The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-10-29

rescueTs worked with frantic energy 10
break open the cars, but the swift cur
rent OF the "Thoroughfare" made their
efforts futile, and the rising tide quickly
covered the submerged cars with two feet
OF water.
DIVER PowERLEss.
John Cooney, a professional diver, was
among the first 20 reach the place. and
with an old and worn-out diving suit he
tried 10 get down into the sunken cars.
A beer pump YVES the only form of air
supply 20 be found and he was compelled
10 give up his efforts after he had gone
down twice without entering the cars.
Cooney says the forward car is tilted
at an angle. At least % bodies are wedg-
ed I'm the front end I'm a mass. lie failed
TO reach the second car. and II will be inn
possible 10 again go down until the falling
OF the tide early this morning
A sickening scene was witnessed
when one OF the men at work on the
top OF submerged car discovered
woman's Jeweled hand sticking
through the roof ventilator He
worked heroically 10 get her body,
ana nnally succeeded in drawing II
out. II has not been Identified.
j. s. DeFord, railroad man, saw
man clinging to the trestle crying
for help, and succeeded by crawling
along the edge Of the bridge In
reaching down and pulling him safe
~ up The man was cut and bruised
lie declined TO give his name.
About half dozen OF the passen-
gers were thrown against windows
with force enough 10 smash the glass
and managed TO get through. When
the first rescuers arrived on the scene
these were seen TO be floating or
hanging on to wreckage. Men In
boats went to their assistance at once.
but were unable 10 reach all of them,
and two at least went down before
help could reach them.
A dozen heroes who risked their
lives in the work OF rescue will prob
ably remain unknown, but tales of
heroism are mixed with the tales OF
almost miraculous escapes.
STORY OF A HERO.
One OF the heroes OF the catastrophe
is Harry C. Deemer OF 2570 Reese
street, Philadelphia. who, encased in
bandages, last night told of his mar
row escape and his rescue OF his wife.
Deemer was I'm the last car when
the crash occurred and says that
every window was closed.
When the first car left the track"
he said, I'VE felt the jar and saw the
forward car sway as IL went over into
tHt MdltIs lie htCOnu car IOllOWeQ
in fash, but our car appeared TO
almost stop and the passengers with
us believed that we would be saved.
In moment however. we felt our
car begin 10 sink and a moment after
we were dropping into the water. /
felt the car strike on the draw abut-
ment, and was thrown from my seat,
where was sitting with my wife.
| fell into the water. but managed
n Oaf INT he nd at.I af
thought of the window. Ny first
blow with my fist failed TO break the
glass and made hole with a stroke
with my elbow. / was badly cut in
getting through, but ! got out and
was able TO breathe. My first
thought was for my wife. ] crawlod
along the car, breaking the windows
as went. until ! heard the cry,
Save me, Harry
When grasped her arm she
screamed Don't, Harry. It's broken
but I held on and with the help of
another man who had crawled out. got
her from the car"
Mr.. and Mrs. Deemer were taken 10
the Hotel Mervine where II was
found that the woman had sustainei
a fracture OF the shoulder and an in
jured spine. The man is not Sc
riously injured.
Stories of other survivors from the
last car agree that Deemers breaking
Of the windows wns responsible for
the saving OF a half-score of lives,
most of the bandmen crawling
through the car.
John Taylor of Camden was among
those who went overheard with the
ears, but he kicked his way through
a window OF the rear car and swan
to the piling of the bridge, where he
held fast. and was rescued through
the bravery of J. E. DeFord. a rail
road man, who was near by when
the accident happened.
WOMEN SAVED.
Charles Kessler. a merchant, was
among the first on the scene and dis
played remarkable GOODNESS. lie se-
cured an axe. jumped on top of the
submerged cars and began to hack
the roof OF one to liberate the I'm
prisoned passengers. lie worked with
great courage, but could release only
a few. 1t is believed he got some OF
the women out and above water.
r. c. Smith Of Newfield and A. r. Kelly
of Jeffersonville, N. Y, who were pass
engers on the ill-fatcd train, got off at
told them 10 change their
minds about coming to Atlantic City.
About Is persons left the train at Pleas
antville, they said, and nearly as many
EOt ADObGu. Iney Edlu IullN lNV pdsSFn-
gers were on the train, and that great
many OF them were women.
John Fades OF liz Bay street, Atlantic
City, a parlor Ger man, was on the train,
and escaped by crawling through WIN
dow.
WOMAN SAVES HUSBAND.
Mrs. Mcdonald OF Philadelphia, who
was In the third car had the following
to say OF her experience:
when the cars went overheard / was
looking out of the window. IL was terri
bic. / saw that we were all doomed. and
my first thought was OF my husband The
cars plunged from the trestle and the
water began gurgling into the windows
and doorways. Fortunately, j am good
swimmer. The Lord only knows how l
broke my way through a window, but I
did It. AS / rose TO the surface, ! thought
of my husband and dove with a faint
hope that / could reach him. / went down