Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-11-03
EIGHTY L|vESLOST
Atlantic City Electric Train
Jumps TreStle.
THREE CARS GO UNDER WATER
VII In Two Leading Coaches Met
a Fearful Fate.
WERE CAUGHT III DEATH TRAP.
THREE CARS CO. UNDER WATER
WERE CAUGHT n DEATH TRAP.

Camden. \. j., For Atlantic city,
ing Body of water known as the
Tboronghfare, Through Twisted
Rail on Drawbridge Trestie Left
Track and Plunged Down Fifteen
Feet - The Three Passenger Cars
Had, II liz Estimated. "a Hundred
People In Them, Of which About
Twenty Were Able DO Escape
Through the Open Door of the Last
Car, some Few Through windows
ATLANTIC CITY, y. j., Oct 20
A railroad accident that was even
worse than the Meadow wreck OF July
30, 1896, sent about eighty people to
a sudden death yesterday afternoon
catching them ike rats in trap,
The three cars Of the 1870 electric
train OF the West Jersey and seashore
railroad lines due here al 2:30 Jumped
the track on the trestle bridge over the
water known as the Thoroughfare
and before any one could get out they
were hurled to watery grave The
irestle Is about fifteen feet above the
water, and the drop 10 the water re
quired several seconds, giving time for
the passengers men, women and chill
dren-to see and calculate their fate
TIE cars were submerged in thirty
feet Of water All who were in the
first two cars We're drowned Some of
those in the third ear escaped, but just
how many has not been established.
Many bodies have been taken out, but
the total loss w!,l not be definitely
known until the submerged cars are
raised and the bodies recovered.
Wrecking crews and divers are now
engaged in this work. 1t is said that
there were fully hundred persons
on the train, about twenty-five of
whom escaped from the rear coach.
There are also a number of injured.
who have been removed to a hospital
in Atlantic City. Twelve bodies have
already Teen brought mp by means of
oyster longs.
When the accident occurred the tide
was running at food Those in the first
two cars had no chance to escape, but
those in the third car, which was pois
ed for a brief time on the edge of the
trestle, allowed many to escape. Aft
erward the car toppled over into the
water. but was not completely sub
merged. one passenger, Harry Roemer
Of Philadelphia, escaping and was the
means of rescuing several Of those who
were thrown into the water
Some persisted in full view of those
who had escaped from the third rail.
but who were unable to give aid and
and was drowned before he could be
released the rising tide submerging
him within few minutes.
The accident was due to a rail turn.
ing in" 1t appears that the rail, which
was an outside one on the right hand
side coming down, must have been out
of plumb about an eighth of an inch
The sharp hange of the electric train
caught This ana twisted 1t inward
Had ii spread instead of twisting in
ward the accident never would have
happened.
This twist threw the first car off the
track and into the water The result
was that the second and the third car
was dragged with it, and while the
third ear was descending the rear por-
tlon struck a piece of the abutment
hung for a short time and then slid
into the water But this brief stop
saved several lives.
A number of men and a few women
leaped ont of windows and the reai
door either into the water or caught
hold of a post and were rescued II
was stated that fully eighty to a hun.
dred passengers were aboard, mostly
all crowded into the first and second
cars, These are entombed Among
the passengers were twenty men of the
Royal Artillery band
Fully 5000 people crowded the mead
ows ana the trestie. many relatives
and friends cryilg olt in despair ask
ing for loved ONES Chief Of Police
Maxwell had a Gordon Of police swung
around the death circle and Chief
Black Of the fire department called OF
his men on an emergency call AM
made them police temporarily.
1t is said that all Of the Royal Artil
lery bard we saved except two. TIL,
brakemon Of the train, Walter Scott
was Drowned TIE conductor. jane
L. Curtis escaped from the third ca
By jumping through a window Tit
other two cars are under thirty feet o
water
The train consisted Of three of TIN
new electric cars, with which the roa,
has been equipped The line is oper
ated by the third rail system Tn
trains began running a month ago, re
placing steam trains The run from
Camden to this city has been made II
an hour and a half. The wrecked trail
was in charge Of Motorman Waite