Year: 1869

Explosion Of q Locomotive on tho Mount


Holly and Burlington Railroad at Mount


Holly, N. J.-Three Mon Killed and Several


Wounded-Thc Engino Thrown on the


Wheels Into the Creek-Sccnes and Incl


dents.


The quiet, thriving little town OF Mount Holly. NJ
j., situated about seven miles from Burlington and
twenty-three from Trenton, was on Friday thrown
into an awful state Of excitement and consternar
ton BY OF those calamitles and fatal railroad
accidents which OF late have been so frequent
throughout the country.


The disaster occurred during the forenoon Of Fri
day. and every effort was made BY the railroad and
telegraph authorities to hush the unfortunate asir
in order that neither the press nor the public might
learn the particulars OF the bloody catastrophe. In
Decd SO sedulous they In this respect that no
intelligence received in Trenton till yesterday
afternoon and even then no information could be
obtained at either depot that might shed any truth
on the real condition OF things. On visiting the
scene OF the fatal calamity yesterday spectacle OF
wreck and ruin was presented almost terrible
to contemplate For about thirty yards the track
was literally plonghed up, the rails wrenched from
the ties and bent and broken in numberless pieces
The road was strewn with overturned mari wagons.
and the diapidatsd engine lay In the creek about
ten feet below the track and almost covered with
water 1t was quite rusty and seemed TO have been
lying there for some time.


The dreadful accident occurred about ten O'Clock
Friday forenoon, and from the information ascer-
taiued 1t appears that the lfated engine No. 80 was
proceeding with train OF nineteen cars. loaded
with between three and five tons each OF mari.
from the pits about five miles below Mount
Holly, to unload at point equi-dlstant from the lat
ter place and Burlington. There were nine men on
the train at the time, including the railroad opera
tives. The train arrived safely at Mount Holly and
was proceeding across the bridge over the creek
that runs through the town when the melancholy
disaster occurred. The first intmaton OF the event
received by the Inhabitants was terrific shock,
which actually shivered several OF the adjacent
dwellings and was heard all over the neighb0rhood.
When the explosion occurred the engine jumped
from the car q height OF several feet tear
ing away the boughs Of some Oyerhanging
trees and falling into the creek. The brakeman
was blown distance Of twenty yards into mea-
dow and miraculously escaped with o broken arm
and slight lacera,ion Of the egs but the engineer
conductor and fireman were hurled senseless to the
track all bruised and shattered, and never awoke to
consciousness They have since died. The rest OF
the occupants Of the train escaped with slight
bruises.


The following are the names Of the killed and the
more seriously injured:-


Job Gaski engineer, killed. leaves q wife and four
children; taken to his home at Bordentown yester-
day.


John Saler, conductor, killed. leaves q wife resd-
ing at Mount Holly.


Charles Platt fireman, Killed; leaves wife and
two children. Taken TO his former home at Platts-
burg.


Edward Joics. brakeman; arm broken and leg
crushed. Taken to his home at yiDcenttown.


The place was visited yesterday by crowds Of
sympathizing citizens and people from the surround
ing localities. About fifty were employed in
moving the old and broken rails and replacing them
with new ones, well as removing the piles OF
mari that overwhelmed the heaps Of coal along the
edge of the railroad


The cause of the unfortunate occurrence is vari-
ousy accounted for. Some say there was too great
pressure OF steam on; others ascrbe 1t lack OF
water, as the boiler was almost red hot when
the people arrived at the creek. but the most
probable solution to the whole affair IA the worn
out condition OF the engine. 1t B understood
TO have been condemned three times couple OF
years ago, although having been used on
the road for some time since. The eng-
neer was six years in the employ Of the
company. oyer Ave OF which he acted as fireman,
and he is generally spoken OF as a man OF sober
habits The road is known rs the Burlington ana
Mount Holly or the Camden and Burlington Rail-
road. 1t Is now merged into the Camden and Am.
boy.


A coroner's jury was empanelled yesterday morn
ing and after visiting the bodies adjourned till Mon
day morning next, when the investigation VIII com
mence.


The melancholy occurrence has spread gloom
over the whole neiQhborhood. and for miles around
nothing spoken OF but the suddenness and fatality
OF the dreadful accident.