FANTASTIC STORY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23615, 27 September 1938, Page 10

FANTASTIC STORY

WRECK OF EXPRESS TRAIN CAUGHT BY TIDAL WAVE TERRIFIED PASSENGERS (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) NEW YORK, Sept. 25. A fantastic story of the wreck of the Bostonian, the crack Boston- . New York express, in Wednesday’s hurricane, is told by the railway company. Hitherto it was believed that the train was safe, but, like others, was unable fo proceed. It is now revealed that a tidal wave swept all but the engine and the head carriage from the rails. As the gale earlier had smashed every window the water surged in, drowning two people,‘.The remainder of the 300 passengers were thrown into panic. Some attempted to swim to safety. , The train men, working, shoulder deep, succeeded in uncoupling the rest of the train, and with open .throttle the Jocomotive plunged through the wreckage and rising water. The engine became tangled with fallen telegraph wires as it surged forward. It pulled down cole after pole, and slowly forced from its path a hbyse which had been blown on to the tracks. Terrified passengers were clinging to the sides and roof of the head carriage. They saw a two-masted schooner bearing down on the train, rolling broadside on to the wind. It reeled across the train’s track, then disapoeared in the flying scud. The train finally reached a comparatively protected area, where it has since been marooned. The flood death roll is now' likely to reach 700, and the damage will certainly amount to , 350,000,000 dollars. • ; v . ■ ■:' ■ . ;

As looting is spreading, the militia have been instructed to shoot to kill.