The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-01-15
Nineteen CARS
JUMPED TRACK
East Greenwich Scene Of Big
Freight Wreck Last Evening.
LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED.
Boston Freight on Siding 10 Allow Passsr-
ger Train Right Of Way Struck BY
Extra Freight
LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED.

A freight wreck occurred on the shore
line track OF the New York. New Haven
d Hartford railroad. near East Green
wioh. last night. at $50 o'clock. and while
no lives were lost traffic over
the main line between Boston and New
York was blocked for most OF the night
Nineteen cars, one of them smashed
into bits. were thrown pell-mell from the
tracks. and the resounding crash couid
be heard for great distance.
IL was in the early evening when the
residents OF the town were brought TO
sense that something had happened by
the crash that took place.
The Merchants Limited and the Gilt
Edge trains, bound for New York. had
Just passed by the station at which they
are due at 6.20 when an extra freight.
No bsl, comprising an engine and S cars,
from New York TO Boston. pulled along
paat the Potowomut station.
At the same time Boston freight, No.
esl. bound for Stonington. which had
backed on a siding 10 allow the passenger
train right OF way began to pull out on
the main track preparatory TO resuming
Is trip TO connect with the boat at Ston-
ington.
AS the freight came out on 10 the main
track one OF the cars jumped the rail
and toppled over falling directly on the
west-bound track In the path OF the ex-
ira, which was perhaps 500 feet distant
II was extremely dark at this point, and
ttioit the crews OF either train ndu OD-
served what had happened the north
bound extra on the west track had struck
the box car which was lying I'm It's path
end had reduced II TO kinding wood
The result was disastrous for the extra
The engine. which was one OF the big
mogul type. left the rails and plowing
through the car scattered it's contents in
every direction. The cars Immediately
following the locomotive were similarly
derailed. The brakes on the extra were
reversed. and within a very brief space
OF time the train was brought 10 a stand
still Not until then were the trainmen
able To determine just how much dam
age had been done
Great confusion ensued. for OF the &c
cars ~ OF them had left the track on
the west side OF the track at this point
Il is little short OF miraculous that the
whole train was not pitched over the en-
bankment.
The theory at first advanced In regard
10 the derailing and subsequent tipping
over OF the box car on the Stonington
freight was that the air hose had broken.
thereby setting the brakes up so hard
that the car had jumped the rails. Mr..
camp, the engineer however. was not
inclined TO believe that such was the case
and said that. in his opinion. the car had
left the rail at the point where the siding
Joined the main track
He thought that the air hose had burst
after and not before the car left the rail.
Boston. Jan. 15.-All the trains from
distant points running over the New
York, New Haven and Hartford road
were late today In arriving at the South
Terminal station In this city on account
OF the freight train wreck at East Green
wich, r. L.. last night. The roadway
was cleared OF wreckage early this fore
noon and the delayed trains proceeded 10
Boston.
The mail train which left New York
last night at II o'clock arrived here at
2 o'clock. FIVE hours late All mail com
ing from any distance out OF Boston was
delayed