Syracuse, NY Train Wreck

October 15, 1857

Dreadful Accident on the New York Central Railroad.

[From the Albany (N. Y.) Journal, Oct. 16.]

The local mail train on the Central road, which left Rochester yesterday afternoon at 4:30, and which was due at Syracuse at 8:15 last evening, met with a serious disaster when six miles west of the latter city. Owing to the late heavy rains in that vicinity, a culvert was broken in, and the rail track was carried away. The fact was unknown to either the engineer or the conductor of the train, and while coming along at the usual speed, the locomotive ran into the stream, and a frightful breaking up of the cars instantly ensued. We are indebted to the telegraph operator of the Central road for a list of the killed and wounded, as follows:

MISS BROWN, of Toronto, killed.
CLINTON BROWNSON, Westfield, Conn., fatally wounded.
JOHN OAKSBURY, of Vermilyes, Jefferson county, ribs broken.
SAMUEL PLUMB, of New York, slightly injured.
LIZZIE FRANKLIN, Warren, R. I., rib broken.
PATRICK NOLAN, baggage master, badly injured, his legs and shoulders being badly broken.
P. PENTTINGER, emigrant baggage master, collar bone broken.
R. HASLUP, engineer, bruised and arm scalded.
Fireman, badly bruised.
MR. McMASTER, the recently appointed mail agent, was badly bruised.
MR. DeFOREST, of New Haven, Conn., arm broken.

The dead and wounded were conveyed to the Globe Hotel at Syracuse, where medical attendance was immediately obtained, and the utmost care and attention paid to the injured.

We have, since writing the above, learned that the portion of the road carried away, was a high embankment, six miles west of Syracuse. It was caused by heavy rains, and the rush of water through a deep cut made through a hill upon which the track was laid. The train was precipitated down an embankment of twelve, into a pool or stream of water six feet in depth. The cars were badly broken, and one of them was submerged to the depth of four feet over the flooring.

The night was dark and rainy. The place had never given any indications of danger, and was all in order just before dark. The train consisted of an engine, baggage and two passenger cars.

MISS. BROWN, daughter of GEORGE BROWN, editor of the Toronto Globe, was drowned in the cars. She was in company with her father, en route to England. He escaped with a few slight injuries.

CLINTON BROWNSON, who was reported fatally injured, has since died.
It is feared that PATRICK NOLAN, the baggage man, cannot long survive the injuries he has received.

We have been able to learn the names of only eleven persons who were either killed or injured; but we learn from various sources that others were slightly bruised and maimed, but we were unable to learn their names.

Philadelphia Press Pennsylvania 1857-10-19

Submitted & transcribed by Stu Beitler  Thank you, Stu!

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