New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-16
RACING TRAIN WRECKED.
OPEN SWITCH BLAMED.
Oper Hundred Racegoers Bound
for Belmont Park Hart.

special racing train Of six cars. going 10
,,a,-,ont Park track, was wrecked about l p. m.
N-.e,day Just west of the woodhaven Junction
ton Of the Long Island Railroad. Between
,oo and $50 persons were injured. a few
riogsly
The cars were crowded so that some of the
..ssneers were sitting on the steps OF the
-s Fortunately. none sat on the forward
-..far,ns. as that part oe the cars later
sroand TO atoms
vas said that Henry Ralph. the woodhaven
7.ncHon swEchman, neglected to close the
..,,cb leading TO the Rockaway division tracks,
=. gave the all right signal 10 the tower
man. -,
,-1a.b,sb-ave station. neared tho switch, the
-ro,raer. George Valentine. that IT was
-, He shut of steam and applied the brakes.
rbe switch IN addition to being open. was not
,ootes il is said. The engine wheels tore the
--,b and the wrench threw the engine from
.hs tracks 10 one side on the Rockaway rails.
valentine Jumped as soon as he that an
accident was imminent He was not injured
Ne ,filt. the fireman, who was on the tank had
= time 10 leap He was thrown against the
borsr sustaining serious burns besides other
,ni,,ries. and his life IS despaired Of
The cars were thrown against the engine and
tro,n their trucks. The second car stopped when
tt was nearly fitting over.
Thomas Conneally. who was with friend IN
,+e erst car. said he heard a grinding crash. ac-
COMMANDED by a binding spray Of broken glass.
The next instant he was flung through win
6o7, He knew no more until he found himself
e. an ambulance
George J Green q theatrical manager who is
in St Marys Hospital, was crossing from the
e-et 10 the second car when the engine went on
,ba track. He was pitched through the open
doorway Of the second car to the ground.
.q know nothing about the cause of the ac-
c,asnt but know the go ahead signal was there
aud valentine was all right in sending his en-
gine through" said the injured fireman in the
tosptal. I was sitting on the tank when the
engine struck the, switch and keeled over. was
pitched head first against the boiler
Ten minutes after the accident many surgeons
were on the scene. They were DR.. Henry Mac
donald Of the Long Island Railroad; Coroner
Mutt, Of Queens; DR.. Sheridan. DR.. Kuhn, Dr.
Rogers, DR.. Rorke. DR.. Mitchell. DR.. Ball. Dr.
Gain and Dr. Morsch. Under DR.. Macdonald's
direction they systematized the work Dr.
Mitchell bundled four men into one ambulance,
which was so full OF patients, doctors and driver
that it had to be pushed up one hill
Men were pulled through windows and women
3ured refused 20 give their names. II sup
posed TO be at work elsewhere" said one. II
not going 10 have my boss see my name IN the
paper as one Of the injured in a race train ac-
cident"
Details of police from the RSd and 18th pre-
cincts and detectives from Queens headquarters
took charge Of the grounds and wreck Inspector
Gross ordered the arrest of Flagn1an Ralph
charge Of criminal negligence. The road between
Brooklyn and Jamaica was blocked for an hour.
Those most seriously injured were the follow
ing:
BATTBRaAN. Robert. No 24o Hartst-. Brooklyn; knee
injured.
c0NNEALLT Thomas. halter. No. pa chaunoey-st.
Brooklyn; ankle spFained-
leland all ribs side body broken: compound
fracture & right
DEyO William H. No Market-st.. Newark, n. J.:
knee injured.
DUCAs. James clerk, No. SO Ashland Place. Brookyni
broken.
yn; oontusons and bruises all over body
GARFUNKEI. Isador insurance. % West 11sth-st-.
Manhattan: injuries to back and legs.
HILL Mrs Emily No $50 LAberty-ave, Brooklyn; hip.
hand and wrist spraiRed; back injured; contusions
all over BODY.
PoLAiAN. John J, No. 81 Bond-st. wellington " J.;
nose broken.
Valentine was the first to gather his wits.
vent the boiler from bursting. Then he called
TO a gang of Italians who had been at work on
the tracks to throw sand into the 1rebox The
safety OF the boiler being assured. Valentine
turned his attention to the injured. De Milt was
found under a part of the tender. This was
pTied off 10 release him.