The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-11-01
A TROLLEY HORROR
Crowded Electric Cars Plunge
From Bridge Into Water.
SEVENTY-FIVE LOSE LIFE
Cars Wore Coupled and Every Person
In First Two That Went Down
Were Drowned - Hundreds
Witness Catastrophe.

A special from Atlantic City, N. j.,
says: BY the wrecking Of a three
coach electric train On the West Jer-
seyand Seashore railroad Sunday af-
ternoon, at least so passengers per-
ished, and the list may reach the total
of Is when all is known. The victims
were caught like rats in trap.
While crossing over a drawbridge
spanning the waterway known as
''The Thoroughfare," which separates
Atlantic city from the mainland, the
train left the track and plunged into
the water. The passengers in the first
two coaches, with one or two excep.
tions, were drowned.
The trestle is about Is feet above
the water and the drop to the water
required several seconds, giving time
for the passengers-men, women
and children-to see and calculate
their fate.
The disaster, the worst that has
happened since the terrible Meadows
wreck, of July 80, 1896, occurred at
$3.50 O'Clock p. m. The train made
up Of three heavy vestibule electric
coaches, which left Camden at 1
O'Clock, carried at least SO passengers,
as that number Of tickets are held
by the conductor. That official is un-
certain. however, just how many pas
sengers were on the train.
The cause of the wreck has not
been established. It was probably due
either to defective rail or the break
ing Of some part of the superstruc-
ture of the first coach. It has also
been suggested that the drawbsidge,
which had just been closed after the
passage Of a yacht, may not have
been properly locked to the rails. All
| theories as to the cause Of the acci-
dent, however, are purely specula-
tive.
While running at speed said to
have been moderate, the first coach
left the rails and dragged those fol-
lowing it over the ties for distance
of so feet. Suddenly swerving, the
first two coaches plunged over the
side of the bridge into the weter,
Is feet below. The third coach
struck an. a5utment, broke its coup
! lings and, for a brief time, hung sus-
pended over the water. Brief as was
this period, however, it gave more
than score Of passengers an op-
portunity to escape by the rear door:
Then the car slid off, and followed the
other two into the water. It is be.
lieved every ene In the third coach
escaped alive, although all were In.
jured.
The accident was witnessed by
many persons on shore, and assist
ance was promptly sent from Atlantic
ClCy. 1dIIlS, IL ~ bCi1SSSu, wac oS>-S'
however, toward saving the lives OF
those imprisoned In the submerged
coaches. The water at the point where
the. train plunged in was not deep
enough to cover the coaches at first,
but as they quickly settled In the
mud ard IS the tide rose; they were
soon 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 ran more swiftly
they were unable for long time to
reach them.
Late in the evening wreck1nS
crew arrived On the scene and VIII
their aid, and the nse OF DERRICK
many bodies were taken out.
From the officials Of the railroad
company only measer and discon'
nec1ed story of the occurrence could
be had: .
Up to midnight the total dead re-
covered numbered "A. The bodies
were placed in an improvised morgue
at Atlantic City.