New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-04
Engineer and Fireman Both
Die Under Engine, Which
Jumps Rails at High
Speed at Cross
over.
PARLOR CARS CATCH FIRE
Mrs. j. @. Brady, Mrs. E. P. Gavit
and Mrs. L. 9. Ransom Among
the Women Who Lost Their
Lives After Attending Gar
van Funeral at Hartford.
[By Telegraph to The Tribune. !

".
GBy Telegraph TO The TribuneI
Westport, Conn, Oct. 3.-The second
section OF the Springfield Express.
bound to New York from Boston. was
wrecked here shortly before O'clock
this afternoon, and seven persons were
burned to death in a parlor car, and
at least a score of others injured, one
or two perhaps fatally. The cause of
the accident was the same that sent
the Federal Express crashing down an
! embankment at Bridgeport. more than
year ago, for the fas, flying train took
cross-over at terrific rate of speed.
and something gave way.
The first five cars In the train were
thrown on one side and burned. When
the huge engine left the rails they piled
up alongside IT, and one parlor car. the
| second In the train Of eleven cars,
caught fire when its gas tank burst.
The fire burned rapidly as the cars
were of wooden construction. In
this car was a party OF fifteen persons
returning from the funeral In Hartford
| Of ex-State Senator Patrick Garvan.
who died In London ten days age.
! Some OF these were members Of he
family Of Anthony y. Brady. the New
+, York traction magnate. Six in the car
were killed. The engineer and fireman
went down with the engine.
! The members of the Brady family
| reported dead are Mrs. James c. Brady.
a daughterin-law; Mrs. f. Palmer
| Gavit. OF Albany, a daughter. and
! Mrs. L. c. Ransom. a sister Of Mrs
( Hamilton. sisters Of Mrs. James C.
Brady.
James c.. Brady and Mr.. and Mrs.
| Carll Tucker, who were also in the
! funeral party, escaped serious injury.
| although all suffered greatly from
shock. They were taken TO the Nor
walk Hospital. where they are tonight.
Train Late Leaving Bridgeport.
The bodies Of the victims we're taken
! to a morgue in Saugatuck, at which
/ station the accident occurred. The
train was said to have left Bridgeport
t fifteen minutes late and was running
at a terrific rate Of speed when 1t
! passed Saugatuck. Here the engineer
/ drove his engine into switch. intend
! ing to cross from the inside TO the out
side track. at point 800 feet from the
station and just east Of a culvert.
| There was a crash. and the train be-
gan to rock from side to side. The
engine had jumped the rails and lay
! on its side. The mail coach. baggage
coach, smoker and chair car began to
pile up against 1t. Edward L. Hill, OF
/ Philadelphia, one Of the passengers in
side the second Pullman, said tonight:
Il knew the train was Serailed the
minute II began to sag and roll from
/ side to side. But before j could do
anything | saw the black sides OF the
engine loom up in front of the window
where | sat. And as struggled to help
one Of the women who were screaming
there was a tremendous explosion.
know now that II was the gas tank
; that burst but thought so then, for
the car began to fill with gas. We were
almost suffocated for a moment with
the sweet, sickening odor. And then.
all at once, flames filled the whole Pull
man.
Fire Burned for Hours.
| u,hn &,ot. orau, b,rr;nd 70 tba &c
sistance of the passengers as goon az
they could collect themselves and ran
to put out the fire In the burning parlor
car. but the gas fed the fierce flames
and they shot out long streamers Jf
fire like the fare lamps men use 10
burn away paint II was almost I'M
possible to approach the car. The
| fire departments of South Norwalk ana
Saugatuck were called out, but even
after their arrival the fire burned sew
eral hours before men could get 70
the car and take out the bodies.
Francis p. Garvan. former New York
Assistant District Attorney. under w.
r. Jerome, motored down from Hart
ford with his brother and Identified
the bodies OF those who had been menu
bers of the Brady family party. TWO
of the bodies were burned almost be-
yond recognition.
B.R Pollock. general superintendent
said after the wreci, that the train'
which left ,oston at noon and was due
In New York at SAP p. m. was not
more than Ave minutes late when the
accie ent occurred. He said he couio
assign 10 cause, but perhaps the ca'as-
trophe was due to a split frog.
This was the second section OF the
train" he said. The first had passed
by safely FIVE minutes before the az
cident occurred. understand tnefs