The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-29

oNlA1UOIS EItALH IOAu q hAVAANh NANs AS
knew every foot OF the track.
Past crossings and around curves the
three steel cars leaped and swayed at a
speed sometimes reaching sixty miles an
hour, until they arrived at the ~drawbr1dge
over the T~horoughfare.
h T~horoughfare is a narrow neck OF
tidewater which separates the island on
which Atlantic City stands from the main
land. The railroads cross IL on draw
bridges. which are guarded by watchmen
in signal towers.
The drawbridge Of the new electric line
il fourteen feet above the water. A few
minutes before the elect rio express was
due il had been opened to allow a small
vessel to pass and the Waterman had closed
il again.
In so far as he could see everything was
clear for the express. but II seems the rails
had failed To lock. There was an aperture
about the width Of a mans thumb, a space
Just larEe enough to permit Of the Ranges
of the wheels to strike the outside instead
Of the inside of the rails on the bridge.
Scot couldn't see the danger and he
brought the express down TO the draw
bridge on time to the minute, at 2:27. As
! the rules required. he reduced his speed
somewhat, but even at that the train was
going at a rate which could not have been
much less than forty miles an hour.
As soon az they felt the grinding OF the
brakes the passengers began to get their
wraps and parcels together preparatory to
alighting.
Il was a regular holiday crowd and there
were many family parties on board. Most
Of the passengers were Philadelphians who
were going TO the seashore for a days out
ing. Men were helping wives, sisters and
children on with their coats.
One could hedr wondering youthful
queries like: is this Atlantic City?" and the
answers to them. Conversations were
The disjointed talk which one always hears
at the end of a railroad journey was going
on with the usual accompanying hustle.
Then came n wrench that threw every
passenger of his feet, "A crash, a brief sound
Of ripping as the wheels tore over the ties
of the draw and then the first coach whirled
off the side of the drawbridge, turning over
Us it went.
Railroad men describe this sort of an
accident IA -stubhing the toes" for the
reason that its effect upon a train is exactly
the same as the effect upon a runner when
his foot strikes against an unseen obstacle.
Even in this extremity, Motorman Scott
stuck to his controller and threw on the air
brakes. Survivors say that they felt the
grip of the iron shoes on the wheels and
the second and third cars slowed up. II
the couplings had let go It IL proba' lie that
only the first coach would have fallen on
the bridge. But the couplings held the train
together firmly and where one car went
the others had TO follow. More slowly
than its predecessor. the second car reeled
over into the ThOroughfarc. The third car
actually stopped for a moment on the brink
and the w~atchnen and loncshoremen
could see it, occupants struggling to get
out at the doors and windows before il, too,
toppled over or its side and dropped into
the swirling T~horoughfare.
At that moment the tide. which was COM
ing in, had almost reached its height and
there was about twenty feet of water in the
channel The first two cars We're sub
merged completely. but the rear end OF
the third car, being in the shadows along
the west side Of the Thoroughfare, was
raised above tho surface,
IL was all over in less than ten Second
a time too short for the minds Of those on
shore 10 grasp what was happening. The
Waterman in the tower sat for a second or
two like a stone man. \ moment before
he had seen a train on the bridge. Now
there was none.
There were many small craft in the
Thoroughfa-e. ~rowooatS, sailboats, oyster
boats and the like, whose oCCuuautS were
similarly affected. For a few seconds
there was no sound. All the ordinary
noises that had preceded the crash IN this
busy little waterway ceased, but it was only
for a moment.
After that came screams from the third
( car. Windows were broken one after
another and men emerged from the food
their clothing torn. their faces and hands
, bleeding. coughing and sputteTing, tor
! most of them had teen half drowned.
Tasco's Royal Artillery Band. Of fifteen
members, was in the rear car and thirteen
Of them ESCAPED, their BRAY" uniforms
ripped into ribbons by the glass teeth OF
the shattered windows through which they
had climbed. sTneared with blood and
coated with the mud Of the channcl S bottom.
Two of the band were drowned.
This sight brought the spectators back
70 their senses. The man in the tower
flashed the news to Atlantic City and Cam
den. The boatmen dashed for the sub
~ 1T $4,000 ~ Il.
big bell in the tower of City Hall was ring
ing out a general alarm. Fire companies
came on the gallon from all quarters Of the
town. Police were called in from every
where and sent to the drawbridge. Every
physician IN the city was reached by tele.
phone or special messenger. Amhulancef
flew for the ~Thoroughfare with changing
gongs. Delivery and private car,
riaCes were hauled out Of their Sunday
quarters and hurried away to the draw.
bridge.
People came running from everywhere
some because they feared they had friends
or relatives on the train, others because
Of a desire To help and others merely be-
cause they were filled with the wild terror
that had gripped Atlantic City. There were
sobbing and wringing Of hands in the streets
and dinner tables were deserted. Afternoon
sunday schools we're dismissed, or rather
they ceased to exist, because every one
ran out of the churches and headed for
the InOrOugnIare. nOUelS were ueseTIeO
private houses stood open to any thiei
who might care to enter. The whole island
was in MYSTERIES.
The Pennsylvania Railroad station al
Tennessee avenue was like a madhouse
Men actually broke through the gates il
the nope Of getting some word from rela'
tivcs or friends they believed to be on the
wrecked rain. .
Il want my wife and my daughter
shrieked one, when the guard tried to stoT
him.
Women tainted and lay whore they fel
in many Instances because there was nc
one TO look after them.
The same scenes were enact ed at thu
Reading Railway station in Arkansas ave
ME. and they were maHnitied at the station
of the electric railroad in Tennessee avenue
where the crush at the gates was simply
overwhelming.
DIR. William Thompson OF the Atlantic
CITY Hospital summoned all his doctors
and nurses and told them that the worst
accident Atlantic City had ever known
had Just happened at the Thoroughfare
and that they must be prepared for heroic
work.
Meanwhile a thousand men were working
Mt the scene of the wreck. Some of then
swan out into the T~horouRhfare re, not tina
thew could be of any service, but simpl!
because they had to be doing something
Others ran up and Down the banks, shouting
or CRYING like persons bereft Of reason
The appearance of a dripping body or
LaJ m 60led survivor would cOnvulge tn