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Story
April 17, 1868
The Daily Dispatch
Richmond, Virginia
What is this article about?
A train on the Erie Railroad's Delaware division derailed due to a broken rail thirteen miles beyond Port Jervis, plunging four cars down a 75-100 foot rocky precipice. Twenty dead, fifty wounded; one sleeping car burned. Victims rescued and taken to Port Jervis.
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Full Text
Richmond Dispatch
FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 1868.
New York, April 15.—The following particulars of the terrible railroad accident on the Erie road have been received:
Twenty persons are dead and fifty wounded, fatally injured. The train consisted of the locomotive, tender, three sleeping cars (two first-class and one second-class), two baggage cars, one postal car, and ten passenger cars. The train proceeded on time, making the usual stoppages, and one sleeping car and the postal car. The train in the sleeping cars retired for the night.
About 3 o'clock this morning, Ames and Horton, of the General Post-office in this city, who were in charge of the postal car, saw the bell-rope straighten out and break in two, when Mr. Judd remarked to one of the officers that he had lost his rear car. They ran to the rear platform of the car, when four cars were seen rolling down a precipice from seventy-five to one hundred feet high. The scene of the accident is on the Delaware division of the Erie road. The accident is thirteen miles beyond Port Jervis, on the Delaware division of the Erie road. The sides of the precipice are formed of jagged rocks, and in the descent the cars were broken to pieces. At the bottom is a culvert, through which flows a stream emptying into the Delaware river. The disaster was caused by a broken rail, which threw the rear car immediately in front, and the whole were precipitated down the embankment.
The cars, in going over the embankment, turned several times before reaching the bottom, and were nearly demolished. A sleeping-car was entirely destroyed by fire.
The passengers immediately began to rescue the wounded and remove the bodies of the killed. Many of the latter could not be recognized. Seven persons were burned to death, and six others were killed by coming in contact with the jagged rocks, &c. Others were killed otherwise.
The wounded persons were placed in a train and brought to Port Jervis, which place was reached at 9 this morning. Several surgeons were immediately summoned, and everything was done to alleviate the sufferings of the injured. The bodies of the killed were left on the ground.
FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 1868.
New York, April 15.—The following particulars of the terrible railroad accident on the Erie road have been received:
Twenty persons are dead and fifty wounded, fatally injured. The train consisted of the locomotive, tender, three sleeping cars (two first-class and one second-class), two baggage cars, one postal car, and ten passenger cars. The train proceeded on time, making the usual stoppages, and one sleeping car and the postal car. The train in the sleeping cars retired for the night.
About 3 o'clock this morning, Ames and Horton, of the General Post-office in this city, who were in charge of the postal car, saw the bell-rope straighten out and break in two, when Mr. Judd remarked to one of the officers that he had lost his rear car. They ran to the rear platform of the car, when four cars were seen rolling down a precipice from seventy-five to one hundred feet high. The scene of the accident is on the Delaware division of the Erie road. The accident is thirteen miles beyond Port Jervis, on the Delaware division of the Erie road. The sides of the precipice are formed of jagged rocks, and in the descent the cars were broken to pieces. At the bottom is a culvert, through which flows a stream emptying into the Delaware river. The disaster was caused by a broken rail, which threw the rear car immediately in front, and the whole were precipitated down the embankment.
The cars, in going over the embankment, turned several times before reaching the bottom, and were nearly demolished. A sleeping-car was entirely destroyed by fire.
The passengers immediately began to rescue the wounded and remove the bodies of the killed. Many of the latter could not be recognized. Seven persons were burned to death, and six others were killed by coming in contact with the jagged rocks, &c. Others were killed otherwise.
The wounded persons were placed in a train and brought to Port Jervis, which place was reached at 9 this morning. Several surgeons were immediately summoned, and everything was done to alleviate the sufferings of the injured. The bodies of the killed were left on the ground.
What sub-type of article is it?
Disaster
Historical Event
Tragedy
What themes does it cover?
Catastrophe
Misfortune
Tragedy
What keywords are associated?
Railroad Accident
Erie Road
Derailment
Broken Rail
Precipice Plunge
Fatalities
Port Jervis
What entities or persons were involved?
Ames
Horton
Mr. Judd
Where did it happen?
Delaware Division Of The Erie Road, Thirteen Miles Beyond Port Jervis
Story Details
Key Persons
Ames
Horton
Mr. Judd
Location
Delaware Division Of The Erie Road, Thirteen Miles Beyond Port Jervis
Event Date
1868 04 15
Story Details
Train derails due to broken rail, four cars plunge down rocky embankment into stream; 20 killed including 7 burned, 50 wounded; rescue efforts follow.