Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 October 1888 — HORRORS OF A WRECK. [ARTICLE]

HORRORS OF A WRECK.

| AN APPALLING RAILROAD COLLISI ON AT Ml'D RUN, PA. The Street-Car Strike in Chicago—Forced Pedestrianism Some Ludicrous Incir dents—Terrible Accident at Quincy, 11l. — Many Persons I njured. iWilkesbarre [Pa.] special.] The terrible accident which occurred on the Lehigh Valley Road at Mud Run was the most appalling that ever happened in this section of | the State. The number of killed is fifty-seven, with twenty-five seriously wounded, and forty mere or less injured. The coUision occurred between the fifth and ! sixth sections of an excursion train, consisting altogether of eight sections and fifty-seven coaches, which were conveying 5,505 passengers from the Father Matthew celebration at Hazeiton. The first four sections passed Mud Run in safety. The fourth and fifth sections lay at Mud Run together to let a regular train pass, when the fourth section pulled out. The fifth section then ran down to the depot ready to start after the expiration of ten minutes, the time fixed as the division between the running of the excursion section. While it was waiting the accident occurred. I The ill-fated rear car was suddenly illuminated : by the headlight of the locomotive of the sixth section, and the next instant the engine plunged its full length into the crowded mass of humanity. The shock drove the rear car twol thirds its length through the next, which in turn was forced into the third. Not a single oc--1 cupant of the rear car escaped. The lights were extinguished by the shock, adding darki ness to the horror of the scene, while almost immediately the shrieks of the injured and the groans of the dying arose on every side, making the strongest heart quail. The colliding engine was stuck fast in the middle of the wreck it had caused, actually cooking the unfortunate victims with its escaping steam. An effort was made to withdraw the 10-1 1 comotive from the car into which it had plunged, i but the first movement brought forth shrieks of agony from the imprisoned victims, and the atj tempt had to be abandoned. Many horrible sights were met hy the rescu- : ers. In one place a young woman was pinioned 1 in such a way that her leg had to be severed with 1 an ax in order to set her free. A man was found with one arm held tightly in the wreck, while with the other he was clasping a prattling babe. A young woman was jammed between two seats in the agony of death, while her father iay dying upon the smokestack of the snorting engine. The official list of the identified dead is as folI lows: William Early, Patrick Curran, James j Jackson, Mrs. P. Farrell, Lewis Doran, Michael I Whitten, Barney Meighatn, Polly Meighaui, John McCollan, Patrick Coleman, Michael Coleman, Thomas Ruddy, Mamie Atkinson, William Kelly, Benjamin O'Brien, Katie Featherton. John Walsh, Patrick Walsh, John Early, William Keelv, Abram Dolan, James Brahony, Mrs. Brahouy, Charies Golitz, Oscar Gibbous, Mrs. McAndrews and two sons, and John Barrett, all of Pleasant Valley; Annie Curran, Richard Powell and wife, James Canoby, Festus Malherron, Thomas Toole, of Mlnooka; John Rogan, Jessup; Mamie Hart, Hyde Park ; W. Casey, Clark, of Old Forge; Norah and Katie Quinlan, Owen Kilcullen, Thomas Moore, Michael Maxwell, of Scranton ; James Flynn, Miner's Mills ; Annie Loftus, Olymphant. Tea bodies wore unidentified.