Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1906-10-30

of those drowned may ever be reeov-
cred.
Atlantic City, n. J., Oct. 29.-As
the details of Sundays terrible wreck
on the electric line of the West Jer-
sey and SeashOre road developed dur
ing the night, the disaster became
more appalling. The total number of
persons whose lives were snuffed out
almost instantly, is probably sixty
six, with nearly a score injured, sew
eral of whom, it is thought, will die.
Forty eight bodies already have
been brought to the surface. There
were ninety-On persons on the train,
fifteen passes and seventy six fares.
Twenty of this number have been
accounted for, which, with the bodies
recovered, bring the total up to 70.
This leaves is persons not accounted
for, and who are supposed to have
been drowned. 1t is possible that
some OF these may never be found. At
police headquarters Monday morning 1t
was stated that the effects found on
bodies were not sufficient to permit of
Identification of more than six and
that Identification will have to be
made by personal inspection. All of
the bodies are being embalmed.
The early morning trains brought
many persons from philadelphia ara
other points, who were anxious to
learn il dear one had been swept to
death by the awful disaster.
The wreck occurred at the draw
bridge which spans the thoroughfare,
small waterway about / mile out
side of this city, just on the eastern
edge of the meadows and was directly
due to the draw falling to work prop
erly. The fishing schooner Sinbad
which was recently wrecked off Win
ter Quarter Shoals light, a short dis
tance from the Delaware breakwater,
had just passed through the draw
bridge. AS the schooner was enter
ing the draw, the electric train hove
in sight and started across the mead
ow from the direction of Pleasantville.
Before the draw had swung into posi-
ton the three cars, which were run
ming at high rate of speed, dashed
onto the treStle. With a lurch the
forward car left the rails and dashed
into the guard rail, the other two
cars following. At the point where
the cars jumped the track the top Of
the trestle is nearly 20 feet high. The
first two cars were instantly sub
merged, but the third car of the train
caught on an abuttment and remained
suspended. 1t was this car from
which nearly all of the injured es-
capped.
The news of the disaster was quick
ly telegraphed to this city and in less
than an hour the work of rescue had
begun.
At the time of the accident the tide,
which rises about 10 feet, was run
ming in and the work Of the divers
was necessarily slow. 1t was not un-
til several hours later that the divers
were able to make any progress, and
then the awfulness of the tragedy be
came more apparent. When the two
cars struck the bottom Of the water
way, they stood almost on end, and
the first man to descend reported that
the victims were packed in the lower
ends Of the submerged cars so tight
ly that 1t was difficult to move them.
One by one the bodies were brought
up, carried to waiting train and laid
side by side, later to be borne to this
city and placed in the Empire thea
ter.
Thousands of persons quickly gath
cred at the scene of the disaster and
a score of boats soon surrounded the
spot where the cars disappeared, but
they were unable to render any aid.
At the morgue the scenes were pa
thetic. Persons who had friends on
the ill-fated cars, crowded about the
door and with difficulty were restrain
ed from forcing their way into the
building. One Of the most heart
rending incidents was furnished by
Frederick Renckert, who lost his en-
tire family, wife and two children
Bsnoksrt was not informed Of the ac-
cident until too late to catch a train
and he hurried here IN an auto. When
he saw the bodies of his wife and two
little boys lying side by side on the
floor, Benckert collapsed and had tC
| be carried from the building
Walter Scott, motorman, was kilIeJ
because Of his anxiety to spend a part
OF the day with his wife here. 1t was
Scott's custom to run only as far as
Millville, but he had swapped runs
with another mOtorman and his death
was the result.
Prosecutor Albertson, Coroner Gas
| kill, Captain Woodruff and Chief OF
Police Maxwell, superintended the re-
moval of the bodies from the scene OF
| the disaster. AS each body was
| brought up to the surface it was
searched and the effects taken in
charge by Captain Woodruff The
valuables were placed in packages and
numbered and a number correspond
ing was placed on the body