The New York herald., 1921-02-14
50 HURT IN CRASH
OF TWO TRAINS ON
LONG ISLAND ROAD
Passengers in Panic When
Express Hits a Local at
Autumn Ave. Station.
) OF If CARS DERAILED
Brooklyn Police and Fire
men Help Rescuers Chop
Out Travellers.
IGNORED SIGNAL BLAMED
Steel Cars Prevented Great
Loss of Life, as Speed at
Impact Was High.
) OF If CARS DERAILED
IGNORED SIGNAL BLAMED

A seven car express train of the
Long Island Railroad bound from
ton sidewiped a seven car local train
at the Crescent street crossing. near
the Autumn avenue station, in Brook
lyn, just before 10 o'clock last night,
derailing four cars of the local train
and the first car of the express train.
partly derailing several other cars and
ploughing up more than fifty feet of
ties and roadbed.
Between twenty-five and thirty per-
sons, many of them women and chill
dren, We're injured, but most of them
were able to go home after their cuts
and bruises had been dressed by am
bulance surgeons. Eleven persons
were sent to hospitals. and all but
three Of these went home later. These
are Mrs. Charles Purcell of s45 Fast
Seventeenth street, Brooklyn, in Beth
Moses Hospital with probably inter-
nal injuries; Mrs. William Duryea OF
1924 Seventy-second street, Brooklyn,
suffering from a fractured leg and in
ternal injuries, and man named
Bradford Street Hospital and probably
will die. He was wedged between the
platforms Of two cars and his right
arm was so crushed that surgeons at
the hospital amputated it.
According to police and employees OF
the Long Island Railroad. the local train.
which had left Jamaica about half past
8 o'clock. was TO have gone on a spur
at the Railroad avenue crossing, to be
passed there by the express train.
Charles H. Small OF 46 Grove avenue
towerman at the crossing, said last
night that the motornan of the local
train ignored the block signal set against
him, and was late in making the turn
into the spur Consequently when the
express train. driven at high speed by
Motorman Thomas Moore of 1910 At
lantic avenue, came along IL crashed
against the side of the local.
Local Train Is Cut in Twain.
The force of the impact was such that
the local train was cut in two, the
couplings breaking under the blow. The
first three cars Of the local were pushed
forward about half a block and then
derailed. The fourth car of the local
was pushed to one side and derailed. and
the third car of the local and the first
car of the express train were badly dam
aged where they had come together. The
passengers in both trains, which were
crowded. were hurled from their seats
into the aisles and jammed against the
sides OF the cars.
Terrible screams arose as the trains
crashed. and in a few moments the win
dows were jammed with men, women
and children trying to get out. The
tanger from the third rail was great.
but the panic stricken passengers forgot
about this In their rush from the cars.
Many women and children were knocked
d.wn and trampled IN the rugh. and It
was in this way that many were hurt
The others were injured principally by
particles of glass from the broken win
dows and by being knocked against
walls, and pieces OF steel by the collision.
The fact that both trains were made up
of steel cars probably prevented a large
less of life. The steel cars. however.
ploughed UP more than fifty feet of ties
and roadbed, but did not turn over.
William Neibling of ss04 Jamaica ave-
nue.. Richmond Hlll. Queens Frank Bill
let OF 279 Euclid avenue. and Charles
Psohlman we're playing cards In Psohl.
mans saloon at 34S6 Atlantic avenue
near the scene OF the wreck, when they
heard the crash of the two trains. They
rushed to the scene with Crowbars and
axes.
Warned of Third Rail Peril.
The rescuers chopped away several
windows and released score and more
OF persons VINO were pinned In the cars,
and warned the passengers who were
scrambling of OF the danger from the
third rail. This danger VANISHED room.
however. as the officials OF the company
at once ordered tile power shut of
The Police Department sent reserves
from the Liberty avenue Brownsville
and other stations IN the district. and
Borough Inspector Thomas Murphy ar
rived soon from headquarters. lie was
joined quickly by Assistant District At
torney Reuben Wilson and Deputy Pub
lie Service Commissioner Morgan r
Donnelly. who began an investigation
into the cause OF the wreck The crews
OF the two trains Motorman Moore OF
the express train. Motorman Edward j.
Costello OF the local ana the conductors,
were taken TO the Liberty avenue sta
tion and questioned. The Investigation
will be resumed this morning. and an
investigation VIII also ho started az tho
offices OF the Long Island Railroad in
Jamaica.
In addition Go the police reserves sew
eral companies OF fireuen were sent for
and cut away the fence alongside the
right Of way. aiding the escape OF the
passengers and the police helped them
to alght from the cars and make their
way TO the street and sidewalks. where
anbuauces from half a dozen hospitals
including Reth Moses. Bradford Street.
swedish. Jewish, st. Mafy's. ST. Johns
and the Jamaica Hospital were lined UP
alongside the curping. Pharmacists
from ueighboring drug stores also we're
pressed into service 10 dress the cuts
and bruises which were the extent Of