The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1907-02-22
Twenty Persons Are Killed In
Electric Train Wreck
FIFTY SERIOUSLY HURT
Nearly a Hundred Were Slightly
t- ~ Vel ft ffHse ~ "n
Injured When Coaches OF a
Train Going at High Rate OF
Speed Overturned Coroner
Inclined to Doubt MOtOrman

New York, Feb. 1S.-Twenty dead.
two fatally hurt 'and 145 others more
or less seriously Injured. is the result
Of the wreck of an electric express
train on the New York Central railroad
at 2O5th street and Webster avenue
Saturday night. OF the large number
of injured, 80 are, according to hos
pital and police reports, seriously hurt,
and the death list may be soon in
creased.
Sunday was a day Of investigation
and inquiry by representatives OF the
district attorneys office, the coroner
and the police. The cause of the wreck
is still matter of speculation. Inc
result of the investigation may become
known when the inquest is held by the
coroner today.
With the clearing of the wreckage
interest turned to what the authorl
ties might do. Perhaps the most sig
nificant statement was the one mace
by Coroner Schwannecke. He mao Sc
cured statement from Motorman hos'
ers of the wrecked train. In thls' ac-
cording to the coroner, the motorhan
had stated that he was running Oh
schedule time when the accident &C.
Cured and admitted that the speeo
Of his train was 70 miles an hour' hos-
ers, said the coroner, declares that ne
did not know anything was wrong IN
til an eighth of a mile beyond the place
of derailment. Then. said the coroner,
il was another eighth of mile Delore
the motors came to a standstill. Rog'
ers declared the motors did not leave
the tracks.
The train consisted of a double
headed motor coupled into one engine,
with one motorman, drawing hVe
coaches. The first was smoker, the
second is described as power car,
though it is commonly designated as
combination baggage and smoker, an.
the three following ordinary passenger
coaches.
Coroner Schwannecke said that he
was skeptical as to the statement tn
the motors did not leave the rails, BE
cause the ties show that the motors al
first car were off the track an elgh
of a mile from where they stopped.
have an idea that one of the motors left
the rails first. l have part OF a r. j
which indicates that it Is SO. 1t appears
to me that a spreading Of the rails
caused the disaster"
The coroner said that he had secured
from some of the passengers
that the train was running at a speed
which frightened them.
When the wreck occurred the three
rear coaches, completely filed with
were thrown on their right !
sides just above sharp curve at Wood
lawn Road bridge. The shock was ter
rife. People were hurled violently
from their seats and the most of those
who were killed were pitched through
the windows as the cars slid on their
sides. The third rail held for time,
but finally broke with flash and roar
seen and heard for great distance.
Between the wreck of the current"
rail and the main track the bodies were
wedged. They were held here as the
cars passed along and in this way were
terribly mangled.
The scene at the wreck beggared de.
scription. The fact that the majority
Of the victims were women added to the
horror. Dismembered bodies were
strung along for distance of 100
yards. One woman was impaled on a
huge splinter from a railroad tie. The
condition of other bodies was too
,rightful for description. 1t was a
sight and the task that
waited physicians and police also sick.
ming.
T. r. Rogers, the motorman of the de-
'ailed train, who was arrested by or
Ter Of the coroner and taken before
lin for examination, was subse.
luently paroled on his own recog-
,izance TO appear for the coroner's in
luest later.