The Indianapolis Sentinel

TERRIFIC RAILROAD COLLISION.
Disastrous Results of One Freight Train Running Into Another.

New Brunswick, N. J., Feb. 7.-At 3 o'clock this morning an extra freight train from Philadelphia, owing to a broken truck, stopped upon the bridge over the Raritan River for repairs. While waiting a through Southern freight, which left Philadelphia at 10:30 o'clock last night, came dashing along through the city, and not until within 500 feet of the extra did the engineer see it. The brakes were applied to no purpose. The engine of the freight struck the caboose of the extra, telescoped it, struck an oil tank, of which there were four in the train, and an explosion followed. The burning oil and wrecked cars were thrown over and down from the high bridge into the streets below. The burning oil ran through the gutters down the streets into Raritan Canal. This being covered with ice, the oil ran over and down the canal to the wall paper manufacturing establishment of Janeway & Co. This was soon totally destroyed, together with seven dwellings opposite. In the immediate vicinity of the collision, and just under the long bridge, was a building used as a box factory by the Consolidated Fruit Jar Company. This was destroyed, and the flames then spread to the main factory of the company, which was also totally destroyed. By 6 o'clock this morning the flames were under control. The woodwork of the bridge was burned. The damage to the structure is not yet estimated.

Engineer French and Fireman Harrison, of the regular freight, jumped from the engine when they saw the inevitable collision, and escaped with but few bruises. A brakeman on the front of the train, Frank Dumas, of Kensington, Pa., failed to jump, and was carried down in the wreckage into the street below, and was roasted to death. Patrick Dougherty, a young mechanic of this city, foolishly entered the burning building of Janeway & Co., in search of tools, and has not been seen since. It is feared he, too, became a victim of the most terrible fire this city ever had. But for the favoring wind, the whole manufacturing part of the city would have been destroyed. At no point on the whole road could the accident have occurred at so disastrous a place. The burning oil and cars were literally poured over and flung upon the roofs of the manufacturing establishments. Only a battered locomotive and an unexploded oil tank stand upon the track.

It is now thought that two brakemen on the oil train were also burned to death.

The loss is estimated at between $500,000 and $1,000,000. Fire engines were sent to the aid of the burning city from Elizabeth and Jersey City. Only one span of the bridge is damaged. The bridge was the finest on the Pennsylvania Road. All travel on that road is greatly delayed as long detours have to be made.

1 p. m.-The loss on Janeway & Co.'s buildings, stock and plant is $175,000; insurance, $61,000. The Consolidated Fruit Jar Company's loss is $500,000, fully insured. The loss by railroad can not be ascertained for lack of willingness on the part of officials to impart news. The loss on dwelling houses is $10,000. The insurance is distributed among a large number of companies. The bridge is not weakened and trains are now running on time.

One of the burned buildings was a stable containing a number of horses, all of which were burned to death.

The accident was caused by the carelessness of the telegraph operator in not giving the proper signals on the east side of Raritan.