New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-06-19
TENNIS WITH AUTOMOBILE.
TWO ENGINES HIT CAR.
Fi0e Men Lay Flat Betzeeen Tracks
rs Trains Rush On.

Five men employed by the De Dietrich Motor
Car Company, Of No. IL West 34th-st, who
were in of its stock touring cars, narrowly
escaped death serious injury early yesterday
when their automobile was struck by New
York Central and Hudson River express train
at the Fordham Landing crossing in The Bronx
They had just time enough to jump from the
machine as it stopped in the middle of the track
The express engine hurled the automobile to
another track in front of a freight engine. The
freight engine tossed the car, reduced to a
tangle of scrap iron. to the side Of the tracks
The five men had thrown themselves fiat on the
gravel between the tracks. as the freight ana
express rushed by them and all escaped without
harm. They refused to give their names to the
police.
The party had come from New-Haven and in
tended to the Harlem at Kingsbridge, SO
as to reach Broadway. In the darkness and
their ignorance of the streets they went too far
down the river, and turned down the steep, short
section of the Fordham Road, running from
Sedgwick-aye. across the railroad tracks to the
Fordham Heights station and ending at the
Fordham Landing pier Had they passed the
crossing and escaped the trains, they might have
plunged off the end of the pier into the river
There are gates at both sides of the crossing
at the Fordham Heights station, and bell
rings at the approach of a train going either
According TO bOHoNdL oA CiAo
Highbridge station, who was on post at the
crossing the gates were down. as the two trains
so1,thbound and northbound were due, when
the automobile sped down the steep hill from
Sedgwick-ave
The negro driver steered the machine so that
It passed the end of the gate and went on
across the four tracks. Donovan shouted 10
the autornobilists back out. that a train was
coming. AT that moment the warning bell
sounded, indicating the approach Of the express.
At the same time. too a full freight train ap-
peared Both trains within a few hundred
yards of the crossing when the party in the
automobile realized their danger
The driver put on the brakes and then, either
because of fright or lack Of acquaintance with
the machine was unable to move the car either
forward or backward. It remained fixed across
the inner northbound track, with the headlight
of the express lighting up the terrified faces Of
the party.
! They ieaped from the and threw them
| selves fiat between the inner and outer north
bound tracks. grovelling in the ballast to es
cape the rush OF air.
| The pilot OF the big express locomotive struck
the side of the automobile and hurled 1t dag
! onaIly across to the track which the freight
hardly settled when the freight engine struck it,
knocking 1t off the tracks and into the ditch be-
| side them.
/ The automobists crouched and hugged the
/ ground with the pieces Of their hurting
above their heads, ana managed to hold tight till
! both trains had passed. Patrolman Donovan
! and the employees in the station expected to find
| them dead.
! The freight and express engines went on
| without Stacking speed.