Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-11-01
PLUNGE FROM BRIDGE
TROLLEY CARS ARE DEATH
TRAPS FOR SEVENTY.
Fall Into Arm of Sea-Many Sub
merged in Twenty Feet of Water
Vehicles Leap Track Near At
Iantfc City.


drowned Sunday by being plunged into
the Thoroughfare-an arm Of the sea
on the outskirts of Atlantic City, y.
]. They were trapped in the three
cars of an electric train from Camden
on the West Jersey and Seashore Rail-
road. A twisted rail hurled the train
from the bridge over the Thoroughfare
TO the water, fifteen feet below. Few
of the 100 or SO passengers escaped.
The catastrophe was even worse
than the Meadows wreck of July 80,
1896. The road on which the wreck
occurred is the New Jersey branch of
the Pennsylvania. The train left
Camden at 1 o'clock and was due at
Atlantic City at 80. Most of the
passengers had crossed the Delaware
River ferry from Philadelphia to Cam
den.
Little Chance for Escape.
For most of the passengers there was
no opportunity of escape. The electric
was running at good speed, although it
had slowed down somewhat to cross
the bridge. As the first car struck the
twisted rail it leaped from the track,
bumped along the ties for a few feet
and plunged over the trustle to the
water. 1t dragged the second coach
with it. The rear car struck an abut-
ment. which held it back for an in
slant, and then slid into the water.
This brief delay allowed a few persons
to escape.
A number of men and few women
leaped out of the windows and the
rear door and either fell into the water
or caught hold Of a post and were res
cued. 1t is stated that fully 100 pas
sengers were aboard. almost all of
them crowded into the first and second
cars. These were entOmbed.
Among the passengers were twenty
men of the Royal Artillery Band, who
were on their way here from Philadel-
phia. One or two bodies of the band
men were recovered during the after
noon.
Water Twenty Feet Deep.
The Thoroughfare divides Abescon
Island, on which Atlantic City is sit
uated, from the mainland. The bridge
is half a mile from the center of the
city. The water at that point was
twenty feet deep at the time of the ac
cident, it being fiood-tide.
The entire city was thrown into
state of excitement as the news reach
ed town. Fully 5000 persons crowded
the Meadows and the trestle, many
relatives anu friends of the passengers
crying out in despair.
Chief of Police Maxwell had a cor
don of police swung around the spot
and Chief Black of the fire department
called out his men and made them po-
lice temporarily.
1t appears that the rail which was
an outside one on the right-hand side
coming down, must have been out of
plumb about an eighth of an inch.
Bends Rail Inward.
The sharp f1ange of the electric train
caught this and bent it inward. Had
it spread instead of twisting inward
the dCClucIlI ntNSI NOltiu nave udp-
pene This twist threw the first car
from the track and into the water,
dragging the others with it.
4 number of persons were rescued
from the cars, badly injured and al
most drowned. and were taken to the
hospital in Atlantic City. 1t is be-
lieved most of them will die. Their
rescue was accomplished by means of
most daring work. At the peril of
their lives men leaped into the water
and fought with the tide to save those
imprisoned within the cars.
The third car. which fell rear the
bank, was not entirely submerged at
first, although the rising tide quickly
swept over it. Holes were cut through
the roof and few persons were drag
ged out by this means.
The accident was witnessed by many
people and rescue work was prompt
Strong swimmers endeavored to dive to
the submerged cars in search of bodies,
but so swift was the tide that they
were forced to deSist. Professional
divers were then secured, who donned
their armor and went down. But even
they were unable to do anything
against The tide that swirled around
the sunken coaches.