The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-28
ROYAL BLUE EXPRESS
 PLUNGES INTO LOCAL
Wreekage Soon In Flames and Scores ef Charred Bodies Cannot Be
 Recoqnized-Some Hor- rifyIng Scenes.

O most appalling railroad wreck that has occurred in the yicin- ity of New York in many years, the loss of life being estimated at not less than thirty persons, took place tonight at Graceland, near Westfield, N. J., on the Central Railroad of New Jersey, when the Royal Blue line express, westbound, plunged at top speed into the rear of local train.
 Seven bodies only have been identi- fled, while sixteen more were almost unrecognizable corpses have been re- covered. In addition, it Is almost cer- tain that many bodies remain in the wreck.
 After the crash three 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 believed to have been con- stunned.
 On board the flyer all the passengers, although badly shaken up, escaped unin- jured except for trif1ing bruises.
 The Dead.
 The dead taken to the morgue at Plain field are:
 EDGAR WILLIAMS, a New York law yer.
 c. P. THOYER, PlaiEfeld, secretary to Thomas C. Platt
 HARRY G. HAND, New York city. HARRY PATTERSON. Dunellon.
 GEORGE F. FRED. Scotch Plains. ROWLAND CHANDLER. Plainfield.. EDWARD FLYNN, Plainfield.
 In addition to these there are many bodies unidentified at the scene of the wreck.
 The Injured.
 The list of injured at the hospital at Plainfield is as follows:
 Edward Clark, William Sampson, Miss Lizzie Cutter William Dunn, George Force, H. R. George, Miss Mildred Evrett, Mrs. Ducummins, E. M. Brockaw, Miss Cora Brockaw, Frederick Kalnen, all of Plainfield; Roy Apgar, William Frederick, of Dunellon, N. J., Thomas Cummings, Comat line; James F. Clark of Philadel- phia, probably fatally hurt; Albert Reign ton, in injured list, cannot live.
 The train which was run into left New. York at 5:45, runs as an express to Bound Brook, r,aking stops at Elizabeth, Vest field and Plainfield. Beyond Bound Brook 1t runs as a local. The Royal Blue train left fifteen minutes later. It travels at a. higher speed and makes no stops ex- cept at Elizabeth and is scheduled to overtake the slower train just beyond Graceland, where the latter switches from track three on to track four, to per- nit the Royal Blue to pass.
 Track Was Blocked.
 This evening freight train was blocked on track 4 and the local received orders to proceed on the express track to Dunel- lon 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 under way again, she was due at Dunellon. She had just started and was moving slowly when the Royal Blue, travelling apparent ly at full speed. which at that point usu- ally approached 65 miles an hour, crashed int the rear end The heavy engine of the Royal Blue tore it's 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.
 The Royal Blue engine left the rails and turned over on it's side, the engineer and fireman sticking to their posts and going down in the wreck. They are now in the Muhlenborg hospital at Plainfield and the engineer. it is believed, can live only a few hours.
 Fire Adds to the Horror.
 Passengers of the flyer say the engineer applied the brakes hard a minute or so
 lao ba traf oh hod sent a fiagman back. but 1t seems he was recalled when the train got under way and. although he left torpedos the Royal Blue did not heed them, or else was going too fast to stop in the short distance re- maining The man who went back to flag the train had just swung on to the rear end of his train and is among the dead The engine and the three wrecked cars were piled into a heap, containing at least one hundred dead and injured. From the mass came fearful cries for aid A minute later the wreck caught fire from the firebox of the engine. The screams of the injured in the heap were intensified as they found themselves hemmed in by the flames.
 The passengers in the two forward cars of the first train and all on the express and everybody in the neighborhood start ed at work 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 clothing took fire. but they worked on, though in danger of death themselves. Some of the injured were burned to death in sight of the men who were working with despera- ton to save them The flames soon gained complete mastery of the two last cars.
 Bremen Summoned.
 The firemen from westfield were sum moned by telephone but arrived too late to nave many lives. Doctors were called from Westfield. Plainfield ard other cities. and there were a score on hand.