Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 November 1876 — The Recent Railroad Horror in Pennsylvania. [ARTICLE]

The Recent Railroad Horror in Pennsylvania.

The accident op the’jfOrth 'Perityylvania Railroad, on Wedhfesdtyy night last, was a .most,extraordinary one in many particulars'. Our correspdrident, who had the misfortune to be on the tfhin, gives t£e following' details of tty# acctoent: Theitrain left FhjJ»delp|riq,with a full load of passengerSytiearly /of them being Centennial visitors returning to their homes. ;The train was composed of foiir Pullman sleepers, four day coaches, smok-ing-car and two baggage-cars, all drawnby engines. The coaches were all filled, and' the Sleeping-cars Pearly so, jierhaps twenty persons being in the car wrecked. 1 The train started a little late from Erie avenue, and at once reached a high rate of speed, which was remarked upon by the passengers, and not much enjoyed by those in view of the rough- and crooked road. All went well enough until about.half-past nine. The train had hajjp-, left Center Valley, a ( station forty-five miles from Philadelphia, when’ thej correspondent, who was seated in the second section from the front of the car, which: is directly over the trucks, observed a sud- -1 den and peculiar motion and noise in the gearing below the car, which created a decided uneasiness in his mind. It incrsfitedi gradually, and he mentioned it to the porter, who had now commenced making up the berths for the night; but he qittyer did not hear or affected not to understand, and away toward the rear; the attention es a fellow-passenger was called to the increasing noise and motion, and the Pres Press correspondent was' about to pull me' signal-rope to stop', the train, there being no train official in sight, when the car gave a dozen fearful jnmpe, and, lurching to the right, a terrific crash followed, the car having teftthe thick and struck full force against a wall, of jagged and broken rock ten feet in height, there being a deep cut at this point. The car now careened to the other side, and ran, br rather was dragged, perhaps a dozefi ' rods, when it capsized and lay upon its side. t Fn The. fearful crash was succeeded by a stillness as complete, as death ifSelf, eply to be broken by the most heartrending shrieks tyhd cries for. help from the wounq. ed, who were piled md&criminately. among the debris of the wrecked The correspondent. ,was thrown with great, violence against the side of the car, sustaining some cute and bruises; with three other gentlemen who were in the smoking compartment,, all hurt more or less, they prepared at once to extricate the less fortunate victims who -were.beseeching aid to 1 save them. Extinguishidg the kerosene lamps ’ with which the cars are illumintted, we broke the lights of glass (now overhead, the car being bn its,side),, and elimtted'lo the outside, drawing,them' out one b/one, ladies first, until no,more irjmatse could be found. 'The seats and blankets were used for temporary couches, and spread upon the embankipent above, yfliere the wounded were placed. The m,° ans aad cries were heart-break-ing. ■“ Help! for God’s sake, help!”, “ Save my Baby (ao not mind me; save my baby!” ” The/iprison fire! help here, or we shalLbqrn jup!” “ Tqjte this little girl; her mothei la, dead!” ''‘Drag ofi, these timbersl help mp, oh—!" broke

upon our ears from every side, but e very helper was cool and collected, and the work wentfoilwakd quickly and effectually? The tabon shtae with muck brilliancy, illuminating the sad scene as distinctly as if’t were high noon. The baggage was takeh out; and whoever had cordials or restoratives of any kind produced tftemf, and everything that could be was doneio alleviate the subrings of sh« wounded. The traimmen'affd male passengers from the Other sleepers joined us presently, and the mbrb seriously injured, ladies and children were ; placed in berths ip the rear sleeping car. A few mihutOs’ further search revealed the bodies of .the brakeman and colored porter under the, trucks, dead and terribly ! crushed. They had either j upped when the Car left the track, struck the high bank and rolled back under the wheels, or were thrown there by th&ahock. Whatever it was they were undoubtedly killed instantly. ' Theftbodies were finally dug, out and conveyed to the village of Center Valley. The sleeper immediately behind the

ope wrecked had partially followed, and, bntfar'tHe Miller platform, must have telescoped, it, which would have added to the victfmh fthfr more Who were in the smokifig compartment, This car was'also turned partly over. The first day-coach fa thtf %leepfers wta thrown ffont the track and dragged a quarter of < a mile over the ties, when it struck a telegraph pole and thexear end was partially crushed? •' JWith regard to the cause of the _acci-, dent but little can be known positively, but two theories are offered by those' familiar "With car construction; which ,afe; Fifst, the axle broke bear the journal, being ' fifeld by thfc" jdffinal-bo** «>n<» caught in the “ frog” at the switch, passed by the train, and threw the tram into the rocks; second, that a sefafie jolt threw out a large coupling-pin and let down a pdrtion of i the gearing of the truck, which threw the wheel off. The former theoiy, however, seems best proved by the masks upon file cross-ties, where the loose, wheel passed over'theffl. That some blame attaches to the company, or its officers, \%as very positively expressed by many, but of co|W* it is hasty to condemn them upon such facta as are known. Yet i* seems that due > care is ar was-not exercised, sot a'sectfonhand who was standing in the door .his little shanty near the road two miles back as the train passed, states that aatrqftm of ftm ivaa pottring from the journal of the Car alluded to, and so firmly conwpced/ < was he that it meant mischief that he got out his hand-car and followed the train.— 1/sfrvw ifTtt jTTW.