Year: 1869

Thirteen Freight Cars Tumble Into the
Pussaic River-Thc Engineer and Brake
man Escape.


At halfpast seven O'Clock on Saturday evening a
freight train from New York on tine Erie Railway,
consisting OF the locomotive and twenty six cars,
ran up to the drawbridge on the Passaic river
while the latter was being opened for the


passage OF soop. The keeper OF the drawbridge,
w. w. Rose, was IN the act OF opening the bridge,


and displayed the usual signal. In addition to this
he sent a man to warn the engineer Of the ap-
preaching freight train, who dashing up at the


rate OF sixteen miles an hour. The engineer paid


no attention the signal till too late, and when he


found that he was the brink OF the river he and


ihe fireman jumped OF. The locomotive and


thirteen OF the cars tumbed into the river As the


bridge was only half opened at the moment OF the


occurrence, the locomotive struck the eastward


track and broke the beams on that draw. Not only


was the usual signal displayed. but the watchman


the engineer (whose name ts Ryan, but who 1t ap


pears, did not heed the warning. The train was
running at the rate OF sixteen miles an hour, and


when the engineer reversed lG was too late.


The locomotive plunged into the river, doubling


up and falling under the tender and disappearing


beneath the water with terrific Kissing noise.
Twelve OF the fourteen cars were piled one upon the
Other falling INTO the abyss win terrible crash and
al being aay0, smashed the to pnsrs the las.


hind TUCK Truck and nd stuck S LAST fast, abSoat half f
projecting over the draw, from ihe coupling 0l
wNen .no piCcecuiuB Car mug perpenulcuiarly
down s to xss 81 Ss sses the ne 0T swnspa Pa eS als%
Was Torn down with the cars so that the
passage OF trains was efrectuaiy stopped
and further travel for the night prevented.


large gang or men were at work all day yeser
day. and Dy seven O'Clock last evening had erected
a temporary bridge over the eastward track so that
by AID OF the switches the regular trains will be run
to-day. But one or two trains were run from Pater
son to this city yesterday, the passengers being
Obliged to cross on the plank and take tram IN
waiting on the other side. The trains to ana
from the West took the branch route to Permont and
came down via the Northern Railroad.


No blame whatever Is attached to the keeper of
the draw, as ne had all the proper signals dlrpayed.
But 1t was, without any doubt the fault OF the
gineer, whose name Is Ryan, and who has been but
a month on the road. He paid no attention what
ever TO the signals, but plunged on at ful speed.
In excuse he tells several stories; one that
he could not see the signals for the
smoke OF his engine; another that he had
on so much steam that he could not stop; and
oil evlncing the most criminal carelessness on his
part. The people OF the neighbOrhood were IN
dgnant and expressed their opinions of what
should be his fate in so loud q manner that Ryan
suddenly disappeared and has not since peen heard
from.


Many hundred people from Paterson and other
neighborng places visited the scene OF the disaster
yesterday and reflected with CONSERVATION upon
what would have been the result had 1t been pas
senger instead OF freight tram. Had such been
the case there mas been no catastrophe IN years
IN this country that would have been its
equal. The tram, however, was composed
entirely of empty freight cars and are all but one
totally destroyed. The locomotive, No. 152, was an
Old one but IN very good order. 1t s entirely out of
sigAt beneath the water and wreck. This Is the
bridge and the first OF any kind in twenty years Of