RAILROAD COLLISION.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 247, 20 October 1886, Page 3

RAILROAD COLLISION.

Thirteen Porsons Killed and a Number Seriously Injured.

Buffalo, September 14.— A despatch from Silver Crook (N. V.) says: A Niagara Falls excursion train on tha Nickel-Plato Railroad, under the management of J. W. Butler, excursion agent, camo in collision with a local freight train in the cut on the curve just here at 11 o'clock thia morning. Both engineers and firemen were Hayed by jumping. Only those in the smoking-car wore hurt, it being completely teloscoped by the baggage-car.

The list of killod is as follows : Henry Huyck, aged 20, logs ground to pulp and woi'o (imputed on the return train ; ho diod this evening. Stephen Cuthbertson, a prominent merchant ; his remains were found in a terribly mangled condition, H. Gibhart of Pittsburg, Pa., and his son John were found in each other s embrace ; their bodios were crushod and mangled. David Sharp, a cripple, and his little son, found crushed together. William W. Loomis of Erie, Pa., a well-known shipbuilder, head crushod ; ho was found dead in his eeat. Jacob Rostattor, body crushed almost out of recognition. John Feder, W. F. Reynolds, Aaron Parkhursr, Adriel Heldler, John Seifert and John Meyers, all found dead There were twelve severely wounded.

The excursion train to Niagara Falls started from Ashtabula. O. Eleven passenger carß were heavily loaded. Lewis Brewer was the engineer. The scene of (lie accident U a short distance east of Silver Creek on a short curve approached by a long, high trestl6 through a deep cut. The excursion train was going only at a speed of about eight miles an hour, when Kngineor Brower was terrified by the Bight of an approaching freight train com ing at the rate of thirty-two miles an hour. The engineer at|ince reversed his oneino, put on the air brakes, jumped for his life, followed by his firemar*. They were none too quick, for the engines came together with a deafening crash and that instant were converted into a moss of scrap iron. The onjiineer and fireman of the freight train also jumpod and escaped. Next to the baggago car waa the smoker, the platform of which was lower than the others and which allowed it to go under. The result was that the baggage-car waa thrown upwards and backwards, standing squarely on top of the smoking-car, crushing and filling it, except the space occupied by two or throe of the roar seats. The following cara wore extensively damaged, but the occupants escaped with a" shake-up. Soon after tho disaster crowds flocked from Silver Creek, a half mile away, and messages wero at once sent out asking for wrecking trains and medical assistance. Tho crowds bogan tho work of releasing tho imprisoned paesengers. Tho Bides of tho smoker wore soon laid open with axes and bar?, disclosing tho bruised and mangled bodies lying doubled up in every concoivable shape. The wrecking train soon arrived. With tho aid of jaekscrews the baggage car was lifted, when the work of removing tho bodies waß begun. The bodies of tho dead wero removed to a froighthouso nenr by. They presented a horrible sight, many of them being mangled beyond recognition.

Various causos are given for the collision Engineer William Harris of the freight train is blamed. It is said that he bad orders to meet the excursion train at Irving He failed to oboy instructions, and wao running at full speed when the crash occurred. The train men will not talk regarding who is to blame. A gentleman who waa on the train said that the freight train had orders to e.O to Silver Creek, and tho passenger train to Irving, which is this side, and those orders caused tho collision. The excitemont among the survivors was intense. The scenes in the smoking car wore moat harrowing. The lirst warning that was given was a slight jar caused by tho heavy pressure of the air-brakes. Somo of the passengors stirred thomsolves in their seat?, sonmingly approhencling danger. Thon came- a terrible shock, followed by the smashing of the windows and the roof of tho car, and all was a mass of bleeding and struggling humanity. Men covered with blood were locked in eaoh other* arms, whilo underneath them and on all sidos lay the poor unfortunates who wore instantly killed, crushed out of all human resemblance. The wounded crawled out of the debris and were assisted to neighbouring houses. People brought bodding, etc., on which to lay tho dead and dying, and did all they could to relieve the sufferings of the wounded until the arrival of medical aid.

Mrs J. H. Sigel of Erie, Pa., a passenger, was on her way to Buffalo. She arrived here in safety this afternoon. In an interview she said : "I was in the first coach next to the smoking car. The passenger train was a large one, and carried a large number of excursionists, as well as regular passengers. The first we knew of the csliision was a terrific crash like an explosion. Nobody was hurt except those in the smoking car. Tho eight was so horrible that I'could not look at it. Not a single car was thrown from tho track, but the smoker was completely tolescopod. It was a miracle that our car was not crushed. It was a narrow escape One young man in the smoker saved himself by dropping on the floor, and escaped with a few bruises. I did not learn the cause of the accident, but we were going very slow, while the freight train was coming at a high rate of Bpeed. We were just one coach-length from tho trestle when the collision occurred. Some of the wounded were taken to different houses, and one of tho coaches wa* turned into an hospital. In another coach the dead were placed.