Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 October 1888 — HORRIBLE RAILWAY WRECK. [ARTICLE]

HORRIBLE RAILWAY WRECK.

Information reached Pottsville, Pa., Wednesday night of a terrible accident which occurred on the Lehigh ‘Vkllev railroad at Mud Run, tbe first station above Penn Haven. A grand parade of Catholic societies took place at Hazelton Wednesday, and a large excursion was run from Wilkesbarre for the occasion composed of lodges, bands and sight-seers from Wilksbarre, Nanticoke and other points along tbe line. The excursion train was run in two sections, and upon their return trip at night tbe rear section ran into the forward section at Mud Run, about 9 o’clock, with " disastrous Jesuits. Several cars of the forward section were tetescoped and forty persons were killed outright, and about an equal number of them injured, many of them probably fatally. The late hour at which tug acciucut occurred, tne renn;cuTinti* isolated location of the scene, and reticence of the'railroad people combine to render the obtainment of details extremely difficult. It is impossible to ascertain tbe names or residences of the victims, but their number is stated above with approximating accuracy.

Particulars of the disaster were telegraphed Thursday: There were seventy-eight cars from Wilkesbarre to Hazel ton, the number of passengers being about 5,500. The sections were all crowed to suffocation, furnishing the conditions for terrible loss of life in case of wreck. Throughout the night the depot was thronged by hundreds of persons, suffering untold agony over the uncertainty. The throng was loud in its denunciation of the company for refusing all information and causing needless suffering. At 3:30 a. m., the report was in circulation that arrangements had been made for the reception of a number of wounded at the hospital. The rumor was soon confirmed. The officials were expecting twentyfive of the victims. With such a list of wounded coming in this drection the public pulse Btood still over the horrible possibilities, and a thousand fainting hearts quivered in dread. Many persons wanted to go to the scene of the disaster and endeavored to charter a locomotive. Rev. Father Moylan, of Scranton, offered to pay cash for anv expenses in that direction, but the favor could not be obtained owing to the absence of Superintendent Mitchell at the wreck. Many persons, after waiting during the long, weary hojqrs from 10 to 3 in the morning, took the south bound train which passed there at 3:10 and went to the scene of the d’saster. It was there learned that the third section of the excursion train had stood on the track a few hundred yards from Mud Run, waiting for sections ahead to get out of the way. A flagman, some say, had been sent back with a lantern to guard the train from the rear. Suddenly the passengers on the rear platform Baw a train approaching at a high rate of speed. Several of these passengers, who saw the danger, jumped and escaped. In an instant a flash of headlight illuminated the interior of the ill Sated rear car; there was a frightful crash, and the engine plunged her full length into the crowded mass of humanitv. The Bhock drove the rear car through the next one for two-thirds of its length, and the second car was forced into the third. Not a single person escaped from the rear car. The section was crowded with maimed and bleeding bodies, and the third car had but few passengers* Who escaped. The uninjured, but terrorstricken passengers of both trains made their way out 01 the cars and On going to the telescoped engine and care, where

the full horror of |the terrible disaster dawned upon them, the shattered engine was pouring forth Btreams of scalding steam and Water which hid from their eyes the fullest measure of the horrible scene, while its hissing sounds deadened the shrieks and groans of those imprisoned in the wreck.. Ghastly white faces peered into the windows to be greeted by faces far more ghastly. Some of the dead sat pinioned ih their seats, ercctas in life, staring open-eyed as if aware of the horrible surroundings. 4s ihe steam and smoke cleared away from the rear car its awful sights were revealed. 'The timbers were crushed and wrenched while on all sides hung mangled bodies and limbs. The few bodies which were not mangled were burned and scalded by the steam, and little remained in the car which bore human resemblance. When the shock of the first crash had in a measure subsided the uninjured began to do wbat could be done for their unfortunate companions. The few light tools on the train were ealled into requisition, but proved feeble instruments indeed. Th© -SU Francis Pioneer Corps, who were on the train, plied with Beal the broadaxes which were meant for holiday occasions. They, were, however, butdittle adapted to the work, and were soon rendered useless. In the meantime the windows of the cars were smashed in, brave men entered and released those least hurt or least entangled In one case they found John Lynch, of Wilkesbarre, hanging from the roof by one leg. His cries brought friends who, to relieve his suffering, stood upon the wreckage and held his weight upon their backs until he was released from his terrible position. A young lady was found caught by the lower limbs? One of her limbs was quickly released, but the other could not be freed, and an unfortunately misdirected blow of an ax severed it from the body. She heroically bore her torture, and, taking out her gold watch, she handed it to an acquaintance as a gift to a friend at home. She was put on board, one of the trains and given all possible care, but she could not survive her terrible injuries, and died in the arms of friends on board the car. To free the bodies in the rear car the trainmen attached a locomotive to the wrecked engine and started to pull it free from the wreck. The first movement of the shattered wreck brought from the wounded such awful cries £of distress that the surrounding friends ordered the eneineer to desist on pain of his life. They did not wish to, see the mangled forms still further mutilated. The few, houses about the spot were thrown open to the suffering and bonfires were lighted to aid the work of relief. It is not probable that the work will be completed before noon. The latest estimate places the number killed at 57, and the injured at 40 more.

IT WAS THE ENGINEER’S FAULT. It is now known that the awful disaster on the Lehigh road Wednesday was the result of Engineer Cook’s failure to observe the signals. There were eight sections of tbe train, with orders to run ten minutes apart. The danger signal was displaced at Mud Run, and the rear brakemen were sent back as an additional protection. Section No. 7 laid a short distance behind the station. No. 8 came thundering along, and tbe brakemen gave the engineer the signal to stop. He failed to heed it and dashed by the signal. The train plunged on, disregarding the signal at the station, and the disaster followed.