The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-10-29

Atlantic City, ~. j., Oct. 2s,-Preclpl-
tated into an arm Of the sea In three
cars from a trestle, 20 or more persons
met death on the outskirts Of this city
at 2:sO o'clock Sunday afternoon. The
victims were passengers in an electric
train on the West Jersey and seashore
railroad, which jumped the tracks while
crossing the drawbridge over The Thof
oughfare" the body of water that sepa-
rates this city from the mainland.
The first TWO cars leaped from the
structure Immediately The third hung
on the brink for n few moments, and
then also plunged into the water. drop
OF Is feet The interval however. was
sufficiently long 20 enable r. O. Wood,
a trainman, to open the rear door
and help many Of the passengers to safe
~ while the car was humping along
toward the edge OF the trestle
News Of the accident, which was hur-
ried into the city by telephone. brought
every available ambulance and every
doctor in the city 10 the trestle in less
than an hour. The situation that con-
fronted the rescuers was one OF the most
desperate in the history of railroad dis
sisters.
TRAIN LOAD PERIsHED.
The passengers in the first two coaches
with one or two exceptions were drowned
Before o'clock this morning ~ bodies
had been recovered and II Is believed
that at least %. and possibly 30. more
bodies are still in the submerged coaches.
The train was one or the new three car
trains introduced by the Pennsylvania
railroad on its third-rail electric line
from Camden 20 the sea. IL was vest-
buled handsomely equipped and Of the
latest design.
The train. which left Camden at l
o'clock in the afternoon, carried prob
ably IS passengers, as that number of
tickets are held by the conductor That
official Is uncertain. however. just how
many passengers were aboard, and until
all OF the bodies have been taken out %
the submerged coaches 1t will not be pos
t,ble 10 give even an approximate esti-
mate OF the dead
The cause OF the wreck has not been
fully established. II was probably due
either 10 defective rails or 10 the break
ing of some part of the superstructure
Of the first coach. 1t has also been sug-
gestes that the drawbridge which had
just been closed after the passage OF
Yacht. may not have properly locked the
rails All theories this morning however,
are purely speculative as to the cause.
COACH JUMPS TRACKS
While running at speed said to have
been rapid but not unusual, The first
coach left the rails and dragged those
following IL over the ties for a distance
of so Z ct Suddenly swerying, the first
two coaches plunged over the side OF the
bridge into the water 1b feet below. The
third coach struck heavy abutment.
broke its couplings and for a brief time
hung perilously suspended over the wate-.
Brief as was this period, however, II
gave more than a score of passengers an
opportunity TO escape by the rear door.
Then the car slid off and followed the
other two into the water. IL Is believed
everyone in the rear or third coach es-
capped alive. although all were more or
less injured.
The accident was witnessed by many
persons on shore. and assistance was
promptly sent from Atlantic City. Little
could be done. however, toward saving
the lives OF those imprisoned in the sub
merged coacnes.
The water at the point where the train
plunged in was not deep enough 20 cover
the coaches at first, but as they quickly
settled in the mud and as the tide rose
they were hidden from sight, except for
the trolley poles
Divers were sent down TO try to reach
the dead bodies in the coaches, but as
darkness set In and as the tide rose more
swiftly they were unable for a lone time
to reach them.
THE DEAD:
Among the dead are:
r. De Saceseno, bandman, Of Royal Ar
tillery band of Philadelphia.
J. p Dempsey and wife, Camden.
Frank Monroe and wife, Camden.
Vincente Donelli, member Of Tosca's
Royal Artillery band.
Pasauello MaZelle. Philadelphia.
p. Anguroso. both members OF Toscas
band.
Walter Scott. Atlantic City, motorman
David Fried New York city.
Laura Laurence, Philadelphia.
Mrs Selma womfer. Camden, n. j.
James Egan. Atlantic city.
Charles Albertu. Morristown, Pa.
Mrs. BrodIsh, identified by her niece
Samuel I. Field. 70 years old, Philadel-
phla.
Among the dead at the hospital was an
unidentified woman, wearing a wedding
ring marked, 1T. r. 20 !. y. c. and
two other diamond rings and pearl She
wore a white waist. black skirt new
shoes. and is apparently about 30 years
old. Her body now lies at the Crowley
morgue
A Camden physician. whose name Is as
vet not known, together with his wife.
was In the first car, and both arc believed
10 be among the dead. although the
bodies have not been recovered.
THE INJURED.
Among the injured are:
Joseph DE vito manager Of Royal Ar
tlllery band. severely injured about the
head and ribs.
II. r. Joseph, Camden
A. L. Reese, SO Archibald street, scran-
ton, Pa.
John Fortunate real estate and insur-
ance man. Philadelphia
Oreste Roy Malielo Philadelphia
John Dougherty 223e Brandywine street.
Philadelphia, severely injured. lie broke