the Royal Blue express ploughed at top
speed into the rear Of a local train. II
is estimated that between twelve and thirty
persons were killed.
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 we're pinned
fast in the wreck. Many bodies are be-
lieved to have been consumed.
Flyer Passengers Escape.
On board the flyer all the passengers.
badly shaken up, escaped unin-
jured, except for trihlng bruises.
The dead taken to the morgue at Plain
field are:
EDGAR WILLIAMS, a New York lawyer.
C.. P. THAYER Of Plainheld, secretary Of
Senator Plat.
HARRY G. SAND OF New York.
HARRY PATERSON of Dunellen.
GEORGE F. RED of Scotch Plains.
THOMAS CUMMING of Plainield.
ROWLAND CHANDLER of Plainheld.
EDWARD FLYNN of Plainfeld.
The train which was run into left New
York at 5:45 and runs express to Bound
brook, making stops at Elizabeth. West
lz1I ~ T1Ta4aaaIl DnryAnA nApnAhrnnL az
runs as a local. The Royal Blue left If
teen minutes later, but travelled at a higher
speed and made no stops at Elizabeth and
was scheduled to overtake the slower train
Just beyond Graceland, where the latter
switches from track 3 into track 4, to per-
init the Royal Blue to pass.
Freight Blocks Track.
This evening a freight train was blocked
on track No. 4 and the local received or
dcrs to proceed on the express track to
Dunellen, and there lake the outside or No.
4 track. Shortly receiving orders, the
train had to stop for a hot box, which
caused delay so that when 1t got under
way again It was due at Dunellen. The
train had just started, and was moving
slowly when the Royal Blue, travelling ap-
parently at full speed, which at that point
usually dppTOAlndIeb DO mllSS an npuFb
crashed into the rear end
The engine tore into the car, driving the
forward end into the car ahead, which in
turn was driven into the third car, and
this in turn into the fourth car from the
rear. The fourth 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 its side, the en-
gineer and fireman sticking at their posts
and going down in the wreck. They are
now in the Muehlenburg hospital at Plain
field. The engineer is not believed to have
u chance to/liye more than a few hours.
Passengers. on the flyer say the engineer
applied brakes hard a minute or so before
the wreck. The train ahead had sent a
iagman back, but it seems he was recalled
when the train got under way, and although
he left toTpedoes on the track, the Royal
Blue did not heed them or else was going
too fast to stop in the short distance re-
naming. The man who went back to flag
the train had Just swung on TO the rear of
his train and is among the dead.
The engine and the three cars worst
wrecked were piled in a heap. From the
debris came agonizing cries for aid. A
minute later the wreck caught fire from
the frebox of the locomotive. The screams
VI llG lulultu Nblbl hlGnolutu al Nnty lOuIu
themselves hemmed in by the flames.
Flames Catch Rescuer's Clothing.
The uninjured passengers Joined the train
crews in aiding the injured before the
flames could reach them. At times the
clothing Of the rescuers took fire, but they
worked on though in constant danger OF
being killed themselves.
Some of the injured were burned to death
in sight of the men working to save
them and the flames soon gained complete
mastery of the last two cars. Men could
be- seen in the wreckage pinned fast amid
the timbers and struggling to be free while
the flames roared around them. The res
cuers were helpless to aid them az they al
ready had been driven from the wreck by
the flames.
One of those who tried to take out a
man found he was held down by one leg
near the ankle. and seeing 1t would be
useless to do anything else, is said to have
finally severed the mans leg and carried
him to one of the parlor cars.
Firemen from Westheld were summoned
by telephone, but arrived too late to save
many lives. Surgeons were called for from
Elizabeth, Westheld and Plainfeld and
there were a score on hand. The parlor
cars of the Royal Blue were turned into
temporary hospitals. The dead. as they
were taken out, were laid in a row along
side the track until means could be found
TO convey them to Plainheld.
The fremen after a time mastered the
flames. Then the wreckage was attacked
again and the work of rescuing the bodies
was begun. Out of the first car eight
bodies were taken. When the engine
ploughed into the rear car II partly split
it open and at the same lime lifted It up
on to itself. Most OF those In it are dead
and some are believed to be beneath the
overturned engine.
Those in the car ahead, which was lifted
over the rear car, suffered the most. For
some time before the flames reached them
they were enveloped in smoke and steam.