TRAIN STRUCK BY TIDAL WAVE

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22516, 26 September 1938, Page 12

TRAIN STRUCK BY TIDAL WAVE

PASSENGERS' ORDEAL

DEATHS IN FLOODS MAY TOTAL 700

(UNITED PBKSB ASSOCIATION —COPTRIGHT.)

(Received September 25, 10 p.m.)

NEW, YORK, September 24

A fantastic fate befell the Bostonian, the crack Boston-New York express train, which was wrecked in Wednesday's hurricane. The railway company at first believed that the train was safe, but, like others, was unable to proceed. It is now revealed that a tidal wave swept all components of the train except the engine and the first carriage from the rails.

As the gale had earlier smashed every window in the carriages, water surged in, drowning two persons. The rest of the 300 passengers were thrown into a panic. Some attempted to swim to safety, but most clambered- aboard the sole remaining intact carriage. The train staff, working shoulder deep in water, succeeded in uncoupling it, and with an open throttle, the locomotive plunged through the wreckage and rising water. . The engine became tangled with fallen telegraph wires as it surged forward, and it pulled down pole after pole. In addition it slowly forced from its path a house which had been blown on to the The terrified passengers who were clinging to the sides and roof of the carriage, saw a two-masted schooner bearing down on to the train. Rolling broadside on to the widn, it reeled across the track of the train, and then disappeared in. the flVing 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 is certain to be 350,000,000 dollars. As looting is spreading in some areas, members of the militia have been instructed to shoot to kill.