Only Months After its Founding in 1851, Pelhamville Suffered its First Fatal Railroad Accident

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In September 1851, the New Haven line railroad tracks through Pelham were not quite three years old.  The tiny settlement of Pelhamville, through which New Haven line trains passed, was only a few months old.  The New-York Daily Times, known today as The New York Times, was only a few days old when it reported on a gruesome railroad accident in Pelhamville -- believed to be the first fatal railroad accident in the Town of Pelham.

On the evening of Monday, September 22, 1851, the engineer of a New-Haven Line passenger train looked ahead on the tracks as he approached the tiny settlement of Pelhamville.  As the steam locomotive with its massive cow-catcher clickety-clacked down the tracks pulling several passenger cars, the engineer saw a man standing on the tracks ahead of the train.  

The engineer pulled the cord and sounded the blaring steam whistle of the locomotive.  The man on the tracks ahead, however, seemed to pay no attention to the whistle.  The engineer tried to throw the engine into reverse but it was too late.  The massive iron cow-catcher struck the man in the legs and killed him.

The body of the unidentified man was carried to the New-York Hospital, once located on the west side of Broadway between what are presently Worth Street and Duane Street.  The following morning New York City Coroner, Seth Geer, M.D., held an inquest in the matter.  The engineer of the locomotive at the time of the accident was sworn and deposed.  The engineer testified that:

"on the night in question he was in charge of the engine attached to a passenger train of cars on the New-Haven Railroad, and while approaching the village of Pelhamvile, he saw a man standing on the track, and instantly sounded the whistle, to which he paid no attention.  Witness then endeavored to reverse the locomotive, but could not accomplish it until the cow-catcher had struck deceased in the legs."

At the conclusion of the inquest, the Coroner's Jury immediately returned a verdict of accidental death, finding "That the deceased came to his death by accidentally coming in contact with a locomotive engine on the New-Haven Railroad, when near Pelhamville, Westchester county."

The deceased was about 45 years old and "could not be identified by any person."  The name of the first person to die of a railroad accident in Pelham is now lost to history.

Engraving Depicting Steam Locomotive and Cars Near the

Tunnel at New Hamburg on the Hudson Line.  The Train Likely is

Nearly Identical to the One that Killed a Man Along the Tracks in

Pelhamville on September 22, 1851.  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

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The newspaper article that forms the basis for today's Historic Pelham article appears immediately below.  It is followed by a citation and link to its source.

"THE NEW-HAVEN RAILROAD ACCIDENT. -- Coroner Geer proceeded to the New-York Hospital yesterday morning, and held an inquest upon the body of the unknown man who was killed on the New-Haven railway on Monday night, and noticed in yesterday's Times.  The engineer of the locomotive was sworn, and deposed, that on the night in question he was in charge of the engine attached to a passenger train of cars on the New-Haven Railroad, and while approaching the village of Pelhamvile, he saw a man standing on the track, and instantly sounded the whistle, to which he paid no attention.  Witness then endeavored to reverse the locomotive, but could not accomplish it until the cow-catcher had struck deceased in the legs.  The deceased was about 45 years of age, and could not be identified by any person; and the jury returned the annexed verdict -- 'That the deceased came to his death by accidentally coming in contact with a locomotive engine on the New-Haven Railroad, when near Pelhamville, Westchester county.'"

Source:  THE NEW-HAVEN RAILROAD ACCIDENT, New-York Daily Times, Sep. 25, 1851, Vol. I, No. 7, p. 1, col. 3 (Note:  Paid subscription required to access via this link).  

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