Year: 1871

when the train struck or the track; /
could learn very little OF those In the cars; don't
know whether the freight engine ran past US. but
some engine did; there were several OIL tanks on
board, but really ! saw nothing but fire and OIL.
the bridge before they fell into the water; believe
the engine struck the car which was or the track
when the collision occurred; after the collision the
that the oil flowed down towards the west portion
Of the river; first Thought that the ice on fre,
but after reasoning did not hold that idea think
THE FLAMES ENvELOPED PARTS OF THE BRIDGE;
when they spoke OF the tanks having been broken
! ior the lrst time learned that some damage had
been sustained; was bewildercd; there were many
cars north OF the fre- think four In number:
Thought there was necessity to place slide
moving briskly ana forcing others. so placed
stone there; this occurred near the drawbridge; /
was nraer m@tSappreaension @ as TO the number
got out l went back over the road; I
believe there were three cars burned beside the
one that went OF the track: was on the fourth
from the rear, and can account for It's being un-
conDled think II would be difficult for any one to
give his definite impressions or what took place;
alter the fire repaired to the ;,the


FIRE WAS EXCEEDINGLY INTENSE;


was OF the impression that the names rose 100 feet;
when saw the glare OF the flames rising so high
soon So. found It was the wreck IN flames;
but believe 1t and several cars lett 1t together; the
engine, tender and baggage cars were Off the track
noticed streaKs OF black smoke arising rom tie fre;
could not tell whether there was house cars
there some Of the exploded o,l cars were
enyeloped everything; they were so large
as ans msisra Aas that n0SS %as seang e
think there was an axle broken by the
tearing Of the ties after the oil lrain got or the
track; the tram was uncoupled TO prevent the
fire spreading; my Impression Is the cars were
coupled near The last tank; am almost convinced
that


TIE AXLE WAS BROKEN


by the tearing Of the wheels through the seepers;
after The down ears got OF the track they Kept bear
ing to the east all the time believe the cars COM
menced to run OF the ties at the depot; some say
they went OFF the track far above thai, others say be-
low, but the conductor says thai he noticed the
Jumping OF some cars and signaed Immediately for
down brakes; do not know whether the up train
was on the track or not; they say that 1t went on
solid; can't tell whether 1t was the rear or the
front OF the which was struck by che up train:
gather from all have learned that II was either


FRICTION OR ABSOLUTE CONTACT or FIRE
with the oil which caused the explosion.


MT. Thorn was here asked to explain what ne be-.
jumping the ties He could only state what he had
judged from his investigation yesterday OF the ruts
copy Of yesterdays HERALD was here produced by
the Coroner, and diagram explaining the scene OF
the accident was given to the witness.


Being further examined he SAID My impression
on seeing the spllntered seepers was that the
Of the down tram struck of the ties near the depot;


PIECE or ONE RAIL WAS BROKEN;


believe that my own notions OF every circumstance
connected with the sad affair were indsunct; but
think that those accustomed to railroad travel
ling may have had clearer ideas OF the matter.


Israel Buson was next examined. and sail, on
oata:-Among the bodies have taken charge or
was that OF james Stafford; believe we got all the
bodies Of those who were killed, burned or drowned
In tae baggage Car, for | have been informed from
James Stafford; rhat was his body which the Jury
examined which you saw this morning. Here Mr..
Trlslram Collin the District Attorney OF Dutchess
county, appeared ior the people and examined the


CHARLES CossuM.


conductor OF the express traIn sworn, SayS:-We
left New York at six minutes past eight O'Clock
Monday evening: We should have lett at eight p. NJ.


Here Tristram Comm, District Attorney, appeared
for the people anu conducted the proceediilgs


Witness contlnulng-I was sitting In the rear end
OF the second sleeping car with Mr. Scott, the con-
ductor; he heard the first whistle that was blown;
passed Fshkill fifteen minutes past ten the whistle
was probably blown at twenty-six minutes past ten;
there IS two minutes before nine); l heard
the second whistle, and went out the platform
and commenced putting on the brakes: Mr. Scott
followed me out and put on the brake on the other
cal; as got NV brake on and turned to take hold
OF the otner felt The engineer reverse his engine;
IN short tlme Two or three seconds, felt shock,
and the then went fifteen twenty feet and
then came TO dead stand; there were but two sen
sation5; saw glare OF light and, looking out saw
o mass of flames; was the river side; Tie instant
the train stopped the light nashed like gunpowder;
there was no IRE TIL the engine struck; the OIL nom
the OIL car then entered the fire box OF the eng ne
and became ignted; the line of fire sprang up Ike
a wall Of name; the fore part Of my car was then
in the ire: ! heard no explosion; l suppose
the oil tanks we're burst by the engine running
them; you eouia see nothing because OF the fire;





OF the car; the car was then all fire; 1t the
second sleeping car; there was only one In front OF
1t; the tram consisted OF the locomotive, express
car, baggage car five sleeping and one coach;
wnen we went out or the second car thought the
flames would follow back; all the passengers were
then out OF the third car, and That part OF the
train uncoupled and showed back; part
OF the oil train had broken loose and
gone south, and the other part was
furtner back; when got to the third car the for
ward platform was on fire; thar was the car Mr..
Scott Dad put the brake on, and then found we had
III
ana then went forward 10 see what was the matter;
could see nothing all the way up TO the bridge Tor
the flames, which seemed to rise solidly twenty-five
or thirty feet; knew nothing more ABOUT the acct
dent did the necessary telegraphing; have
the track only conjecture; the first and second
seepers were on the bridge and the flames were
burning under the bridge on the ice; | heard
flames; Peter vosburgh was conductor OF the first
sleeping car: DON'T know whether the patent
brakes were used; am certain no lines were be-
hind the first sleeping car: II the ropes had been
pulled my brake would not have been affected after
| had put 1t on; the engine was reversed after we
up time; in cold weather our orders not 10
make up time; the engineer was considered good
man; there is a hagman at the draw; the engineer
SAID ne told him to put out red light as he passed;
the first signal we got was forty yards from the
of TO give q signal; l think that the cars
on the OIL tram which ran OF were rather back Of
the centre OF the train; as rule we are on time If
we had not been behind time the accident would
not have occurred: the night perfectly cear
south OF the bridge would prevent an engineer
from seeing car Off the track ON the bridge: had
taken up all the tickets In the sleeping car; yon
could put thirty passengers in the sleeping car, but
twelve could occupy the whole; there were two state
rooms In the nrst sleeping car, but only
one was occupied; | should Judge there
were sixteen or seventeen in the first sleeping
car; | made the statement which appeared
in the Poughkeepsie Edg,e relative to having
slXty-tlve sleeping car tickets 1 found one or two
persons who said they were In the first sleeper
but when came to slft them down they could not
tell; had in my Car forty y-seven passengers who
told me they were IN the sleeper; there three
persons VINO went TO bed at New Hamburg-that
made thirteen n1ssing: there was one child some
where IN the sleeping car that got q half ticket
from, got no tickets from two small children
found no one to respond to half ticket; there were
three Orakemen on the tran


Here the witness described the patent brakes but
could not say whether they were applied: they
might have been and he not Know it; trans run Il t
ful! speed over all the bridges


al