The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-19
2 PlREMEN KILLED IN CRASH,
CRUSHED TO DEATH IN A "SIDE
SVIPE" COLLISION.

Oyster Bay Express Runs Into an Oper
Switch and Hits the Port JET ersOr
Local at an Angle-Switchman Blamed
for Accident by Omcials--vanishes
Two fremen on the Long Island Railroad
were killed in the yards at Long Island
City yesterday morning. in what Is known
as a side swipe" collision. Blame for the
accident is attributed to the carelessness
of switchman who has disappeared. His
name wasnot learned by the police.
The Oyster Bay express made up Of q
combination smoker and baggage car, q
parlor car and two day coaches. In charge
OF Engineer Charles Thorpe. pulled out Of
the station at 9:52 A. NJ. The early train
from Port Jefferson, in charge Of Engineer
David Service, was due to arrive four
minutes later As Thorpe felt his way
through the yards he could hear the Other
train approaching. It had the right Of
way, but Thorpe got the signal for clear
track and quickly increased his speed
Near Third street there Is a sharp curve
which makes it impossible to see the track
more than one hundred feet ahead. Re-
Gently number Of changes were made at
this point and the switches are now operated
by hand. Outgoing trains are supposed
to slow up; but as all the signals he had
received denoted q clear track, Thorpe
disregarded this custom. Service. speed
ing in the opposite direction, had received
the same signals and although he could
hear the east bound train approaching
he had no sense Of danger. Neither he nor
Thorpe had noticed anything peculiar
until their trains, rounding the curve. were
within seventy five feet Of each other.
1t was too late then to avert collision,
and the two engineers shut of steam and
jumped.
train had run into an open SWITCH striking
the tender of the other engine at an angle.
The firemen sitting in their cabs on the
left of the engineers were caught without
a chance of escape and crushed to death.
Benjamin Roach Of Locust Valley, L. l.,
the fireman OF the outbound engine, was
impaled on a twisted iron bar and carried
in that position as the engine tore it's way
through the side Of the first car Of the Port
jefferson train. Arnold Cordts OF Morris
Park, l.. l., Services fireman, was thrown
under the wheels Of the wrecked tender.
The first car OF each train was COM
pletely wrecked, but save few slight cuts
and bruises none Of the passengers was
injured. John Molineaux Of Port Wash
ington, Louis Solomon of Huntington,
7. Donnelly OF l54 East 18th street, Man
haitian NJ. Ellsen OF Huntington, c. Ander-
son of 1873 Third avenue, Manhattan; NJ.
Ryan of Kings Park, f. S. Brill Of 25s West
Hath street, Manhattan, and W. r. Rush
were among the passengers in the first car
OF the Oyster Bay express hut their injuries
were so slight that they went away before
an ambulance arrived. Albert T. Norton
OF Port jefferson was the only passenger
on the other train to be hurt He was in
the smoker and was thrown from his seat,
getting a slight cut on the head,
The wreck took fire but the flames were
quickly extinguished. 1t was some time,
however, before the clouds Of steam from
the damaged boilers had cleared aw ay
sufficiently for the members OF the fire
department and wrecking crew to make
their way into the burned cars. They were
further hampered by the crowd of Sunday
picnickers who stopped on their way to
North Beach and other resorts to see the
wreck.
General Superintendent Addison and