The Detroit times., 1911-08-26

were laid cut on the ground while
planks and timber were requisitioncd
and field hospital was established.
IL was more than an hour before
many OF the injured could be remov-
ed aud special trains from both Co |
neva and Rochester brought physi- |
clans. nurses and medical supplies.
Hundreds awaited treatment.
II was necessary TO chop through
the sides and bottom OF the day |
removing the victims moved with
painful 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 mortality was high among the
older passengers, most OF whom were
veterans of the Civil war and their
wives.
The dead removed from the wreck
and brought 10 q morgue at Shorts
Vile. near here at 8 o'clock tonight.
numbered %. Two other persons died
In Rochester from their injuries. Sew
eral other persons. with possibly NOR
tai injuries. are lying In the hospitals
at Rochester, Geneva and Clifton
Springs. The number OF seriously in
jureC 10 estimated ut so. $3.50
There are no Detroit veterans or
friends, so far as can be ascertained
here or In Rochester, Canandaigua or
Shortsyille, among the dead or In
jured.
Coroner Thinks Track Bad.
Coroner d. A. Eisiine, OF Shorts.
vile, took charge or work at the
wreck. assisted by Coroners Arm
strong OF Canandigua and Flint OF
Geneva. Coroner Armstrong was as
signed particularly to investigate the
legal aspect OF the disaster and after
preliminary examination Of the
scene, he said:
1T looks to me as though the track
was bad and there was probably b
broken rail II looks as IL the hrst
truck OF the first car that was derail-
ed left tho rails about so feet from
the west end of the bridge. We will
aold no Inquest until We identify all
OF the bodies"
Late last night, while the wrecking
crew were trying to remove part OF
the wrecknge, the day coach tina.
stood on emo fell into the gully, add
ing to the debris at the bottom under
which II Is possible a few more bodies
may be concealed.
Members of the wrecking crew had
narrow ESCAPES and the Jar Of the big
car as 1t shd along the trestie side be-
fore II plunged down frightened many
who stood on the structure.
Priests Administer Rites.
Rt Rev. Monslgnor Thomas J.
Hendrick, of Ovid. N. Y, the Rev.
vather w. II. Harrington, OF Ithaca,
and the Rev. James Grimm. of Wav-
erly, who were In the dining car,
were painfully bruised. They hasten
ed. however, to the aid Of the injured
and administered the last rites OF the
Catholic church to the dying.
Sisters Hortensia and Veda, OF q
Geneva convent, though suffering
from shock and bruises, also went
among the sufferers and dying to ZEN
der aid and comfort
Tho wrecked train was in charge
OF Conductor James Hillick. Of Gem
eva, with Engineers Bowman and
Callan on the engines. Conductor
Hillick had Just stepped from the din
ing car to the next car in front wheE
the dining car left the track.
He pulled the signal for brakes and
both engineers responded instantly.
Engineer Bowman, Of the second en-
CINE, was leaning from his cab win
dow and az he turned on the brakes
he looked backward to learn the
cause OF the trouble and saw the cars
topping on the bridge.
Passengers In the cars which re-
NAMED on the track gave prompt as
sistance. Appeals for doctors and
nurses were sent to the nearby places
and special relief trains were run
from both east and west. So great
was the number Of injured that there
was work for all.
A number of persons had miracu-
lous escapes. One woman was all
that remained alive from family OF
four. Two men jumped through a
window and escaped with slight cuts.
The road was blocked for several
hours and IL was necessary to send
the westbound trains over the New
York Central tracks via Lyons
Veteran Shows Quick Wit
The spot where the disaster occur
red was the worst on the entire road.
Had Il occurred 100 feet In either d.
rection, the PERCEPTIONS plunge from
the trestle would not have taken place
and the cars would not have been so
badly crushed. That all of the cars
behind the diner, nine In number, did
not 60 over was due TO the cool head
edness of a G.. A. r. veteran, who
pulled the emergency brake as he
heard the crash. This held Ave OF the
cars on the rails.
The train was running only between
twenty-five and thirty miles an hour
when the crash took place, having
slowed up to 20 through the Manches-
ter yards. The locomotives were OF
the heaviest mogul type and were be-
ing let out to get high speed In the
hope OF picking UP" some time and
the officials are inclined to believe to-
day II was their pounding that split
the rail
Investigation Ordered.
WASHINGTON, Aug 26.-The first
information of the fatal wreck on the
Lehigh Valley railroad near Manches-
ter, N. Y, reached the interstate COM
merce commission over the wires or
the United Press and the commission
Immediately ordered an investigation.
II rushed efficient safety appliance In
spectors TO the scene by the first
train and their detailed report will
be presented to the commission next
TTwA