The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1906-10-30
LATEST ESTIMATE OF LOSS OF
LIFE TN RAILROAD WRECK
AT ATLANTIC CITY, N. J.
FEW ESCAPED DEATH IN DISASTER
NlNETY-oNE PERSONS WERE ON
THE TRAIN AT THE TIME
OF THE ACCIDENT.

Atlantic City, N. j., Oct. 30.-As the
details of the terrible wreck on the
electric line of the West Jersey and
Sea Shore railroad develop the disas-
ter becomes more appalling The to-
tai number Of persons whose lives
were snuffed out almost instantly is
probably sixty-six, with nearly a score
injured, several of whom, it is thought,
will die. Forty-eight bodies already
have been brought to the surface.
There were ninety-one persons on the
train. Twenty-Five OF this number
have been accounted for. which, with
the bodies recovered, brings the total
to seventy-three This leaves eighteen
not accounted for, who are supposed
to have been drowned. 1t is possible
that some of these may never be
found, as it is the belief of the divers
that some of the bodies fioated through
the broken windows and were carried
by the swift current out into the At
lantic.
The wreck occurred at the draw
bridge which spans the ThOroughfare,
a small waterway about one mile out
side Of this city, and was directly due
to the draw failing to work properly.
The fishing schooner Sinbad had just
passed through the draw. AS the
schooner was entering the draw the
electric train hove in sight and start
ed across the meadow from the direc-
tion of Pleasantville. Before the draw
had swung into position the three
cars, which were running at high
rate of speed, dashedsonto the trestle.
With lurch the forward car left the
rails and dashed into the guardraii,
the other two cars following. At the
point where the cars jumped the track
the top OF the trestle is nearly twenty
feet high. The first two cars We're in
stantly submerged. but the third car
OF the train caught on an abutment
and remained suspended. 1t was this
car from which nearly all of the In
jured escaped.
Rescuers Begin Work Promptly.
The news OF the disaster was quick
ly telegraphed to this city and in less
than an hour the work of rescue mad
been begun. At the time OF the accl-
dent the tide, which rises about ten
feet, was running in and the work OF
the divers was necessarily slow.
II was not until several hours later
- HI to- q
progress, Then the awful evidences
OF the disaster became more apparent.
When the two cars struck the bottom
Of the waterway they stood almost on
end and the first man to descend re-
ported that the victims were packed
In the lower ends of the submerged
cars so tightly that it was difficult TO
move them.
Prosecutor Albertson, Coroner Gas
kill, Captain Woodruff and Chief OF
Police Maxwell superintended the re-
moyal OF the bodies from the scene OF
the disaster. AS each body was
brought to the surface 1t was searched
and the effects were taken In charge
by Captain Woodruff. The valuables
were placed In packages, which were
numbered and a corresponding num-
Der was placed on the body.
Emanual Bernard of New York, an
actor and a nephew of Sam Bernard
the comedian. was among those killed
In the accident. Bernard was on ms
way to this city 10 play . weeks en-
gagement in vaudeville at Younga
Pier. -'f ~,