New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-12
Twelve Dead and Fory-two Seriously Injured in Long
Dreaded Accident
CARS LEAVE TRACK AT SHARP CURVE
ammed Forward End Coach Under Wrecage oan and
Touenan Bamdh for Horror

The worst elevated railroad wreck in the
city's history one that has been dreaded ever
since elevated trains began to run. occurred at
9th-ave and a3d-st in the rush of downtown
travel yesterday morning. when one car of
crowded train crashed from the structure clear
to the street Eight persons were killed Instant
ly in the crash and about forty were hurt Sc
riously. four OF them dying after removal to
hospital.
Scenes of panic and horror battling descrip-
tion followed the fall of the car. both on the
street level where dead, dying and nai.ned pas
sengers were wedged together and on the ele-
waited structure. where the remaining cars OF
the train were stalled one trembling over the
edge and threatening to fall The fallen car
rested with one end on the sidewalk and the
other high up against the elevated structure,
and it had to be chopped to pieces before all
the dead and injured could be removed from it
From the stalled cars on the structure passen-
gers fled in terror and in peril of death from
the third rail.
The disaster happened at a point where ele-
waited traffic has long been regarded as most
dangerous where the downtown trains of the
6th-ave. line turn q sharp curve. crossing up
tracks on a dead level, in order to leave the
9th-ave line. 1t is the rule for the 6th-ave.
trains to slow down in approaching the curve.
while the 9th-ave. trains go down the incline
from 59th-st. to 5oth-st. at full speed.
The switch at 53d-st was set for 6th-ave.
train Yesterday morning when a 9th-ave. train
ran down the 9th-ave. incline under full head
way. The train took the switch and began to
round the curve. Instantly there was a shock.
but the first car. weighted with its heavy motor
machinery held to the rails and rounded the
curve into 53d-st. The emergency brakes were
.-..-a ,@,ae ey,I
car OF lighter construction and known as
trailer. it left the track the curve, broke its
couplings and shot over the edge of the elevated
structure directly in front Of the drugstore
at the southeast corner of 9th-ave. and 5Sd-st.
In its fall the car struck the building glanc-
ing blow smashing the windows of the drug
store The forward end then hit the sidewalk
while the rear end was held w by the g1rders OF
the elevated structure The passengers We're
hurled toward the forward end. Most of them
were packed together in helpless mass there
but the sides of the were partly broken by
the crash, allowing some passengers to fall out
A few persons we're crushed on the sidewalk
under the falling mass.
The third car of the train nearly followed the
second off the structure 1t left the rails and
crashed over the ties until its forward end huns
over the sidewalk There ii stopped. The first
car came to a standstnl in 53d-st. few feet
from the corner The remaining cars OF the
train rested on the track north of the curve.
Blame for the disaster, in the judgment of the
poIice and coroner rested between two men.
cornelius A. Jackson the towsrman at 9th-ave.
and 53d-st.. who switched the 0th-ave train off
its track and Paul Kelly. the motorman of the
o,b-ave train. who failed 10 stop when the
sigpal showed the switch was turned against
his train Both men left their posts after the
accident Jackson was arrested before noon and
uas held on a cnarge OF criminal carelessness
He insisted that he thought the discs the
train we're set as If for 6th-ave. train, but he
u,os rot allowed to make any official statement
Kelly had not been found at late hour last
night
In front of the drug store at a. m. five
minutes before the disaster occurred two police
men met and stopped for brief talk One
Edward j. Moran. OF the West 4Tth-st, station.
ON post, and the other was Henry Aiken. de-
tailed 10 the West side court, VINO was ON his
way to the court Moran heard the grinding
and crashing above as the car left the track.
and shouted to Aiken.
Run for your lifey'
Moran dashed away. barely In time to save
himself but Aiken stopped 10 look up and was
hit by the falling car. Aiken was found later
with fracture % the skull and dislocated leg.
THE TRAIN OF THE CENTURY