BURNING OF THE AMERICAN MAIL TRAIN.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 979, 29 March 1871, Page 2

BURNING OF THE AMERICAN MAIL TRAIN.

The detention in San Francisco of the mail steamer tor New Zealand and Australia for one day later, waa caused l>y the burning of the mail which left New York on the 7th inst, by the Hudson River Railroad, The mail contained for Australia, and the detention was made to give some chance of replacing the letter* bv telegraphic despatches via San Francisco. The following is an account of the accident; — New York, 7th February.—The train leaving New York at 8 o'clock last evening met an oil train on the New Hamburg drawbridge. The oil train, jumped the track, and broke in two, un4 an oil car tipped' over on to the passenger train, and set it on fire, and the locomotive, cars, and bridge were all burned up. '1 hreesleeping cars are among those destroyed; eighteen persons were killed outright, and many more are injured, who will not recover. No name* have yet been obtained. We have the following particulars of the terrible accident on the Hudson River Railroad, obtained from eyewitnesses : The freight train which caused the accident consisted of about twenty-.fi v© cars, most of which carried tanks of oiL Before leaving Albany every car was carefully inspected by workmen, and no defect discovered. When the train reached a wooden bridge over Wapenger Creek, New Hamburg, a sudden shock passed through the entire train, almost throwing it from the track. On examination it was found that the axle, of the tenth car had broken, and the car had then broken loose from the couplings and careened on one side, struck the ftame work of the bridge, and lay a total wreck upon the track. At the same moment, and before a note or signal of warning could be raised, the express train which left this city at eight o'clock came rushing along at the rare of thirty miles an hour. The engine struck the wrecked car with terrible fOtce, setting fire to the oil and scattering the inflammable material and burning fragments in all directions. The force of the collision instantly threw the engine over the bricige into the creek. The ice was vwy thick, but was unable to bear the locomotive, which broke through and sunk. The tender also fell into the creek. Immediately behind the engines were two baggage cars, which were followed by a sleeping car full of passengers. The flames from the oil-tank set tire to these cars, which after striking the wreck fell over into the creek a burn* ing mass. It is said that some passengers in the burning cars succeeded in leaping out in time to save themselves from death, but the rest were carried with the car over the bridge and either drowned or burned to death. The body of Vosburgh, conductor of the sleeping car, was afterward** found with the lower extremities burned away. As soon as particulars of the disaster reached the city the Superintendent today started for the scene, and has since been engaged with a large body of men in searching for the bodies of the unfortunate passengers. This morning the wreck was cleared away from the sleeping car as it lay upon the ice. Jn one corner of the car charred and blackened bodies were found, but so disfigured that identification is impos- - sible. From the appearance of the bodies it is evident thai' the passengers at the time of the accident had rushed in despair to the tear door, and there miseiably perished. Four bodie.°, apparently those of mother and her three children, of which the arms yet remained, were discovered closely embracing each other, as though finding egress impossible they had resolved at least to die together. Besides this car, which was the Buffalo car, were two other sleeping cars, which also were totally destroyed by fire. The passengers, many of whom were but partly dressed, succeeded in saving their lives. Many cars of the freight train, together with the baggage they contained, were also burned. Mooney, brakeman, who was ; among the killed, was discharged from the road a month ago, and was reinstated about two weeks since, at the urgent request of his mother and niece*

The explosion of the oil tank was lieanl at a great distance, and the flames of the wrecked car* and burning bridge were seen many miles The bridge was wooden, about 200 feet long, and totally destroyed. Many persons from Poughkeepsie and New Hamburg, as soon as the news of the accident reached those places, hurried to the scene, and by their efforts succeeded in giving re'ief to many pas sengers who were injured. This morning the baggage car was turned into a temporary morgue, and as fast as the mutilated bodies were removed from the wreck they were transferred to the our and a guard placed over them. Many of the oldest conductors and engineers on the Hudson River Road unite in saying that the scene presented at the place of the disaster, this morning, was the most terrible ever witnessed. New York, 7th February.—The list of killed by the Hudson River Railroad accident now foots up fifteen passengers and fi v e railroad employes ; among the killed is the Rev. Mr Towler who was on his way to Salt Lake, to take charge of a mission.