The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-30
PR. R. COLLISION KILLS THREE
FAILURE or BRAKES SENDS FLIER
INTO STALLED EXPRESS.
Three Cars TeIescOped and Forty Persons
Injured Near PhiIadeIphia -wOundcd
Engineer Bess TO he Killod-RAn
Past Danger signal and FIAgman.

Engineer Begs 70 be Killed Ran
Past Danger signal N FIaSman.
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 3o.-The New York
Flier on the PennsylvaniR Railroad, due
at Broad street station at 0:SS this morning.
crashed into the rear Of the Long Branch
Express, which had been stopped near
Eddington for repairs TO the airbrakes.
Two women were killed instantly, an
other died later. and fully forty passengers
were injured, fifteen seriously. Coroner
Rae OF Bucks county said tonight that
the fatalities would reach seven, but four
bodies are missing.
The known dead are Mrs. Mary OMalley,
Mrs. Mary Cronin and Mrs. William II.
Connell, all Of Philadelphia
With his ace covered with blood and
his hand torn, George Van Arsdale, engineer
Of the New York express, went about In
the smoke that covered the wreck calling
upon mel to shoot him that he might not
have to hear the groans OF the injured
and look upon the long line OF MANNED
bodies taken from the wrecked cars
The engineer admitted that he had
passed n automatic danger signal and
had dashed by the red flag Of the brake
AAhh bChS OdOh " liz bb6llcu tIhIu. ItO
lays the blame upon a defect which pre-
him from applying the airbrakes to
more than three of the cars Of his train.
Most Of the victims OF the wreck are women
and this fact is due to an occurrence which
probably prevented the present list Of dead
and injured from being greater. After the
Long Branch express had been standing
still for a time while the crew was at work
upon the brakes most OF the men aboard
became restless and left the cars to stroll
outside.
The cars were thus more than half empty
when the New York express was seen COM
ing around a slight curve about BOO yards
from the standing train. The men outside
realized the danger and there was a chorus
Of shouts TO the women in the cars to Jump
for their lives.
As the locomotive plunged into the rear
car that car was jammed half way through
the car ahead, while the second car was
forced fifteen feet into the third car. The
seats in the last two cars became veritable
traps, pinning their occupants, who were
trying to escape through windows.
Hardly any damage was sustained by the
New York rain. The passengers were
thrown from their seats by the shock but
none was badly injured. The cars were
harmed and the locomotive lost only
it's smokestack and pilot.
Owing to this circumstance il was possible
for the train to be made up as an ambulance
train, and the injured passengers were
rushed to Philadelphia hospitals. Those
who were later taken from the wreck were
placed aboard a train passing In the Oppo-
site direction and carried to Trenton.
According to the official statement Of
the Pennsylvania Railroad officials, Engine
man Van Arsdale Of train 1O7 says he saw
the red automatic signal as well as the
fiagman, but was unable to bring his train
to a stop, although he had experienced no
whatever in stopping at Trenton,
which was the last stop he made.
After the accident the fireman of train IO7
he found the angle cock turned which
of the air from all the cars back Of three
ones. At this time It is impossible
to say what could lave turned the angle
unless 1t was struck by something
lille the train was running, which is an
unusual occurrence, although such a thing
has occurred before.
Although the officials give the cause Of
the disaster as defective apparatus, passen-
gers and witnesses disagree with them.
These say that when IN New York express
left Bristol it was behind time. On the long
stretch down it began to make up time.
it struck the curve at Eddingto
it was going seventy miles an hour and the
train was only 400 yards away. No
brakes could have stopped the rush, and
saw fire splitting from the wheels
as the brakes were pressed down.
Among the most seriously injured are Mrs.
Archibald Maddox, wife Of tho Trenton
manufacturer Miss Elizabeth White. |
daughter Of Prof. Thomas s. White, and
Miss Helen White, daughter Of Richard P.
the New Jersey politician.
Division Superintendent Abercrombie at
Jersey City said that the wreck was caused
by the failure OF the brakes on the New
York express to work. Such an accident
IS possible at any time" he said. 1T was
probably due to a stone or stick flying up
the train was in motion and shutting
the air by striking one Of the valves be-
,ween the cars. Van Arsdale is one OF the
oldest and most careful engineers on the
road. and we know that no blame can attach
10 him."
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