Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-08-26
F2|GHTFUL ACCIDENT.
Passenger Train Plunges Through a
Forty-foot Bridge---At Least
Forty Persons Killed.
Sixty Injured.

DpeeultS SdSbNdIH uSu+uu tlIie,
Lehigh Valley passenger train No. 4,
Chicago and New York flyer, ran
into a spread RAIL on trestle near
Manchester, N. Y, yesterday and two
day coaches from the midsection of
the train plunged downward 40 feet
striking the east embankment like
pair OF projectiles. In the awful
plunge and crash abou. 40 persons
were killed and more than 60 injured.
The injuries OF several are so serious
that it is feared they will die.
Crowded with passengers many of
whom were war veterans and e1cur-
sicnists from the Grand Army OF the
Republic encampment at Rochester,
the train, made up of IA cars, drawn
by two big mogul engines, was 40
minutes late when it reached Roches-
ter Junction and from there sped east
ward to make up time before reaching
Geneva.
The engine and two day coaches
had just passed the center of 400
feet trestle over Canadaigua Outlet,
$50 yards east of the station at Man
chester, at 1885 O'Clock, when the
Pullman car Austin, the third of a
long train, left the rails. 1t dragged
the dining-car with it, and two day
coaches and two Pullmans in this
order followed
All bumped over the ties SPORT
distance, when the coupling between
day coach No. 237 and the rear end
of the dining car broke. The forward
end OF the train dragged the derailed
Pullman Austin and the dining car over
safely, after which both plunged down
the south embankment and rolled
over.
The free end OF an ill-fated Lehigh
Valley day coach, in which most of
the victims were riding, showed out
over the gulf and followed by Grand
Trunk day coach, stripped the car
guard off the south side of the trestle
and plunged to the shallow river bed
more than 40 feet below.
The end of the first day coach that
went over struck the east embankment
OF solid masonry and, With the other
50-foot car behind it, both shot against
the wall with terrific force.
Both cars were filled with passeng
ers. In few moments the cars lay
mass Of crumbled wood, metal and
glass, under which hundred men,
women and children, many OF whom
were killed instantly, were buried.
The greatest destruction occurred in
the day coach No. 237, and dozen
persons were taken later dead from
the second day coach, which, after
following the first over the trestle,
snapped its rear coupling ard thus
saved the rest of the train from being
dragged along.
This second day coach struck on the
bottom and stood end up, the rear
end projecting few feet above the
top OF the trestle. ALI of the psssen-
ger in this car we're pilel in tangle
mass OF broken seats at the bottom of
tho car.
Indescribable pandemonium followed.
The Pullman car, Emelyn, remained
on the bridge with one end projecting
over the gulch, and several cars be-
hind 1t derailed and in immediate
danger of going over on the mass of
wreckage below. They we're soon en-
ptied of all their passengers.
The cars did not catch fire. Axes
we're secured, and body after body
was removed and carried by the res
cuers, knee deep in the river bed, to
the bank on the west side OF the
trestle.
It was more than an hour before
many OF the injured could be removed.
1t was necessary to chop through
the sides and bottom of the day coach
at the bottom, and the work of re-
moving the victims moved with pain
full slowness. Death had come swiftly
to many, large number of the dead
having had their skulls crushed in
when they were thrown against the
car seats and projections. The NOR
tality was high among the older pas
sengers, most of whom were veterans OF
the civil war and their wives.