The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-10-29
Shocking Sunday c Catastrophe
At Atlantic City
Electric Cars Leave Tsss and Drop Into the Water Where
Nearly Ono Hundred Passengers Are Drowned Like Rats In
Trap While One Car TottsTs Moment on tho Brink
Several Passengers Escape Uy Rear Door Held Open For
1hsm By Brave Train Man. 40 Eodes Recovered But
Securing Of the Remainder Prevented By The Bsing Tide,

his way through the window and escaped
after being in the water.
Andrew Taylor, electrician, Camden N
j., injured severely
George NJ. McGee, 25l0 North Thirty
first street Philadelphia.
| w H. stewart Weenonah, n. ].
! Frank Deceri, 92l League street Phila'
I delphia.
John Fortunate, sl4 South Eleventh
street Philadelphia
Joseph Devipo manager Royal Artillery
band, 1911 South Nineteenth street, Phil
adelphia.
Angelo Fanzein. 200 South Clifton
street. Philadelphia
! Andrew Taylor, 500 Princeton street
/ Camden. n. j.
Ida Debal. Florence, N. j.
| Edward Morgan, Scranton. Pa.
orestes Roy, 1924 South Eighth street,
! Philadelphia.
II. e. Joseph. 2ll South Fourth street.
| Camden, n. j.
George MCGEE. 25lO North Thirty-frst
| stret, Philadelphia.
OF these injured, IL is believed most will
! die.
FEW WOMEN ESCAPED.
The survivors are mostly men, only
three or four women managing to get
out. Entire families, who were on the
way TO the shore, were wiped out with
/ out a chance at rescue.
! The entire city was thrown into n state
| OF excitement as the news reached town
| about 2:30 O'clock, a few minutes after
| the tragedy occurred. Fully 800 people
! crowded the meadows and the trestle.
many relatives and friends crying in de-
4 spair 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 out his men on an emergency call
and put them on temporary police duty.
RAIL MAY HAVE BEEN TWISTED,
The accident was probably due to a
rail- turning in" 1t appears that the
| rail, which was an outside one on the in
bound train, must have been out OF
plumb about an eighth OF an inch. The
sharp flange OF the electrict train caught
! this and twisted 1t inward, Had it spread
instead OF twisting inward, the accident
never would have happened
Walter Scott. the motorman, felt this
Jar, and. according TO people in the train.
at once applied the air brakes with full
force: but 1t was useless. All three cars
bumped over the sleepers for 100 yards
and then the front car took a plunge.
The second and third ears were drag
ged down, but. while the third car was
falling, the rear portion struck a piece of
the dDulfntIi NUNS ioI d
J This brief stop saved several lives. y
| number OF men and few women leaped
out OF windows and the rear door, either
into the water or to a nearby post.
where they clung and were rescued. Most
OF the passengers we're crowded into the
first and second cars and were sent into
the water and engulfed.
Scott went down with his train, J. O.
Curtis. the conductor also perlshed. The
third trainman r. 3. Wood, the brake
man proved himself a hero. When the
| train left the rails and was bumping over
! the ties Wood ran TO the rear door of the
| last car. threw il wide open and held il
for the passengers to escape. He kept his
hold on the door until the car slid off the
bridge, and he went into the water with
IT, He then swan TO the shore. His action
I'm holding wide the door prevented larg-
list of dead.
SWIMMER SAVES LIVES.
When the third car dropped tpte=the
water Henry Roamer was i'm the act OF
crawling from n window. Freeing HIM
self with an effort, and being a strong
swimmer. Roemer set about TO help 9TH
ers Swimming along the side of tho fast
sinking car, he kicked out the glass In
the windows and thus gave several pas
sengers an opportunity TO get out one
man was caught i'm "A window and was
|
self.
Most OF the Victims were Philadelphians
coming 10 the shore for the day Half OF
the 10 members of Tasco's Royal Artil-
lery band Of Philadelphia, who were on
the rear car. so far as can be learned. IL
escaped, more or less injured Bonville,
who died In the hospital and Pasquale
Mazello. who lives on Christian street
Philadelphia, are the only ones known 10
be dead. Mszello's body was recovered
late last night
RESCUE WORK
The work of rescue was begun within a
few minutes after the accident occurred
Men on shore and railroad signal men in
the towers, within sight OF the bridge,
dashed news OF the tragedy TO the city,
and a general alarm rushed. among 9TH
ers, force OF railroad men and two com
panies OF firemen 10 the scene at once
All sorts OF water craft were impressed
into service, and fremen with axes cut
through the roofs OF the cars. while 9TH
ers with oyster tongs and boat hooks
grappled for bodies Every ambulance
and every undertaker's wagon I'm the city
were called for by telephone. and the sur
vivors were carried to the hospital as
quickly as possible. Most OF the rescued
will live.
one woman. who had been bruised and
cut was pulled out OF the front car, but
died before she reached the hospital Vim
cent Bonvllle. another survivor. who was
picked up by the first relay OF rescuers.
also died from his injuries later In the
evening. He lived I'm Philadelphia, but
never recovered consciousness long
enough TO tell his address
Every physician in the city was sum-
moned but when the doctors arrived most
of the injured had been taken 20 the hos
pital and the others who were brought
up were beyond human aid Under Chief
Maxwell OF the police department and
Chief Black Of the FIRE department the