Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 August 1896 — FORTY-FOUR WERE KILLED. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FORTY-FOUR WERE KILLED.

Terrible Results of the Railroad Disaster at Atlantic City, N. J. Now that, the excitement has more or less subsided, the actual fatalities and injured in the Atlantic City, X. J., rhilroqd accident, are definitely known. The dead number forty-four, and forty-three were seriously enough hurt to be taken to the hospital. Of those in the hospital, twen-

ty-eight were so far recovered two days later as to be able to go to their homes. Of the fifteen persons remaining iu the hospital several are suffering from terrible injuries, the nature of which makes their recovery doubtful. There are still people who contend that the Reading train was racing with a train on the parallel track of the Camden and Atlantic, and that the Reading train was going at 6ueh a terrific rate of speed that it could hot be stopped when the danger signal was suddenly showm. The story that the Reading train was racing when the accident Occurred continues to be repeated, but it cannot be substantiated. If two trains were racing the engineers were violating one of the strictest rules of their roads, nnd were liable to instant dismissal, if discovered. On the other hand, a man whose name is withheld, und who witnessed the accident, says the trains Were not racing. No verification of the racing between the two trains can be obtained from the railroad people, as they either refuse to talk or flatly deny that the engineers could have been racing. Nevertheless, people who daily use the two roads, assert that races occur frequently on the level stretches, where the tracks are parallel, and bets among the passengers would he made over the result. Two of the wounded at the sanitarium are in a very serious state. These are Mrs. Fraliuger, of Bridgeton, whose leg was amputated, and the unknown woman with the fractured skull. The latter recovered consciousness Saturday morning, but could only talk incoherently, giving no explanation of herself. It is probable her skull will be trephined in the effort to save her life. The terrible event has cast a gloom over the city and sobered the gay throngs of summer pleasure seekers. Besides the death and suffering entailed by the collision, it is likely to seriously affect the business of the city for the rest of the summer. The fear is expressed among hotel men that Hie accident will make people timid about traveling on the lightning expresses, and as this has been a poor season so far, the outlook is viewed with anything but cheerful minds by business people. A little incident that is not without pathos is connected with the sufferers in the sanitarium. Directly across the street from the hospital is the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Ascension. Every Sunday morning the chimes in the belfry are rung. Saturday Rev. J. H. Townsend, rector of the chnrch, came to the hospital and inquired if the ringing of the chimes would affect the patients.. Each of the wounded was asked if he would rather that the church chimes would not ring, and each replied in the negative. Strangely enough, several asked that “Nearer. My Gcal, to Thee,” bo rung, aud this hymn wars played into the dying ears of the men and women.

THE NEW JERSEY RAILROAD HORROR (Scene at the signal tower from which the fatal switch was turned.)